Confession time! Kay, of Houseplant Hippie, has created for herself what would be my dream job. I’m saying this because I was doing a creative exercise from Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way in which the prompt was to list five other lives that you’d like to live and what you’d do in each of them; and I’m pretty sure what Kay does for a living is a mish-mash of three of my “other lives.”
When the pandemic hit, Kay nourished the seed of an idea she’d had for a long time: to start her own plant truck business. In addition to bringing her plants and expertise to markets and pop-ups in North Carolina, Kay is also bringing people closer to nature by organizing events in a gorgeous greenhouse setting.
Yoga in a greenhouse? Check!
Wine tasting in a greenhouse? Check!
How about happy hour in a greenhouse? Check and check!
I can only keep dreaming *for now*; but with a lot of hard work, courage and creativity, Kay has built it from the ground up.
In the midst of a busy summer season, Kay was kind enough to answer a few questions for Green with Purpose:
Hi, Kay. Can you please tell us a little bit about your business?
Hey, I’m Kay, a true houseplant fan-girl! My business advocates for clean air and high vibrations by promoting the introduction of plants into our personal spaces. More than anything, I want people to walk away from their experience with Houseplant Hippie feeling confident in the plants they have and in how to take care of them.
When COVID-19 hit in 2020, houseplants became one of the trends for the pandemic. People wanted something to make their at-home spaces come alive and the also wanted fresh air in their homes.
And even though things seem to be going back to normal and people are returning to their work spaces, I am here to advocate that plants are not a trend, they’re a lifestyle! Houseplants are one of the best forms of self-care and self-love, and I want everyone to feel confident in the plant parenting skills. Connecting plants and people to foster energy neutral spaces through education and empowerment is the goal of Houseplant Hippie.
How did you come up with the idea of a houseplant truck?
This truck had been an idea in the back of my mind for a few years now. I knew it was something I wanted to try to create, but I just didn’t know the time frame of it all.
I moved to Brooklyn for a couple years to pursue dance as a career and take classes, and during this time I also worked with houseplants as my full-time job.
I had seen a successful plant truck done in Brooklyn on a larger scale and thought to myself “that’s exactly what I have been wanting to do!” When the pandemic hit and I was forced to head back to North Carolina, I just decided “you know what, what do I have to lose? I’m just going to go for it, start this houseplant business that I have always wanted to start, and I’m going to build this truck.”
I didn’t want to invest in a big truck for my first go around so I did some research on what I could haul with my jeep. Once I found out that I could haul a cargo trailer as big as a 7’x14’ I said “that will do!”.
Once I purchased the trailer, I tried to figure out what needed to be done in order to make it a good space for plants to be in. So I had the skylight installed for lighting, a window for airflow and communication, a slatwall to offer diverse shelving options, and wired the trailer up to my jeep. Once the painting was done, she was ready to hit the road!
What does a workday in the life of a houseplant truck owner look like?
On the days that the truck is heading to a market or a pop-up, I’m up bright and early.
Let’s say a farmer’s market starts at 8 AM. The evening before, I might crate up all the plants and either move the crates up to the front of the greenhouse or, if the weather is permitting, I’ll go ahead and put the plants in the truck and leave the window open for airflow.
On the morning of the market, I wake up at 5 AM to head over to Haven Farm, which is my family’s farm where the greenhouse is located. The first thing I’ll do is water the plant inventory that will not be on the truck. I do this because on market days, if I am out and about most of the day, then the plants in the greenhouse won’t end up getting watered until late in the day which could cause their soil to dry out too much.
After the greenhouse plants get watered, then I spot-water the plants in the crate to make sure they are hydrated enough for the time that they will be in the truck. Once all the plant babies are hydrated, I make sure I have everything else I need, such as the other items I sell on the truck (candles, coffee, macrame hangers, etc.) and a few other things that I need to bring.
I try to get to markets about 45 minutes before they begin because I need time to move the plants that are in crates on the floor up onto the shelves.
Once all the plants are placed, I sweep the floor and open up the back door so that people can go in and out of the space to shop. After market, the plants that didn’t sell get crated back up and placed on the floor. The door gets shut and I make my way back to the farm. The plants in the truck get unloaded back into the greenhouse where I spot check them for water again. Once I know all the plant babies are feeling good, I unhitch the trailer from the jeep and head on my way!
Can you give us some insight into how you select plants to sell?
I am very picky about the plants I keep in the greenhouse and place on the truck. I want to make sure that I am selling high-quality plants. When selecting the plants to take on the truck, I try to make sure that I am bringing a wide variety for everyone to enjoy. Each plant that gets put in a crate is also checked for bugs and disease as well.
What is the best part about owning a plant business?
The fact that everyday, I get to take care of them! Everyday, I get to talk to the plants and water them. It is such a huge blessing to love what I do. I also get to reap the benefits of constantly being in clean air and surrounded by living beings that work to keep me healthy.
Do you have any advice to keep in mind before purchasing a new houseplant?
ALWAYS check for bugs before you bring the new plant home. Sometimes, we get so excited about the plant that we have chosen that we forget to check for our creepy crawly friends. Once you bring the plant home, if it has bugs, you risk the potential of infestation to all of your plants!
I do a thorough check of all my plants before I get them on the truck. I tell people that my plants are pest-free guaranteed, but that I would never be offended if anyone were to check again … that’s just you being a great plant parent!
Do you have a favorite houseplant?
Gosh … that’s hard! I love many houseplants for different reasons. For their difficulty levels, for their wants and needs, for the interesting mannerisms they have, and for the specific toxins each one removes from the air.
But I will say, of all the houseplants, the one that holds a special place in my heart is the snake plant. Easy to care for and manageable in most light conditions, the snake plant has more than 60 different varieties that are unique in shape and size. I love learning about them and love the texture that they bring to a space.
Where can people find you online?
I can be found on social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook under the handle @thehouseplanthippie.
Thanks for joining us, Kay!
All images via thehouseplanthippie.
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