1 00:00:03,840 --> 00:00:07,040 Speaker 1: Hey there, I'm Manga. They're a co host of Part 2 00:00:07,080 --> 00:00:10,000 Speaker 1: Time Genius, one of the founders of Mental Floss, and 3 00:00:10,240 --> 00:00:13,920 Speaker 1: this is Humans Growing Stuff, a collaboration from My Heart 4 00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:17,439 Speaker 1: Radio and your friends at Miracle Grow. Our goal is 5 00:00:17,480 --> 00:00:20,639 Speaker 1: to make this the most human show about plants that 6 00:00:20,720 --> 00:00:23,960 Speaker 1: you'll ever listen to, and along the way, we'll share 7 00:00:24,040 --> 00:00:27,640 Speaker 1: inspiring stories, tips and tricks to nurture your plant addiction, 8 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:30,920 Speaker 1: and just enough science to make you sound like an expert. 9 00:00:32,040 --> 00:00:34,120 Speaker 1: So we are on summer break right now, but the 10 00:00:34,159 --> 00:00:37,440 Speaker 1: truth is, my producer Molly and I can't stop our 11 00:00:37,479 --> 00:00:41,440 Speaker 1: plant addiction, so we're bringing you some sunny mini episodes 12 00:00:41,479 --> 00:00:44,440 Speaker 1: to enjoy before we return with a brand new season. 13 00:00:45,080 --> 00:00:48,440 Speaker 1: Throughout this summer, we'll be dropping incredible stories from growers, 14 00:00:48,760 --> 00:00:51,760 Speaker 1: fun advice we get from experts, and we'll even be 15 00:00:51,800 --> 00:00:54,160 Speaker 1: bringing you along on our field trips as we hunt 16 00:00:54,240 --> 00:00:57,800 Speaker 1: all over Brooklyn for a Polka dot plant, sample hot 17 00:00:57,840 --> 00:01:01,120 Speaker 1: sauces from a community garden, and try to make friends 18 00:01:01,160 --> 00:01:04,479 Speaker 1: with some worms on Governor's Island. It was a tall task. 19 00:01:05,560 --> 00:01:08,760 Speaker 1: In this bonus episode, we're sharing our interview with Scott Kane, 20 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:12,840 Speaker 1: founder of the Instagram account Boys with Plants, Scott considers 21 00:01:12,920 --> 00:01:15,679 Speaker 1: himself a plant nerd, and started his account after he 22 00:01:15,959 --> 00:01:18,720 Speaker 1: and a friend James, exchange a few d ms of 23 00:01:18,760 --> 00:01:21,440 Speaker 1: their favorite photos of men with plants on social media. 24 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:25,200 Speaker 1: Boys with Plants now has more than two followers and 25 00:01:25,240 --> 00:01:28,959 Speaker 1: has grown into a book, magazine, and calendar. I called 26 00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:32,199 Speaker 1: up Scott earlier this year for our episode Plant Daddy's Miracle, 27 00:01:32,240 --> 00:01:35,400 Speaker 1: Burrows and the Seeds of Modern Masculinity. We talked about 28 00:01:35,440 --> 00:01:38,160 Speaker 1: the importance of house plants and design and how the 29 00:01:38,200 --> 00:01:47,800 Speaker 1: plant Daddy movement has created a new sense of community online. 30 00:01:51,120 --> 00:01:53,640 Speaker 1: Hey Scott, are you there? Yeah? Hi, how you doing Hi? 31 00:01:53,800 --> 00:01:56,040 Speaker 1: It's so nice to be chatting with you. Yeah, that's 32 00:01:56,080 --> 00:02:00,520 Speaker 1: the chat to you too. Thanks for so oh. I 33 00:02:00,600 --> 00:02:03,080 Speaker 1: know one of the main reasons we wanted to chat 34 00:02:03,120 --> 00:02:07,280 Speaker 1: with you is your Boys with Plants account is widely 35 00:02:07,320 --> 00:02:10,200 Speaker 1: considered one of the first plant daddy platforms on on 36 00:02:10,320 --> 00:02:14,080 Speaker 1: social media. Can you tell us a little bit about 37 00:02:14,080 --> 00:02:17,839 Speaker 1: how you decided to start this in two thousand six sure? Sure, yeah, 38 00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:20,480 Speaker 1: two thousand and sixteen, So it's been nearly five years. 39 00:02:20,480 --> 00:02:23,200 Speaker 1: I can't believe it's been that long, but it's it 40 00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:25,440 Speaker 1: gives me a lot of joys. So it sort of 41 00:02:25,440 --> 00:02:27,880 Speaker 1: propels me to keep it, to keep working at it. 42 00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:31,720 Speaker 1: But I started an Instagram page called Tropical Loco, which 43 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:34,840 Speaker 1: was just documenting my my plants on my balcony really 44 00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:38,480 Speaker 1: and and there weren't that many accounts like that around 45 00:02:38,520 --> 00:02:41,160 Speaker 1: at the time. Um, and it got a bit of attention. 46 00:02:41,280 --> 00:02:43,280 Speaker 1: And I've met some guys and girls all over the 47 00:02:43,320 --> 00:02:46,560 Speaker 1: all over the world through that account, and we chatted 48 00:02:46,639 --> 00:02:48,520 Speaker 1: and got to know each other a little better. And 49 00:02:48,680 --> 00:02:51,320 Speaker 1: I used to chat to my friends James in Singapore. 50 00:02:52,200 --> 00:02:55,560 Speaker 1: We used to share images between ourselves of sort of 51 00:02:56,080 --> 00:02:59,600 Speaker 1: guys with their plants, particularly that were particularly handsome and 52 00:03:01,240 --> 00:03:04,120 Speaker 1: just three D M and and then I sort of 53 00:03:04,160 --> 00:03:07,160 Speaker 1: thought this actually might make a good a good Instagram 54 00:03:07,200 --> 00:03:09,640 Speaker 1: page on its own. Maybe somebody else might might be 55 00:03:09,680 --> 00:03:13,079 Speaker 1: interested in checking this out. So, um, so I started 56 00:03:13,080 --> 00:03:16,120 Speaker 1: Boys with Plants. And I've heard that your mom also 57 00:03:16,240 --> 00:03:21,640 Speaker 1: has really with plants. My mom does, She's been you know, 58 00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:25,079 Speaker 1: my my love of plants really came from mom initially, 59 00:03:25,440 --> 00:03:28,680 Speaker 1: so so I was, I was. She got me on 60 00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:30,480 Speaker 1: board with the plants, and I got her on board 61 00:03:30,520 --> 00:03:35,880 Speaker 1: with the Instagram. So what was your intention with boys 62 00:03:35,880 --> 00:03:38,720 Speaker 1: with Plants? When he started that that account really just 63 00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:43,080 Speaker 1: to show amazing pictures of high quality images of guys 64 00:03:43,080 --> 00:03:46,800 Speaker 1: with their plants. I don't think I really had much 65 00:03:46,880 --> 00:03:50,360 Speaker 1: more of a comment when I started it than just 66 00:03:50,440 --> 00:03:53,160 Speaker 1: showing something that didn't seem to exist on Instagram at 67 00:03:53,160 --> 00:03:55,560 Speaker 1: the time, and I didn't really expect anyone to really 68 00:03:55,640 --> 00:03:59,640 Speaker 1: be interested there. But as it went along, and particularly 69 00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:02,600 Speaker 1: when it got um it got sort of picked up 70 00:04:02,600 --> 00:04:06,440 Speaker 1: on some American newspapers, and the Washington Post and New 71 00:04:06,520 --> 00:04:09,880 Speaker 1: York Times picked it up, and Vogue magazine wrote an 72 00:04:09,960 --> 00:04:12,240 Speaker 1: article about it that started to get a lot of attention, 73 00:04:12,920 --> 00:04:15,760 Speaker 1: which is quite amount, Like I just was quite unexpected. 74 00:04:16,320 --> 00:04:19,760 Speaker 1: Um yeah, So it all chugged along from there really, 75 00:04:20,040 --> 00:04:23,040 Speaker 1: and yeah, obviously it's this van diagram of interest, but 76 00:04:23,279 --> 00:04:25,719 Speaker 1: I had read that it was. It was much more 77 00:04:25,760 --> 00:04:30,040 Speaker 1: focused on plants with boys as a bit of a candy. 78 00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:34,200 Speaker 1: Initially exactly, the boys are a bonus. I always I 79 00:04:34,240 --> 00:04:36,880 Speaker 1: get a lot of pictures where there's a bit of 80 00:04:36,880 --> 00:04:39,440 Speaker 1: a plant in the background and some muscle guys standing 81 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:41,680 Speaker 1: in front of the camera holding the camera, and I'm 82 00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:44,880 Speaker 1: always saying to them, sorry, the boys, the just the bonus. 83 00:04:44,920 --> 00:04:47,120 Speaker 1: It has to be about plants, has to be plant focused. 84 00:04:47,640 --> 00:04:50,600 Speaker 1: So what would you say is your definition of a 85 00:04:50,640 --> 00:04:54,880 Speaker 1: plant daddy. Ah, good question. I think somebody who just 86 00:04:55,600 --> 00:04:59,679 Speaker 1: has a keen interest in in plants beyond just getting 87 00:04:59,680 --> 00:05:01,599 Speaker 1: a plan and to look nice in a home, or 88 00:05:01,880 --> 00:05:03,680 Speaker 1: you know, maybe they've given a plant and they're like, 89 00:05:03,839 --> 00:05:06,280 Speaker 1: this is an opportunity to photograph myself looking good with 90 00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:08,839 Speaker 1: a plant. An actual plant daddy is someone who actually 91 00:05:08,839 --> 00:05:11,719 Speaker 1: cares for plants, and choosing to quote yourself a plant 92 00:05:11,800 --> 00:05:14,640 Speaker 1: daddy is part of it as well. Yeah, so what 93 00:05:14,839 --> 00:05:17,680 Speaker 1: is the plant daddy community all about? I think it's 94 00:05:18,080 --> 00:05:22,440 Speaker 1: sharing a common interest. It's about reaching out to people. 95 00:05:22,960 --> 00:05:26,160 Speaker 1: It's a connection that's just a way of connecting through 96 00:05:26,240 --> 00:05:30,960 Speaker 1: growing and and giving advice and through collecting in a way, 97 00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:34,200 Speaker 1: you know, it's just an initial common interest that brings 98 00:05:34,520 --> 00:05:37,680 Speaker 1: guys together people together. So you say on your website 99 00:05:37,800 --> 00:05:39,920 Speaker 1: that when you set out to make the Instagram page, 100 00:05:40,480 --> 00:05:44,040 Speaker 1: quote the whole idea of an Instagram page featuring them 101 00:05:44,040 --> 00:05:48,320 Speaker 1: with something unexpected and truly original. And can you talk 102 00:05:48,360 --> 00:05:50,400 Speaker 1: a little bit about why at the time, boys and 103 00:05:50,440 --> 00:05:54,680 Speaker 1: plants might be new or unheard on the internet together. Yeah, 104 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:59,800 Speaker 1: people don't realize. But before boys and Plants existed, they 105 00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:03,719 Speaker 1: earn any dedicated pages, and it was quite subversive to 106 00:06:03,839 --> 00:06:06,240 Speaker 1: have pictures of guys with plants. At that time, there 107 00:06:06,279 --> 00:06:09,000 Speaker 1: were quite a few girls with plants or just just 108 00:06:09,080 --> 00:06:12,840 Speaker 1: general people with plants pages. Yeah, when I started Boys 109 00:06:12,839 --> 00:06:15,320 Speaker 1: with Plants, it wasn't really around. It was quite hard 110 00:06:15,360 --> 00:06:17,960 Speaker 1: to find pictures initially to even post on the page. 111 00:06:18,240 --> 00:06:21,080 Speaker 1: Obviously I had the d MS between me and James, 112 00:06:21,160 --> 00:06:23,919 Speaker 1: which is one of the places I went to initially, 113 00:06:24,040 --> 00:06:26,600 Speaker 1: and I collected a few that way, but yeah, they 114 00:06:26,880 --> 00:06:29,039 Speaker 1: just weren't really around, and it was quite hard to find. 115 00:06:29,279 --> 00:06:32,800 Speaker 1: And it's quite exciting now to get more than a 116 00:06:32,880 --> 00:06:37,279 Speaker 1: hundred submissions every day and the exactly what I asked 117 00:06:37,360 --> 00:06:40,240 Speaker 1: for that you know that they're they're really amazing images 118 00:06:40,279 --> 00:06:44,400 Speaker 1: and beautifully photographed and following my tips as well. So 119 00:06:44,520 --> 00:06:48,120 Speaker 1: it's it's really nice to see how that's changed. So 120 00:06:48,520 --> 00:06:52,320 Speaker 1: one of the things we noticed was under frequently asked 121 00:06:52,400 --> 00:06:55,960 Speaker 1: questions page. People always ask what type of boys do 122 00:06:56,000 --> 00:06:59,400 Speaker 1: you feature? And and your answer is all of them. 123 00:06:59,800 --> 00:07:02,520 Speaker 1: I do get asked a lot about why I don't 124 00:07:02,560 --> 00:07:07,680 Speaker 1: post any bigger guys or older guys, and my answer 125 00:07:07,800 --> 00:07:11,240 Speaker 1: is I get so few submissions and I'm really trying 126 00:07:11,280 --> 00:07:17,040 Speaker 1: to encourage more submissions from all different sized people. Like previously, 127 00:07:17,080 --> 00:07:20,240 Speaker 1: one of a bigger guy took a picture which I featured, 128 00:07:20,280 --> 00:07:22,800 Speaker 1: and it was one of the most popular pictures on 129 00:07:22,840 --> 00:07:25,120 Speaker 1: the page. I think it got over fifteen thousand likes. 130 00:07:25,160 --> 00:07:27,680 Speaker 1: It was amazing. Unfortunately, I think people look at the 131 00:07:27,680 --> 00:07:29,559 Speaker 1: page and they see so much of the muscle guys 132 00:07:29,600 --> 00:07:31,640 Speaker 1: and so much of the of the shirts off and 133 00:07:31,720 --> 00:07:33,480 Speaker 1: all that sort of stuff, and then they maybe they 134 00:07:33,480 --> 00:07:36,160 Speaker 1: feel like the pages not for them, the pages really 135 00:07:36,200 --> 00:07:39,240 Speaker 1: for everyone. So one of the things we've noticed is 136 00:07:39,280 --> 00:07:42,040 Speaker 1: that so much of the plant Daddy movement seems to 137 00:07:42,080 --> 00:07:45,440 Speaker 1: be about bringing plants into spaces to liven things up 138 00:07:45,560 --> 00:07:49,160 Speaker 1: or to bring warmth to a rumor area. You know, 139 00:07:49,200 --> 00:07:52,520 Speaker 1: we're wondering, how do you think interior design has been 140 00:07:52,560 --> 00:07:56,400 Speaker 1: heightened by this edition of adding living pieces to spaces. 141 00:07:57,440 --> 00:08:00,280 Speaker 1: I love the way plants soften a room. They stay 142 00:08:00,360 --> 00:08:03,880 Speaker 1: soften and warmer space. You know, they break the hard 143 00:08:04,080 --> 00:08:08,080 Speaker 1: edges of um of If you think about a bookshelf, 144 00:08:08,120 --> 00:08:10,440 Speaker 1: it's square and it's hard on the edges. You place 145 00:08:10,520 --> 00:08:13,360 Speaker 1: a plant on it that trickles down the side of 146 00:08:13,400 --> 00:08:16,000 Speaker 1: the of the of the bookshelf. It breaks up all 147 00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:19,400 Speaker 1: those edges and those spaces, and it connects the connects 148 00:08:19,440 --> 00:08:22,640 Speaker 1: the different the different boxes. I guess you could say 149 00:08:22,680 --> 00:08:25,760 Speaker 1: of the bookshelf. Um. So I think it's just the 150 00:08:25,840 --> 00:08:31,680 Speaker 1: way that it's visually looks glossy and alive and and 151 00:08:32,160 --> 00:08:37,679 Speaker 1: um and yeah, just the fact that is living is 152 00:08:37,720 --> 00:08:41,080 Speaker 1: a big thing. But also breaking all those those hard 153 00:08:41,160 --> 00:08:43,920 Speaker 1: edges of architecture. I think that's that's one thing that 154 00:08:44,360 --> 00:08:47,680 Speaker 1: plants do in an interior. You know, I've seen in 155 00:08:47,800 --> 00:08:52,160 Speaker 1: this Smell magazine interview that you said a plant represents 156 00:08:52,240 --> 00:08:55,880 Speaker 1: optimism and hope for the future, and I wanted to 157 00:08:56,000 --> 00:08:59,200 Speaker 1: hear just a little bit more about that. I think 158 00:08:59,200 --> 00:09:02,320 Speaker 1: that you're an investing something in a plant. You're buying 159 00:09:02,360 --> 00:09:07,160 Speaker 1: this small even large plant, any sized plants, and when 160 00:09:07,160 --> 00:09:09,520 Speaker 1: you're buying it, you're expecting it to stay alive. But 161 00:09:09,600 --> 00:09:10,800 Speaker 1: you know you have to put the work in the 162 00:09:10,840 --> 00:09:14,839 Speaker 1: effortence to keep it alive. And so by putting in 163 00:09:15,240 --> 00:09:19,200 Speaker 1: the thought of the time and the love and the 164 00:09:19,240 --> 00:09:21,079 Speaker 1: physical things like the water and the soil and the 165 00:09:21,240 --> 00:09:26,120 Speaker 1: and the fertilizer. Um, you're you're looking forward to your 166 00:09:26,120 --> 00:09:28,600 Speaker 1: looking forward to the future of being with that plants 167 00:09:28,600 --> 00:09:32,880 Speaker 1: and having it as part of your life. Um and yeah, 168 00:09:32,920 --> 00:09:35,200 Speaker 1: I think that's part of the optimism. I just want 169 00:09:35,200 --> 00:09:37,120 Speaker 1: to say thank you for taking the time to chat 170 00:09:37,160 --> 00:09:39,520 Speaker 1: with us. It's been really fun to talk. Thank you 171 00:09:39,559 --> 00:09:49,000 Speaker 1: for listening to my rambling appreciate. I want to thank 172 00:09:49,040 --> 00:09:52,160 Speaker 1: Scott Ken again for sharing his story and insights. You 173 00:09:52,200 --> 00:09:55,199 Speaker 1: can follow Boys with Plants on Instagram or visit Boys 174 00:09:55,240 --> 00:09:58,040 Speaker 1: with Plants dot com to learn more force invent your 175 00:09:58,080 --> 00:10:01,440 Speaker 1: own photos. That's it for to Day's bonus episode, but 176 00:10:01,640 --> 00:10:04,600 Speaker 1: check back here again to see more bonus episodes this summer, 177 00:10:05,040 --> 00:10:07,680 Speaker 1: and don't forget no matter what season it is or 178 00:10:08,080 --> 00:10:11,280 Speaker 1: where you're at in your gardening journey, there's some incredible 179 00:10:11,320 --> 00:10:15,520 Speaker 1: resources waiting for you on the Miracle Grow website. Humans 180 00:10:15,520 --> 00:10:18,480 Speaker 1: Growing Stuff is a collaboration from I Heart Radio and 181 00:10:18,559 --> 00:10:21,240 Speaker 1: your friends at Miracle Grow. Our show was written and 182 00:10:21,240 --> 00:10:25,719 Speaker 1: produced by Molly Sosha and Knee Mongy Chatiguler in partnership 183 00:10:25,720 --> 00:10:30,280 Speaker 1: with Ryano Vadia, Daniel Ainsworth, Haley Ericsson, and Garrett Shannon 184 00:10:30,320 --> 00:10:32,880 Speaker 1: of Bancher. Thank you so much for listening