Boys With Plants: If You're an Insta Fan, You'll Love Their New Book

We’ve all been there. You want to liven up your home with a pretty plant, so you pick one based on how it complements your home’s aesthetic. This plant may accentuate your living room curtains, but do you actually know how to care for it?

If you’re like me, you find yourself asking questions like “How often should I water it? Does this plant need sunlight?” Luckily for those of us who struggle in the nurturing part of being a plant owner, Scott Cain, author of Boys With Plants, is here to help.

It all started with Cain’s Instagram account TropicaLoco. He posted photos of his favorite houseplants and met a community of fellow plant lovers. This led to posting photos of other dudes with their plants, and so, Boys With Plants was born. Today, the Instagram account has over 110k followers and is growing like a weed.

Cain turned the social media phenomenon into a book, which features 50 green-thumb fellas from around the globe and their most prized possessions: their plants. These men range in ages 23-50 and work in everything from healthcare to business to interior design. In the book, the boys provide insight on how to choose the right plant and the responsibilities of being a plant owner. Oh, and did we mention it includes the boys’ Instagram handles?

Here are a few of our favorite tips from Boys With Plants:

1. Learn about the plant’s native environment and keep that in mind when caring for it.

2. If you’re starting out, choose plants that are easy to care for, like succulents with thick, green leaves.

3. Treat having a plant like dating: If you don’t click, don’t force it. If, after a while, a plant doesn’t seem happy or struggles with you, move on and give it away.

4. Try to find a plant exchange community around town or set one up with friends. You can adopt plants and find homes for ones that are struggling under your care (see dating note above).

5. Egg shells, carbonated water, and coffee grounds are great, natural ways to nourish your plants.

6. Plants need some TLC, too. Dirt can build up on your plant’s leaves and prevent sunlight absorption, so give them a bath and wipe the leaves clean.

7. Overwatering leads to root rot — the number one killer of house plants. You can save a plant from drying out, but it’s much harder to save them from drowning.

8. Pick out pots and vases based on your plant’s structure. A tall, thin vase will complement a plant with height while broad, shallow pots will look nice with trailing plants.

Pre-order the book to see more fellas with plants and get their best gardening tips.