Plant Coach

Cutsumpas Nick Cutsumpas

Description

Urban gardener, plantrepreneur, and star of Netflix's Instant Dream Home "Farmer Nick" Nick Cutsumpas combines sustainability, science, and philosophy to coach new plant owners on how to find the right houseplants for their space and help them thrive Despite the abundance of resources on caring for houseplants, many people continue to struggle with their plant care or don't even know where to begin on the journey to plant parenthood. An increasing number of young urbanites are filling their apartments with plants only to realize that they don't know what it takes to care for them long term. That's because knowledge isn't enough, and most people need a shift in plant perspective before they can start changing their behavior-houseplants are nature, not just furniture. This is why most people need a coach, someone to encourage them, give them the right game plan, and help them achieve their houseplant potential. Enter Nick Cutsumpas-plant coach, urban gardener, and Netflix personality-whose mission is to give people the knowledge and confidence they need to create their own green spaces. Plant Coach is his comprehensive guide for the everyday plant owner who wants to alleviate the stress of plant ownership while doing the best for their plants and the planet. Cutsumpas reframes what it means to be a plant parent by viewing the home as an ecosystem, introducing unconventional and sustainable plant tactics that go beyond the basic requirements of water and sunlight. Just as he does for his clients, Cutsumpas shares project ideas and coaches new plant owners on how to select and care for plants that are right for their space and lifestyle with deep insight and lighthearted fun. At the same time, he inspires readers to care for the planet, using houseplants as a stepping stone toward sustainability and environmental action.

Sujets

• Houseplant
• Gardening

Informations

• Publié par: ABRAMS BOOKS
• Date de parution: 18 octobre 2022
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781647005412
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 4 Mo

Extrait

To my grandfather, who I still affectionately call Pou, the first coach I ever had. Thank you for cultivating my love of the outdoors and teaching me how to catch frogs. To my high school guidance counselor, Guy Matthews, the first person to ever call me coach. May you rest in power.

CONTENTS
Setting Green Expectations
Germination Story
Why We Need Plants Now More than Ever
Nature, Not Furniture: Your Home is an Ecosystem
Observing the Ecosystem: Assessing Your Space
Welcome to My Bedroom
Creating Your Greenprint: Thrive, Survive, Revive
Plant Shopping Dos and Don ts
The Plant Parent Greatest Hits: What You Need to Do Now That You Have a Plant Family
Practicing Mindful Neglect
Unconventional (and Sustainable) Plant Tips
Learning Your Plant Love Language
Preaching the Green Gospel: Plants Are Stepping Stones
Five Plant Projects Everyone Should Try
Conclusion
Acknowledgments
Bibliography
Notes
I have a confession to make: I ve killed many plants. And I still do it every now and then . . . but far less frequently. There, I said it. And boy does it feel good to get that off my chest.
It s at this point that you are probably having second thoughts about buying a plant-help book from the guy who just admitted to killing his plants, but hear me out.
No, I didn t study horticulture in college, I don t have a PhD in botany, and there are thousands of people with more plant knowledge than me (still not helping my case, I know), but there is a tremendous amount of value and wisdom to be gained through self-exploration and developing a realistic and attainable approach to plant care. I ve already made every mistake there is to make in caring for plants, and learning from that real life trial-and-error was invaluable. You can read every plant textbook in the world, but you will never truly understand a plant until you ve worked with it yourself. Until you ve teased its roots. Until you ve watched a new leaf emerge. Until you ve tasted its fruit. Until you ve cleaned every leaf and crevice for hours in an attempt to eradicate a horrifying spider mite infestation. Only then can you say that you really know a plant and appreciate its natural process.
Now don t get me wrong. I ve done my fair share of studying, volunteered on farms around the country, built giant plant sculptures, and taken classes at the prestigious New York Botanical Garden, but that doesn t diminish all the insights I ve gained from simply getting my hands dirty. All of these experiences led to the growth of the Farmer Nick social media and plant coaching business, and to date I have coached more than 150 clients as they brought plants into their lives for the first time. Understanding the science of plants provided so much context to the plant behaviors I practiced every day with my clients, and learning the why behind those methods allowed me to craft my own point of view and way of doing things. Sometimes these methods are met with skepticism, but that s totally fine. I don t give two ficus about what another plant parent does or doesn t do. If my plants are flourishing and living up to my expectations, then that is good enough for me.
This notion that there is a single way to take care of your plants is my biggest gripe with the plant community and the main reason I decided to write this book. Caring for plants should not be viewed as this super intensive and scientific endeavor that only the most courageous and scholarly among us can master. Anyone can be a great plant parent, no matter where they live, how busy they are, how many plants they have, and how many plants they ve killed in the past. You don t need fancy light or moisture meters to make your plants thrive. You don t need two hundred-plus plants in your apartment to feel accomplished. And you don t need anyone else telling you there is a single, unquestionable way to care for your plant family. Plants aren t black and white. They re green! *
There is no one size fits all approach to plant care. In fact, the very notion that there s only one way to do it is ridiculous because every plant and environment is different. We don t look at raising humans with a singular approach, because what works for Chad may not work for Brad. Even if they are identical twins (or clones, if we are viewing them through a plant lens), they will have unique personalities and subtle differences in their behavior. The good parents adapt accordingly, while the rigid parents get frustrated, complain, blame their kids, and banish them to the compost pile.
I believe the relationships we build with our plants are not so different from the ones we build with humans. If naming your plants, talking to them, and treating them like a conscious living organism helps you build empathy and makes you a better plant parent, then do it. It s all about finding your plant rhythm and balance, and it takes time to get to know your plants and understand their needs and wants. Like any successful relationship, it s all about listening and communication.
So this is my pitch to be your ambassador to the Plant Kingdom: I want to be your botanical middleman, straddling the line between the world of plant science, human psychology, and everyday life and translating the information in a way that you can understand and apply. My goal has always been to be a plant man for the people, and if I m going to do that for the masses, I need to demonstrate how plants can fit seamlessly into our lives without disruption. I understand and appreciate the more extreme plant tendencies some people have, but I recognize that approach doesn t work for all and can even scare people away from plants altogether.
When I began my plant journey, I wanted to find ways to make the plants fit my lifestyle, not the other way around, and I know how overwhelming and daunting it can be. Plant fear and anxiety is real, and believe me when I say some of my clients need professional help coping with their plant trauma, but that shouldn t deter us from taking the plant plunge. With the right coaching, we can all enjoy the beauty and benefits of plants inside and outside of our homes while developing a healthy relationship with the nature around us.
My mission is simple:
This book will empower you with the knowledge and confidence you need to create your own green spaces and inspire regenerative environmental action.
The key word here is confidence . I m going to do everything I can to give you the tools and strategies you need to be the best, most confident plant parent you can be. This book is for the plant realists out there-the green newbies who are afraid to get started, and those who are looking to develop their own personalized plant process. In this green guide, I will share my experiences, my stories, my failures, and my love of all things green. Of course we will throw in some science, but we will also talk about the more mystical side of plants: their purpose; their design; their relationship with humans and the environment.
It s really just a love story, and although I cannot teach you how to love your plants, if you re reading this, there s a strong chance that you already do. It may be the fifty plants in your living room, or the one small succulent on your nightstand-it doesn t matter to me. I want to meet you wherever you are on your plant journey and help to relieve some pressure. If you care about the plants, then I am grateful.

So here s the deal. I m going to do for you what I do for my clients. We will walk through each step of the plant process together, and I will guide you every step of the way. We will assess your space, create your plant plan or Greenprint, go plant shopping, and discuss what to do once you bring those plants home. That s the easy part though. The challenging part is the ongoing care and relationship you cultivate with those plants. You, and you alone, are responsible for developing your own unique plant ritual and personality. This takes time and patience, but it does not take talent. With a little attitude and effort (and willingness to get your hands dirty) you will bloom into the plant parent you were meant to be.
So, in preparation for this plant perspective repotting, here are the five things I want you to take away from this book:
1 It is OK if your plants die, but it is not OK to let them die because of your negligence.
First of all, we need to move away from using the words black thumb and kill in reference to our plant care abilities. I have plenty of amazing plant friends who have two black thumbs, and saying you killed your plants implies that you did something wrong with malicious intent. You didn t kill anything. (If anything, it is more like plant slaughter, but let s not get caught up in the lexicon. Plus, the image of someone menacingly standing over a plant while brandishing a knife is just too much to bear. . . .) Your intentions were good. You just unknowingly broke a few botanical rules along the way.
2 Your home is an ecosystem, and you are its almighty creator.
Being able to view your home as a living, breathing organism is the first step in cultivating a healthy relationship with your plants. Like any ecosystem, there are multiple factors and living beings at play, each with their own functions and effects on the whole. However, you are the ultimate decision maker, and learning to make small adjustments to bring balance to the force, I mean, maintain homeostasis, is key. With great power comes great responsibility.
3 Plants are stepping stones toward environmentalism.
Plants are nature, not furniture. I cannot stress this enough. You cannot put them anywhere and just expect them to thrive, because they are living beings that depend on you to survive. They also will not look perfect 100 percent of the time, which is why we must learn to embrace the imperfections and develop an appreciation for the nature inside our homes. This is why plants are st