Dirty Talks with Alex Bartholomew aka @midwest_plant_guy PART 2

In Part 2 of our conversation with Alex Bartholomew, we get deeper into the weeds about the more practical side of growing plants.

Nepenthem Miranda in the Grow Tent

Adam: If you had to start your plant collection over again, what would you do differently?

Alex: I think what I would do differently is spend more time researching different species and learning what I wanted to keep, instead of just buying up everything I saw. I went through probably a year of trial and error with all sorts of species, figuring out what plants I enjoyed, what ones I didn't, what plants I could actually keep alive, stuff like that. although, in a way, buying up everything I saw, helped me learn what species I did and didn't like!

Adam: What has been your biggest struggle as a plant grower?

Dwarf Jade Cascade

Alex: I think my biggest struggles are space and pests! You can never have enough space for trees and plants. I bought an 8x4 grow tent, and it’s already full, I've filled another shelf in my plant room, my garage is overflowing with trees, never enough space!

As for pests, they will be the reason I leave this hobby altogether!! All joking aside, I always have to deal with pests, especially on the Tropicals in the winter months. This winter I have been fighting two battles, one with Mealybugs, and one with scales and I think I'm losing both! Unfortunately, the reality is, when you cram 30-40 plants into one small place, pests can spread like wildfire if you're not on top of them. and that is my case! I have one small room dedicated to my Tropicals, and I always end up with winter pests. I treat them all winter long, they're usually cured by sprint, the trees go out, they come in for fall and the cycle starts over again! It’s a bit of a pain, and I feel like its not talked about often, but some pests are totally normal, and you just need to keep them under control!

Adam: And lastly, what is the ONE piece of advice, knowledge, or inspiration do you wish every grower would know?

Jade Clump

Alex: Quality over Quantity!! If you only take one piece of advice from this, let it be quality over quantity! When I first got into the hobby, I was buying everything left and right! within my first year, I had so many plants, of all different species and sizes, I didn't care what they were as long as the deal was good, I was buying them. I eventually got so overwhelmed with caring for them all that I couldn't handle it, plants were dying, and It felt like a chore to water and care for them. I realized I just had too much, so I started getting rid of them, and slowly but surely, I started enjoying them again!

Now, I know I said I have over 100 plants and trees, and that may seem like it’s going against this rule, but I promise it's not!! Of those 100 trees, 20-30 of them are Portulacaria afra, another 10 or 12 are tropical carnivorous plants, and the rest are deciduous outdoor trees! It may seem like a lot, but I have learned these are the species I enjoy taking care of, a lot of them have similar care, and the biggest thing, it does not feel like a chore to keep them alive!! So I have figured out what species make me happy, and give me enjoyment in the hobby, and I consider those quality plants! That is why you'll see me with 30 dwarf jades, but never a monstera! I have nothing against them, but I just personally don't like caring for them.

So, what it boils down to, is find the plants that make the hobby feel like quality time well spent, and don't go overboard and buy everything you see that might be a good deal!