In our Plant PPL sequence, we interview individuals of colour within the plant world. You probably have strategies for PPL to incorporate, tag us on Instagram @latimesplants.
Brittany Montero and her brother, Jose, weren’t shut rising up. With a 10-year age hole between them, they didn’t have a lot in widespread. However throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the siblings reconnected via their shared curiosity in vegetation.
It began as a pastime to deal with quarantine isolation, stated Brittany, 33, and a method of therapeutic collectively by bringing the outside inside. Jose stated he would typically drive to go to his sister and return house with a automobile chock-full of vegetation.
“We’d go searching for free vegetation on a regular basis,” stated Jose, 23. “It was a means we bonded in our maturity.”
Jose Montero cares for a plant at Prop Home Vegetation.
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Instances)
This shared pastime shortly reworked into an obsession via spreading their data and love of home vegetation to others. The Monteros started holding pop-up plant markets in March 2022, which they stated have been hit-or-miss however offered useful classes about what it takes to run a small enterprise. By October of that yr, they opened their very personal mom-and-pop — or extra like bro-and-sis — plant store in downtown San Pedro known as Prop Home Vegetation.
Brittany, who labored within the movie business earlier than beginning this enterprise, stated the store’s identify is a reference to the prop homes on film units, which are likely to have a whole part devoted to vegetation. It’s additionally a play on the phrase propagation, which is plant lingo for the method of reproducing a number of vegetation from a single plant, usually by replanting cuttings from the mum or dad plant.
Operating a enterprise as siblings, Jose and Brittany say, is each a pleasure and a problem. Brittany stated there are occasions once they butt heads, however she credit their open communication because the driving power behind their means to deal with challenges and transfer previous them. She stated she loves working along with her brother, and seeing their dream to run their very own enterprise turn out to be a actuality is rewarding.
Their 300-square-foot retailer is small however mighty, with greenery inhabiting practically each inch from ground to ceiling. Dozens of succulents hold from picket cabinets across the room, and colourful pots scavenged from property and yard gross sales line the ground. Quirky particulars like an outdated CRT tv, a classic yellow phone and an unassuming plant with a reputation tag studying “Frank” give the store character.
Brittany and Jose Montero work of their store.
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Instances)
An eclectic mixture of retro decor is featured at Prop Home Vegetation.
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Instances)
Jose and Brittany began their entrepreneurial journey at younger ages and have taught themselves nearly all the pieces they know, Jose stated, typically utilizing the web as a useful resource. Their roles within the enterprise naturally fell into place. Jose, who used to work in social media administration, runs their on-line presence on TikTok and Instagram, whereas Brittany, armed with years of expertise within the company world, handles funds and enterprise technique on the again finish.
“Even when issues are arduous, now we have one another,” Jose stated. “It’s not as scary, it’s not as lonely. A win is an effective win, you realize?”
Brittany and Jose watched with satisfaction as a String of Rubies (Othonna capensis) shinnied up a wall, a Donkey’s Tail (Sedum morganianum) swished from its pot and a Cash Plant (Pilea peperomioide) tossed its coin-shaped leaves from its stem all through the shop.
Jose stated their grandmother had an exceptionally inexperienced thumb. Avocado, mango and guava bushes and heaps of roses flourished within the yard of her Hawthorne house once they have been children. The siblings stated they loved serving to their grandmother water the backyard.
Their dad’s aspect of the household had a farm in Cuba earlier than immigrating to the U.S. 50 years in the past. The household grew a lot of its personal meals on the farm, Brittany stated, and her grandmother introduced these abilities along with her to Los Angeles.
“My household lived in a lower-income space in Hawthorne, and there was concrete all over the place you regarded,” Brittany stated. “However then you definitely simply see this lush, inexperienced jungle at our grandmother’s home. It was magical.”
Prop Home makes a speciality of beginner-friendly, low-maintenance vegetation like snake vegetation (Dracaena trifasciata), pothos and Zanzibar gems. Brittany and Jose stated their mission is to show individuals the best way to care for his or her vegetation and present them that plant possession is just not as intimidating because it might sound.
Quirky particulars like vegetation in expressive pots adorn Prop Home Vegetation.
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Instances)
Brittany Montero holds one among her favourite vegetation.
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Instances)
Their store provides inexpensive companies together with plant remedy, repotting and inside design. Beginning at $5, Prop Home will assist you settle a plant into a brand new pot by delicately eradicating outdated soil, inspecting the roots and including contemporary soil in-shop. Or beginning at $10, the store will assess your plant child‘s general well being, diagnose any issues, take away unhealthy tissue and clear the leaves to make it appear and feel brand-new.
“We’re just like the physician for vegetation,” Brittany stated.
Brittany and Jose can even advocate what vegetation would work greatest on your house based mostly on gentle, temperature, upkeep and, in fact, aesthetic. They provide free consultations in-store; sourcing and set up of vegetation begins at $100 per hour.
Whimsical touches intensify the vegetation at Prop Home Vegetation.
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Instances)
The store sends each plant purchaser house with a custom-made plant care card that particulars directions on watering, humidity and light-weight.
“We need to be certain our prospects depart feeling assured and enthusiastic about caring for their plant,” Jose stated.
There are a multitude of research suggesting that indoor vegetation could enhance psychological and physiological well being points together with anxiousness and melancholy and stress and hypertension. Additionally, extraordinary potted vegetation can doubtlessly scale back air air pollution in properties and places of work, based on analysis from the College of Birmingham in England.
Given these potential advantages, it’s not stunning that individuals repeatedly gravitate towards Prop Home Vegetation merely to take a breather.
Prop Home Vegetation has a big selection of small and enormous potted vegetation.
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Instances)
Brittany and Jose Montero exterior their store.
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Instances)
“Individuals will pop in for a couple of minutes and say they simply wanted a second of peace,” Brittany stated.
Though they love their cozy San Pedro storefront, the duo envisions enlargement. Very like propagation, they hope to take their authentic, small-business roots and replant in an even bigger house with the purpose of creating plant-caregiving data accessible to all.
