Tiny Plant Interviews- Gray Winthrop

by Katherine Nelson March 10, 2021

When I first met Gray (you may know her as Terracotta and Tea), she was exactly as I had envisioned her to be. She was friendly, outgoing, funny and obsessed with her plants. We had never met but it felt as if we already had thanks to the connection of social media. She has the most amazing plant collection, takes the best pictures, and has such a sweet heart.

Hope you enjoy this Tiny Plant Interview with her!

When did you become interested in plants?

I became interested in plants when I moved in with two of my best friends in college. They both had a lot of houseplants and as someone that had never owned a houseplant before, I was intrigued! I got a few plants and killed pretty much all of them due to low light and inexperience. I didn't really start my plant journey until I moved in with my fiancé about a year later and had 10 ft windows! I learned very quickly that with a little bit of love and a lot of light, plants would thrive in my care! Plants have also been a way for me to heal after losing my sister in 2019. It is definitely the most fulfilling hobby I've ever had!

How many plants do you have?

At the moment I have 47 plants! I've had over 60 at different points of my journey but I have always tried to curate my collection every so often so I keep only the plants that I truly love.

What is your favorite plant?

That's such a hard question! I think it changes weekly. My favorite plant at the moment is probably my Philodendron Pink Princess. I don't always love the look of pink princesses but I got lucky with the one I have. The leaves are almost a dark cherry color with patches of bubblegum pink. It has completely stolen my heart!

What advice do you have for a new plant parent?

You don't need to water all of your plants exactly once a week! Every plant has different needs and the soil mix, pot, and light your plant receives affect how often the plant needs to be watered! Use your finger to test the soil moisture and check out the leaves. If the soil feels dry and the leaves seem limp, droopy or curled, it's time to water!

What do people say when you tell them you’re into plants?

People usually ask for plant advice! I really love helping people when their plants aren't doing so well. Sometimes even the smallest change can make a big difference in a plant's health and it's so fun to watch!

Do you have any memorable moments?

I'd say my most memorable moment was buying my first fiddle leaf fig. It was the first plant that was on my wishlist when I first started my plant journey. My friend went to Home Depot with me and helped me pick one out, bring it home and repot it! We had so much fun and she taught me so much about how to care for my new plant. I still have that fiddle leaf fig and it's taller than me now! It has never lost a leaf and has been one of the easiest plants to care for in my collection. I love it so much!

If you had to gift any plant, what would it be?

If I had to gift any plant, it would probably be an Albo Syngonium. It has beautiful variegation, it's easy to care for and it grows like a weed! I can't wait for mine to grow a bit taller so I can share mine with my friends!

What are your favorite plant products?

I think everyone should own Captain Jack's Dead Bug Brew! It knocked out thrips on my pink princess pretty quickly and thrips are hard to beat! As someone that has lost a few plants to pests in the past, this product is a life changer.

Do you have any unique plant routines? (Morning plant person or night?)

I'm totally a night plant person! Once I get off work, I go straight to my plants to care for them. Before I go to bed, I do quick pest checks and make sure nobody needs to be watered. I usually take this time to give updates about my plants on my Instagram story too! It's my favorite part of the day!

What’s your favorite part of plant parenthood?

My favorite part of plant parenthood is being able to share my journey online with all of my friends! I have met so many awesome people through plants. If you're just starting out in your plant journey, join local plant Facebook groups and find your local plant people! Plant people are some of the kindest people I have ever met. I'm really grateful to be part of this community.

Where can people follow along on your plant journey?

You can follow me on my Instagram at @terracottaandtea! I post daily and share plant updates in my stories! I'm pretty active on Instagram so feel free to send me a message and say hi!