Episode 92: Hilton Carter
A man and his fig. Photograph: © Hilton Carter, taken from Wild at Home, published by CICO Books (£14.99).
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Occasionally someone bursts onto the houseplant scene who makes your jaw drop and your houseplant wishlist go into overdrive.
For me, that person is Hilton Carter, an artist and filmmaker whose plant-filled Baltimore apartment is a joy to behold on Instagram. As Hilton writes in the introduction to his new book Wild At Home, “My passion for greenery is uncontrollable”.
So I was delighted when he agreed to have a chat with me during a visit to London as part of an international book tour. Patreon subscribers of $5 a month or more can listen to an extra slice of chat with Hilton as we tour the shop floor at N1 Garden Centre in bonus show An Extra Leaf 26. Scroll down to find out how to become a patron.
Hilton Carter in the ‘back office’ at N1 Garden Centre. Photograph: Jane Perrone.
I was lucky enough to be able to hang out with Hilton at N1 garden centre in London, a wonderful houseplant haven that had us both oohing and aahing over hoyas and snake plants. You may remember N1’s creative director, Paul Holt, appeared in my episode on the maranta group - Paul kindly let Hilton and I use his plant-filled office for the interview. It was the perfect backdrop for a wide-ranging conversation that covered plant styling, the power of instagram and why his mum was wrong about his houseplant addiction. Scroll down for more images from our meeting at N1, and from Hilton’s book.
Hilton Carter’s living room. Photograph: © Hilton Carter, taken from Wild at Home, published by CICO Books (£14.99).
Hilton’s cactus and succulent collection. Photograph: © Hilton Carter, taken from Wild at Home, published by CICO Books (£14.99).
Question of the week
Jonny wanted to know if his leggy pelargonium would be happier if he repotted it and buried the spindly growth right up to the new leaves. Simple answer? No. This works on tomato plants, which are able to sorout new roots from any point on the main stem, but not on pelargoniums and most houseplants in fact. It’s important to keep the soil level at the same point on the stem when repotting or you may encourage your plant to rot. Jonny’s better off pruning back the stems of his pelargonium, taking them back to just above a leaf node, which should promote lots of new growth.
Want to ask me a question about your plant? Email ontheledgepodcast@gmail.com.
This week’s sponsors
True Leaf Market’s range of wheatgrass seeds and growing kits will get you set up in no time.
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Growth Technology
The podcast is also supported this week by Growth Technology, the nutrient company that helps your houseplants thrive. Looking for fertilisers that suit your plants can be a minefield, but Growth Technology’s range of plant specific feeds make it easy to care for everything from citrus trees to orchids.
I love using their Cactus and Succulent Focus fertiliser which helps me to know my plants are getting just the right nutrients throughout the growing season.
Growth Technology’s fertilisers contain all the essential nutrients for healthy, vigorous growth and are enriched with seaweed and humic acid to support long term soil fertility. And their range of specially formulated compost mixes takes all of the stress out of repotting your plants.
Visit Growth Technology’s website focus-on-plants.com for loads of great houseplant advice on everything from looking after palms to keeping bonsai happy indoors.
You’ll find growth technology’s products available online and in many good garden centres and nurseries across the UK: find stockists here.
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CREDITS
This week's show featured Roll Jordan Roll by the Joy Drops, An Instrument the Boy Called Happy Day Gorkana by Samuel Corwin and Overthrown by Josh Woodward. Ad music tracks are Dill Pickles and Whistling Rufus by the Heftone Banjo Orchestra: All tracks licensed under Creative Commons.
Logo design by Jacqueline Colley.