Horti is a new houseplant subscription box for urban dwellers that not only sends plants but educates you on how easy it can be to take care of them. Pick how often you'd like to receive a new plant--monthly or bi-monthly--and a plant, plant pot, and dehydrated soil will be shipped right to your door. NYC based subscribers can also choose a bi-monthly plan that includes a plant and additional planting accessories.
This is a review of the Newbie US, $35 every other month, box. According to the Horti site:
Every two months, you will receive a 6” plant (or two or three smaller plants) with a beautiful hand-painted pot or planting accessory, along with the key information to sustain it.
My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
About Horti Houseplant Subscription Box
The Subscription Box: Horti
The Cost: $35.00 + free ground shipping
The Products: Each box will include a 6" robust houseplant with a hand-painted pot or planting accessory, soil, and care instructions.
Ships to: US
Horti May 2018 Review
My shipment from Horti came with an envelope with info cards inside, sealed with a branded Horti sticker.
This card provides a brief overview of Pothos, also known as "the devil's ivy" since it's almost impossible to kill:
"It is popular in temperate regions and is a great choice for a houseplant. It can handle low-light conditions and is known to be an excellent air-purifier. All of its varieties have long-growing, leafy vines, some that can readh 40 feet or mroe in tropical jungles"
The card also tells me that my new plant will enjoy moderate to bright indirect light but can handle low light situations. It also says that the leaves will droop when it needs more water and that it prefers normal to warm temperatures between 60-80 degrees Fahrenheit. This plant is not safe for pets.
Next, there's a list of possible pothos that Horti might send. I got a Satin pothos whose botanical name is Scindapsus pictus 'Argyraeus'.
This month, Horti included an extra card that gives tips on plant grooming - something I have to admit I've never done! Horti says that houseplants like pothos grow best with regular pruning.
Everyone wants a big, bushy, healthy-looking houseplant, and it would seem counter-intuative that pruning would be a way to accomplish that goal. However, everything from pruning out old leaves and stems to occassionally clipping away old roots while repotting can stimulate vigorous, healthy new growth.
They recommend pruning out no more than 3/4 of the foliage at one pruning and to cut at a 45-degree angle with a sharp blade.
Another new thing I learned about from this card is plant pinching.
Using your thumb and forefinger to remove a tip of a stem is known as pinching a plant. Once your young plant has formed a few pairs of leaves on a stem, it is ready to be pinched. When a young stem tip is pinched off, the plant will branch out and become bushier and fuller.
It's also important to keep plant leaves clean and dust free by wiping them down with a damp cloth or sponge.
Here's how everything looked straight out of the box. The plant is well-packed in a foam envelope and the plant pot is wrapped in bubble wrap.
I started my subscription over the cold winter months and Horti always shipped my plant with a heat pack to keep it safe. Now that summer is here, there is no need for a heat pack.
Onto the plant!
My new pothos was shipped carefully with the pot wrapped at the top to prevent the soil from falling all through the box.
Satin Pothos - Estimated Value $15.00
Meet my new plant! He is a satin pothos, which is a type of ivy. The plant arrived healthy and intact in its travel pot. The leaves have a light velvet on them with speckles of light green on a darker green. Such a pretty plant. This plant is not safe for pets but is ok for our home because our corgi, Penelope, is not interested in plants and is also too short to reach this one! If you have cats that like to nibble on your houseplants, this would not be a good plant for you. From the info cards, this plant sounds like it'll be pretty hard for me to kill, and I'm pretty excited about that.
Dipped Terracotta Plant Pot - Estimated Value $10.00
Like with my first month of Horti, this month's plant came with a painted terracotta plant pot and matching drainage tray. The pot has a hole at the bottom so extra water can flow out easily and not linger in the soil. I like that this subscription sends a plant pot that's the right size for my new plant so I don't have to worry about finding one!
Eagle Brand Snips - Estimated Value $1.00
This little pair of snips has a plastic handle piece and super sharp metal blades. I like having a small pair of scissors like this around to cut loose thread ends and never thought to use them on plants. I like that Horti included a plant care accessory in this box along with instructions on plant grooming.
Wonder Soil Expanding Soil 3″ Wafer – Buy a pack of 24 for $42.99
I got a soil puck like this in my first Horti box and it's so cool. I love this tidy way of shipping soil and the convenience of not having to go buy soil to plant my new plant in its pot. All you have to do is add 1/2 cup of water to the dehydrated dirt and it expands, providing plenty of soil for the new pot.
Here is the soil wafer before adding water.
And here it is after! Lots of fresh dirt!
Here's a look at my new satin pothos all planted up in its new pot!
The Verdict: If you're trying to grow your houseplant collection and have trouble finding good local sources for plants - this subscription might be for you! I'm happy to have received another happy, healthy potted plant this month rather than the large air plant I received in my previous shipment. I learned some new tips about plant care and plant grooming thanks to the info cards from Horti - I think this subscription is doing a great job at providing house plants AND educating me on how to be a better plant parent. I am actively trying to become a plant hoarder and really look forward to my Horti shipments ever other month!
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? I can't say that you'll get the same plant and vessel combo as me if you sign up today, but they will get a plant shipped out to you quickly after you subscribe!
Value Breakdown: At $35.00 (includes free shipping) the average cost of each item is $11.67.
Check out all of our Horti reviews and the Eco-Friendly Subscription Box List!
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