Growing Joy with Plants - Wellness Rooted in Nature, Houseplants, Gardening and Plant Care

Have you ever come across the terms "regenerative gardening," "permaculture," or even "chaos gardening"? These are all over social media lately, but what do they actually mean? And more importantly, how can we use these practices to grow happier, healthier plants while also helping Mother Nature? Today's episode is a deep dive into all of this with my new plant friend, Stephanie Rose, founder of G...

You are likely overestimating how much light you have in your home for your houseplants, plant friends!  Yes, it's a tough truth to swallow. In fact, the largest cause of houseplant death is a misunderstanding of light. That’s because our houseplants perceive light differently from us. Don’t worry, because I have your back. I've spent seven years learning about light and distilling everything I've...

Plants just help liven up any space, that’s a fact.  And I don't know if you know this, but I suck at interior design. It does not come naturally to me. I often overlook details—and interior design in general is about the  details . I came to houseplants for the aesthetic because plants seem to be the common thread of all the design magazines, articles, and inspirations that I was reading as I was...

I have always been a fan of ferns, but for some reason, I could never manage to keep them alive . But those days are over, and I have done a complete 180 on ferns! If you've been listening to this podcast for a while, you've probably heard me say how I don't like ferns and how they're just not my recommended houseplant. However, for the past year or so, I've been successfully caring for ferns, and...

Can you feel that summer energy in the air?  The summer solstice is upon us—the longest day of the year and the official start of the summer season. For us plant parents, this transition is everything. All our patient tending in the spring is paying off as our gardens burst into full bloom. The summer solstice is a powerful energetic pivot point that I always like to honor and celebrate. And I am...

Some of my happiest childhood memories are of my mom's garden bursting with homegrown flower bouquets.  Whenever we had visitors, she'd snip whatever was in bloom, bundle it up with herbs from her kitchen garden, wrap it in a wet paper towel and tinfoil, and gift it to our guests. I just thought it was the simplest, kindest way to grow joy for herself and for her friends—and that's the beauty of g...

Moving is such a pain in the neck.  Packing boxes, saying goodbye to familiar surroundings, and navigating new neighborhoods—it's enough to make anyone break a sweat. But you know what can be worse than that, plant friends? Moving with houseplants! If you know, you know, and if you haven't moved with your houseplant collection yet, consider yourself lucky. Our guest today just moved across countri...

While we are stewards of the land, we are also stewards of the native animals that call it home.  And birds, with their declining population, need our help to keep them flying high in our shared environment. Our responsibility is to protect their home, provide them with food, and minimize the threats they face. When I realized there was someone else who shares my deep passion for birds AND gardens...

Hydrangeas are beautiful flowers, and they represent a wide range of emotions in different cultures.  Yes, they can be tricky to grow, but they are relatively low-maintenance with the right care! In this episode, you will learn everything you need to know about hydrangeas from Ryan McEnaney aka @ryanplantsplants, your new best plant friend. I bumped into him in Seattle during the Northwestern Flow...

Did you know that watering is one of the most common causes of houseplant death?  You saw a gorgeous new plant baby from a store, and then you brought it home full of excitement and good intentions. In fact, you wanted to do your best, so you read the watering instructions in the packet and tried to follow them as closely as possible… And then  tragedy  happens. The once vibrant leaves start to wi...

How can you use plants to promote more mindful thinking?  In this episode, I had the most amazing chat with my longtime plant friend Brittany Gowan ( @brittanygowan ). Brittany and I go way back to our NYC plant mom days when we used to have plant swaps and brunches together. It is pretty wild how plants can bring people together like that. Brittany is one of a kind—she blends her skills in psycho...

If you have 250 plants in your home, what would you do?  That seems like WAY too many plants to care for, right? But for Samantha Hermann, better known as  @houseplusplant  on Instagram, this is her second nature. She’s my newest plant friend, and I’m so excited to have a casual conversation with her on this episode (let me know if you want more episodes like this). Samantha has been successfully...

Have you ever felt a sense of worry, fear, or anger when you think about climate change and the state of our planet?  If so, you may be experiencing what's called "eco-anxiety." As plant lovers who are so connected to nature through our gardens and houseplants, it makes total sense that eco-anxiety could affect us. We care deeply about the Earth because we are part of it. So, let us spend some tim...

You may have heard that compost is the key to a healthy garden, and feeding the soil is more important than feeding your plants . And if you don't garden, you've probably heard about composting as an eco-friendly way to live more sustainably and support the planet. That is why I dedicate an entire episode explaining what composting is and how it works. My guest, Michelle Balz, is a true composting...

If you're a houseplant lover like me, chances are you already have a philodendron or two in your collection.  These awesome tropical plants are some of the most popular and beloved houseplants for good reason—they come in tons of different shapes, colors and sizes, and they're relatively easy to care for too! In this episode, I'm going to give you the full rundown of everything you need to know ab...

If you interact with the houseplant community online at all, you've definitely felt the impact of The Sill on our plant niche.  I honestly can't believe that it took me a whopping 230 episodes to finally have Eliza Blank, founder of The Sill, grace the Growing Joy with Plants podcast! Her female founder story of recognizing a need for a houseplant brand and building it into a million-dollar compan...

Climate change is real, plant friends—and it’s impacting our world too fast! Because of that, it’s becoming extremely important for us plant parents/gardeners to adapt our practices to ensure our gardens can withstand the challenges that lie ahead. In fact, it’s already impacting our gardens in SO many ways—from unpredictable weather to increased pest infestations. So in this episode, I invited a...

What are your plans this Spring Equinox?  Spring equinox is like a special day when light and dark are balanced just right. As it draws closer, it comes with a reminder that nature has its own patterns that repeat over and over, and this particular event shows us that winter is ending and spring is starting… bringing new life and growth. Tuning into the Earth's frequencies during this season can h...

Calatheas have a bit of a reputation among plant parents for being dramatic "divas." And I'm not going to lie—they can be particular about their care. But don't let that scare you off! If you try to understand their preferences, you can totally grow lush, vibrant prayer plants at home. That’s what we’re going to talk about in this episode! In this episode, we learn: [01:44] Understanding calathea...

Is homesteading your ultimate dream?  Because mine too, plant friends! Like most gardeners, I've always dreamed of someday creating a homestead and being more self-sufficient. I very much enjoy growing my own fruits, veggies, and herbs, but starting homesteading seemed a little scary. That’s why I was so excited to speak with gardening influencer Kevin Espiritu of Epic Gardening, who has spent the...

Do you know that repotting and potting up mean different things?  As our houseplants grow happily under our care, eventually they will outgrow their current pots. Determining whether your plant needs to simply have its soil refreshed (repotting) or be shifted to a larger container (potting up) can be challenging for new plant parents. In this episode, I will walk you through when to pot up versus...

Do you feel a little sad or bored being stuck inside this winter (at least those in the northern hemisphere)?  I hope the winter months haven’t got you down too much because I know we’re all feeling a bit cooped up lately. That’s why I brought on a new plant friend, Perla Sofía Curbelo-Santiago, a gardening expert and horticultural therapist, to share some of her favorite simple DIY indoor plant p...

I am completely obsessed with ficus!  Over the last few months, I've been slowly collecting different ficus varieties and learning how to help them thrive. There's just something about the colorful leaves, sculptural shapes, and tree-like growth that makes me love this plant genus. I love my ficus collection and feel like this genus has been overlooked, with the fiddle leaf fig ( Ficus lyrata ) ge...

How can we use plants to connect with intuitive energy?  If you're anything like me, simply being around plants makes you feel happier, calmer, and more like your true self. I've always felt plants have some extra special magic that goes beyond their pretty leaves. That's why I was so excited to welcome back our resident “green witch" Rachael from  Our   Infinite Nature  (formerly Infinite Succule...

Do I really need a humidifier? Why do my plants get crispy leaves when I crank the heat?  When it comes to houseplant care, humidity is right up there with water and light as one of the most important factors. I’ve spent years stressing about humidity levels. Fortunately, I invited my dear plant friend and humidity expert, Leslie Halleck, for another session of Grow Better. Understanding the scien...