We’ve likely all had some run-in with a carnivorous plant. I brought one of those little Venus flytraps home from the hardware store, even though I had no idea how to care for it. Maybe you have marveled at the wide array of these plants at your local botanical garden. Or maybe you just know the man-eating Audrey II from Little Shop of Horrors! However you found them, you have probably figured out that these plants are in a league of their own. Proper carnivorous plant care is incredibly specific. They are a whole subsect of plants, and they might just get you if you do not care for them correctly. So I invited Damon from California Carnivores to help. He is a carnivorous plant expert (learned from Peter D'Amato) and is going to teach us everything we need to know to grow them indoors! Let's jump in!

In this episode, we learn:

• [02:35] Damon’s history with carnivorous plants
• [07:28] What are carnivorous plants? What makes up a carnivorous plant?
• [13:25] Where to find carnivorous plants in the wild
• [16:33] Why conservation of carnivorous plants is a must
• [19:01] How long have carnivorous plants been around?
• [20:09] Damon shares what he thinks of Little Shop of Horrors musical
• [22:07] General care rules for growing carnivorous plants indoors
• [23:00] The right kind of water for carnivorous plants (and how to identify them in a store!)
• [25:23] How the “tray method” replicates a bog environment at home
• [27:39] The best carnivorous plants to grow indoors (Venus flytrap, pitcher plants, butterworts)
• [31:06] What is the best growing media for carnivorous plants?
• [33:43] Why you shouldn’t use terracotta pots for your carnivorous plants
• [35:00] What’s the ideal sunlight for carnivorous plants (+ grow lights!)
• [37:04] Should you fertilize carnivorous plants?
• [39:31] How to feed your Venus flytrap and Cape sundews
• [41:54] Fertilizing your pitcher plants!
• [44:14 How much humidity do carnivorous plants need?
• [45:22] How to make your Venus flytrap go dormant
• [46:39] Can you fertilize your carnivorous plants even if they’re catching bugs?
• [47:15] Can you overwater sundews and butterworts?
• [48:11] Taking care of your Mexican butterworts
• [49:36] Damon’s recommended beginner carnivorous plants
• [51:03] Should you still buy Venus flytraps even when they’re not sustainably sourced?
• [53:46] Where to find Damon, his book ‘The Savage Garden,’ and nursery resources!

Mentioned in our conversation:

• The Savage Garden
• Wetlands Reclamation Act
• Osmocote
• Maxsea All-Purpose Nutrient Fertilizer
• California Carnivores YouTube video: Winter Dormancy for Temperate Plants in Cold Climates

For Damon's detailed carnivorous plants care guide,

check out the full show notes and blog here!

Follow Damon:
Website
Instagram
YouTube
TikTok

Follow Maria and Growing Joy:

Order my book: Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness (and Plants)by Maria Failla, Illustrated by Samantha Leung

Take the Plant Parent Personality Quiz (Get the perfect plants, projects and educational resources for YOUR Lifestyle)

Support Growing Joy with Maria by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon!

Instagram: @growingjoywithmaria

Tiktok: @growingjoywithmaria

Subscribe to the Growing Joy YouTube channel! /growingjoywithmaria

Website: www.growingjoywithmaria.com

Pinterest: @growingjoywithmaria

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If you are just starting out as a plant parent, there comes a moment when you realize your plant has outgrown its pot and you need to figure out how to repot it. And in learning how to repot plants, you might feel like you are doing it wrong, or you end up being way too careful and precious about the whole thing.

Repotting is actually a very simple process, and it can even become a really fun and meditative part of caring for your plants.

Today, I am bringing back a solo episode from the archives as part of the Best of Growing Joy series. This is your go-to beginner's guide on how to repot houseplants the right way. I will walk you through the most common repotting mistakes I see beginner plant parents make so you can avoid them and feel confident going into your next repotting session.

This episode is completely free, but if you want extra support with visuals, soil science tips, and a deeper dive into how to repot plants with confidence, I have a very affordable repotting course linked here. I hope this episode is helpful, quick, and gets you fully set up for success at your next repotting party!

In this episode, we learn:

• [02:30] Things I learned about repotting in the last couple of years
• [03:34] Some personal plant care routines
• [04:59] Do some spring cleaning!
• [06:28] Repotting vs potting up vs potting up water-rooted cuttings
• [09:04] Some rules to remember in potting up
• [10:43] Do the two-inch “bump up” rule when potting up
• [11:59] When should you pot up?
• [13:08] What is repotting and why is it important?
• [14:36] How do you repot a plant?
• [15:03] Get stylish, minimalist grow lights your plants will love with Soltech!
• [17:16] Give your plants the love they deserve with Espoma's organic, eco-friendly potting mixes!
• [19:08] Common mistake people make when repotting/potting up
• [19:30] How do you pot up water-rooted cuttings?
• [21:02] General steps for repotting/potting up/potting up water-rooted cuttings
• [27:31] The ​​best time to repot or pot up houseplants
• [29:05] Why you should not pot your houseplants in dirt from outside
• [32:00] Make sure that you saturate the soil!
• [32:35] Pay attention to the type of container or pot you are using
• [34:08] Use repotting as an opportunity for mindfulness
• [37:16] A letter to my pepper plant going into transplant shock

Mentioned in our conversation:

• Repot With Confidence Course
• How to Repot Plants // A Step By Step Guide
• Growing Joy Ep 182: Spring Houseplant Care
• Growing Joy Ep 192: How To Overcome Burnout Through The Healing Power Of Nature
• Growing Joy Ep 200: Common Houseplant Pest Identification And How To Get Rid Of Fungus Gnats, Spidermites, Scale, White Flies And Mealybugs: Grow Better
• Potting Soil Mix by Espoma Organic
• Cactus Potting Soil Mix by Espoma Organic
• African Violet Potting Soil Mix by Espoma Organic
• Orchid Mix – Coarse Bark Mix by Espoma Organic

Is your plant currently root bound and waiting to be repotted?

Check out the full show notes and blog for everything you need to know about how to repot with confidence!

Follow Maria and Growing Joy:

Order my book: Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness (and Plants)by Maria Failla, Illustrated by Samantha Leung

Join the Bloom and Grow Garden Party Community Platform & App AKA the plantiest and kindest corner of the internet! Get your FREE 2-week trial here!

Take the Plant Parent Personality Quiz (Get the perfect plants, projects and educational resources for YOUR Lifestyle)

Support Bloom and Grow Radio by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon!

Instagram: @growingjoywithmaria

Tiktok: @growingjoywithmaria

Subscribe to the Growing Joy Youtube channel! /growingjoywithmaria

Website: www.growingjoywithmaria.com

Pinterest: @growingjoywithmaria

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Aren't flowers just the perfect little pockets of joy? I have been following Claudia from In the Garden with Claudia on Instagram for over a year now, and I live for her cut flower garden stories! I’ve been feeling a little humbled by my own garden setbacks in South Florida recently. So when I finally got her on the podcast, I thought we were going to do a straight-up how-to on growing flowers. And we did, kind of. But this conversation turned into what flowers can actually do for you! Claudia has turned her space into a garden with thousands of blooms that make me excited for my next garden season. I hope this helps you find your own smile as big as the one Claudia put on my face! Let's jump in!

In this episode, we learn:

• [03:40] Meet Claudia, the queen of backyard cut flower joy!
• [04:56] How she turned her backyard into a cut flower garden
• [07:31] She was a pre-dental student!? (a career pivot)
• [09:49] What her first couple of seasons gardening looked like
• [14:08] Why Claudia chose a production-style layout over traditional garden design
• [15:29] Fuel your garden mornings with the caramel-tasting bioactives in Manukora Honey!
• [17:15] Building her dream garden on a budget!
• [19:53] Claudia’s experience from disliking to growing dahlias
• [22:38] How to seed start indoors (Claudia grows 4000+ seeds!)
• [26:09] My biggest pain point right now
• [28:21] What is Claudia’s cut flower planting strategy for dahlias?
• [31:03] How she spaces and organizes her dahlia beds
• [32:08] Our favorite Espoma Organic products!
• [34:27] How and when to fertilize dahlias throughout the growing season
• [35:46] How to set up irrigation for cut flowers
• [36:38] Daily maintenance routines for better airflow and pest defense
• [38:28] Why you should deadhead your flowers for more blooms
• [39:50] How to manage and share excess flowers?
• [42:18] Selling her first massive bouquets at the office!
• [44:41] How to structure a flower CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)
• [48:03] What are Claudia’s joyful practices in her garden?
• [50:59] How the ‘In the Garden with Claudia’ YouTube channel started
• [54:52] Claudia’s dream of scaling up to a Washington flower farm
• [56:58] Where to find Claudia’s social media and upcoming resources!

Mentioned in our conversation:

• Growing Joy 258: Budget Friendly Ways to Elevate Your Garden with Robbie of Visit Our Garden
• Growing Joy 253: 5 Tips for Growing in Hot Climates with Janey of Dig Plant Water Repeat
• Flower Farming Workshop
• Espoma Organic Bio-tone Starter Plus
• Espoma Organic Land & Sea Gourmet Compost
• Espoma Organic Mushroom Compost Blend
• Espoma Organic Indoor!
• Alaska Morbloom Fertilizer
• Dan's Dahlias | Oakville WA

For Claudia's tried and tested methods of growing cut flowers,

check out the full show notes and blog here!

Follow Claudia:
YouTube
Instagram
Facebook
TikTok

Thank you to our episode sponsor:

Manukora

Go to manukora.com/bloom to get up to 31% off the starter kit that includes their 850+ Manukora honey jar, 5 honey travel sticks, a wooden spoon, and a guidebook, PLUS $25 worth of free gifts!

Follow Maria and Growing Joy:

Order my book: Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness (and Plants)by Maria Failla, Illustrated by Samantha Leung

Take the Plant Parent Personality Quiz (Get the perfect plants, projects and educational resources for YOUR Lifestyle)

Support Growing Joy with Maria by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon!

Instagram: @growingjoywithmaria

Tiktok: @growingjoywithmaria

Subscribe to the Growing Joy YouTube channel! /growingjoywithmaria

Website: www.growingjoywithmaria.com

Pinterest: @growingjoywithmaria

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If you're looking for your garden to be a little more curated, calm, and cohesive (put together in a way that just feels right) what if you've been looking for advice in the wrong places? What if you shouldn't be looking at a garden designer at all, but instead at an interior designer to give you garden design tips that help pull everything together?

I'm bringing this one back as part of the Best of Growing Joy series a conversation I had a couple of years ago with Kelly Wilkniss, an interior designer, avid gardener, and co-host of the Decorating Tips and Tricks podcast. Kelly uses her interior design principles in the garden, and I still use the concepts we talked about in my own garden and houseplant collection today.

We cover how these beginner-friendly garden design principles can completely change and improve your plants and your outdoor space, and you'll walk away with practical tips to create flow, balance, beauty, and calm in your garden.

In this episode, we learn:

• [04:50] How has Kelly’s gardening passion intersected with her interior design career?
• [07:16] What inspired Kelly to do an all-white garden
• [08:45] What is Kelly’s interior design style?
• [10:30] Kelly’s opinion on modernizing antiques
• [12:01] How did she transition from being a lawyer to an interior designer?
• [14:08] Where can you find stylish lights for upgrading indoor plant environments?
• [16:04] Where to find a personalized Mother's Day gift that includes handcrafted wind chimes
• [20:31] Tip #1 Take a photo of interior and exterior spaces (it promotes a cohesive design flow!)
• [21:56] Tip #2 Limit your color palette
• [25:18] Tip #3 Create a flow
• [33:49] A must-have book for outdoor living area design ideas with mix-and-match suggestions and before-and-after pictures
• [35:10] Tip #4 Plant in odd numbers
• [37:55] Tip #5 Layering!
• [40:44] Tip #6 Balance and scale
• [44:26] Tip #7 Visual noise
• [48:48] Tip #8 The touch of black
• [52:08] Tip #9 Not having an ugly storage
• [01:00:13] Where can you find Kelly on social media?

Mentioned in our conversation:

• Growing Joy Episode 145: Interior Design Trends and Houseplants With Betsy From Affordable Interior Design
• Wayfair sheds
• Growing Joy Episode 180: Minimalism and Plants With Stephanie of Sustainable Minimalist

Which of the 9 interior design tips are you most excited to try in your garden?

Check out the full show notes and blog for Kelly's beginner-friendly garden design principles!

Follow Kelly:

Website

Podcast

Book

Instagram

YouTube

Follow Maria and Growing Joy:

Order my book: Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness (and Plants)by Maria Failla, Illustrated by Samantha Leung

Join the Bloom and Grow Garden Party Community Platform & App AKA the plantiest and kindest corner of the internet! Get your FREE 2-week trial here!

Take the Plant Parent Personality Quiz (Get the perfect plants, projects and educational resources for YOUR Lifestyle)

Support Bloom and Grow Radio by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon!

Instagram: @growingjoywithmaria

Tiktok: @growingjoywithmaria

Subscribe to the Growing Joy Youtube channel! /growingjoywithmaria

Website: www.growingjoywithmaria.com

Pinterest: @growingjoywithmaria

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Have you ever heard of the hügelkultur gardening method? I first heard the word ‘hügelkultur’ a couple of years ago while visiting The Lodge at Woodloch's organic farm. They had this beautiful setup where they grew the food that the spa guests would eat. And in the middle of it all was this raised bed that looked like it was mid-construction. It was a hügelkultur bed. Since then, I kept hearing that word, especially among organic growers! So for this episode, I sat down with Sarah Wagstaff of SUOT Farm (Small Units of Time). Sarah is a full-time flower farmer, and her entire farm is built on hügelkultur! Come learn with me!

In this episode, we learn:

• [03:09] Meet flower farmer Sarah Wagstaff from SUOT Farm!
• [03:45] How Sarah's childhood and family inspired her love for growing plants
• [05:55] Why Sarah decided to build her entire flower farm using hügelkultur
• [07:27] What is hügelkultur and where did it originate?
• [09:30] How long does it take for woody debris to break down before you can plant?
• [12:49] Can you plant into a new hügelkultur mound immediately?
• [14:53] Build a healthy soil foundation for your garden with Espoma Organic!
• [17:00] How to properly layer greens and browns to create compost in place
• [19:23] How to use the 180-degree topography of a mound to maximize growing space
• [21:43] How tall should you actually build a hügelkultur bed?
• [24:20] Till vs. no-till: Which protects soil decomposers for long-term soil fertility?
• [27:35] How spent mushroom blocks can add extra nutrients and mycorrhizae
• [28:53] Scaling hügelkultur down for small containers and porch gardening
• [29:41] Common mistakes when building your first hügelkultur bed
• [32:49] Adapting hügelkultur to your specific climate
• [33:43] Why Sarah doesn't use additional fertilizers on her hügelkultur beds
• [35:28] Why hügelkultur is a perfect solution for gardeners stuck with sandy/poor soil
• [37:31] How Sarah grows flowers year-round in Zone 7B
• [39:24] How to continually add scraps/compost while your hügelkultur beds are growing
• [41:41] How SUOT Farm has evolved over the last 10 years
• [44:10] Where to find Sarah, her CSA, and her hügelkultur PDF!

Mentioned in our conversation:

• SUOT's free downloadable PDF: Hugelkultur Planning Tool
• Growing Joy 246: What is Regenerative Gardening and Permaculture? with Stephanie Rose of Garden Therapy
• Growing Joy 178: The Mushroom Miniseries: Mushrooms 101 Plus the Answer to "What is the Mushroom Growing in My Houseplant!"

For Sarah's guide on hügelkultur for small gardens,

check out the full show notes and blog here!

Follow Sarah:
Website
Instagram
Facebook
Shop
Bouquet Subscription

Thank you to our episode sponsor:

Espoma Organic

Visit espoma.com to find your local Espoma dealer or check my Amazon storefront.

Follow Maria and Growing Joy:

Order my book: Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness (and Plants)by Maria Failla, Illustrated by Samantha Leung

Take the Plant Parent Personality Quiz (Get the perfect plants, projects and educational resources for YOUR Lifestyle)

Support Growing Joy with Maria by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon!

Instagram: @growingjoywithmaria

Tiktok: @growingjoywithmaria

Subscribe to the Growing Joy YouTube channel! /growingjoywithmaria

Website: www.growingjoywithmaria.com

Pinterest: @growingjoywithmaria

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Calathea is one of the most gorgeous and often most disappointing houseplants a new plant parent can bring home. If you've ever taken a beginner plant shopping, you already know: they walk straight to the calatheas. Can you blame them? These plants look like they were literally hand-painted by Mother Nature.

But calathea care is pretty tricky. The leaves curl. The edges go crispy and brown. The humidity demands feel impossible. Suddenly, your most beautiful plant becomes your most dramatic one.

That's why I brought Mark Hachadourian, Director of Glasshouse Horticulture at the New York Botanical Garden, to cover how to care for calatheas and prayer plants, troubleshoot the most common problems, and actually keep them alive.

In this episode, we learn:

• What Marc does for the NYBG
• What plants fall under the Marantaceae Family
• Prayer Plant, Calathea and Stromanthe- their differences and similarities
• Why do the leaves fold up and down as in “prayer”
• Why the bottoms of many Marantaceae are purple
• Why the tips brown and how we help avoid this
• Why humidity is so important for the Marantaceae family
• Marc answers a collection of listener questions

Mentioned in our conversation:

• New York Botanical Garden

What do you think is the #1 reason calatheas are so hard to keep alive?

Check out the full show notes and blog for Mark's expert Calathea troubleshooting guide!

Follow Marc & NYBG:

Website

Instagram

Facebook

Follow Maria and Growing Joy:

Order my book: Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness (and Plants)by Maria Failla, Illustrated by Samantha Leung

Join the Bloom and Grow Garden Party Community Platform & App AKA the plantiest and kindest corner of the internet! Get your FREE 2-week trial here!

Take the Plant Parent Personality Quiz (Get the perfect plants, projects and educational resources for YOUR Lifestyle)

Support Bloom and Grow Radio by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon!

Instagram: @growingjoywithmaria

Tiktok: @growingjoywithmaria

Subscribe to the Growing Joy Youtube channel! /growingjoywithmaria

Website: www.growingjoywithmaria.com

Pinterest: @growingjoywithmaria

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Does this design decision bring me closer to nature? When I started renovating our new home a few months ago, I wasn’t going to make a single design choice without asking this question. This lens is called biophilic design, and I actually had an episode about it before! But to talk about it more, I’ve invited Oliver Heath, an architect, designer, and thought leader in biophilic design. Oliver is based in England, studied at the Bartlett School of Architecture, runs his own biophilic design consultancy, and has spent decades translating this science from large-scale commercial buildings into something the rest of us can actually use. He also wrote a book called Design a Healthy Home. Let's dive in!

In this episode, we learn:

• [02:46] How did Oliver discover biophilic design?
• [05:30] Is biophilic design taught in architecture school?
• [07:34] How Oliver’s consulting firm applies nature to large commercial spaces
• [10:05] Why happy people are more productive
• [11:47] How biophilic design is trickling down to residential housing and communities
• [13:52] What is the true definition of biophilic design?
• [15:10] Espoma Organic
• [17:31] The "always on" urban environments
• [19:09] How nature affects property values, crime rates, and education
• [24:41] The three key elements of biophilic design
• [27:04] The true foundation of designing a space
• [29:41] How to approach indoor airflow, fresh air, and scent
• [31:32] Moving beyond technical checklists to the sensory quality of a building
• [32:31] How to make your home more biophilic
• [34:31] Tips for managing artificial light and circadian rhythms at home
• [40:00] Picking colors based on positive nature experiences? (Ecological Valence Theory)
• [44:02] Incorporating ‘haptic invitations’ and natural materials into your spaces
• [45:34] How an autistic school in London used biophilic niches to create a safe sensory environment
• [48:22] How to safely incorporate the sound and feel of water indoors
• [51:55] Check out Oliver’s book ‘Design a Healthy Home’
• [53:45] Check out Oliver’s online course!
• [55:36] Oliver’s favorite biophilic features in his own home
• [57:08] Where to find Oliver, his book, and the Biophilic Design School!

Mentioned in our conversation:

• Design A Healthy Home by Oliver Heath
• Oliver Heath Design School
• The Hackney Garden School Project
• International WELL Building Institute
• Seattle Spheres
• Lumie® | Wake-Up Light Alarm Clocks for Better Sleep + Waking

Incorporate nature into your home with easy but key biophilic tips from Oliver,

check out the full show notes and blog here!

Follow Oliver:
Website
Instagram
LinkedIn

Thank you to our episode sponsor:

Espoma Organic

Visit espoma.com to find your local Espoma dealer or check my Amazon storefront.

Follow Maria and Growing Joy:

Order my book: Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness (and Plants)by Maria Failla, Illustrated by Samantha Leung

Take the Plant Parent Personality Quiz (Get the perfect plants, projects and educational resources for YOUR Lifestyle)

Support Growing Joy with Maria by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon!

Instagram: @growingjoywithmaria

Tiktok: @growingjoywithmaria

Subscribe to the Growing Joy YouTube channel! /growingjoywithmaria

Website: www.growingjoywithmaria.com

Pinterest: @growingjoywithmaria

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What if your houseplants are doing so much more than just looking pretty on your windowsill? What if they’re actually communicating, sensing their environment, and responding in ways we’re only beginning to understand?

In this Best of Growing Joy replay, I sit down with Paco Calvo and Natalie Lawrence, co-authors of Planta Sapiens, to explore plant intelligence, plant behavior, and the big question: do plants have feelings and some form of plant consciousness?

We talk about how plants sense their surroundings, how they “decide” where to grow, and what our human-plant connection can teach us about slowing down and reconnecting with nature.

If you’ve ever wondered whether your plants notice you, or what’s really going on inside your favorite vining houseplants, this conversation will totally change how you see every plant in your home and garden!

In this episode, we learn:

• [06:32] Who is Professor Paco Palvo?
• [07:01] Why is MINT Lab in the philosophy department instead of the plant science department?
• [09:28] Who is Natalie Lawrence? 
• [10:00] The relationship between animals and plants: biophilia
• [13:34] What is anthropophilia?
• [16:26] What role do houseplants play in our relationship with nature?
• [18:04] How humans have shaped the phenotype, or characteristics, of plants through agriculture
• [20:09] What special message would you engrave on your wind chime?
• [22:40] The best way to sleep better and feel calmer naturally in no time!
• [25:58] Different types of intelligence displayed by plants
• [26:39] How do we see from a plant’s perspective?
• [27:27] Tip 1: Observe the plants’ behavior through time-lapse photography
• [27:45] Tip 2: Monitor the plants’ electrophysiological states
• [28:14] Tip 3: Observe the plant holistically through naked eyes (the most important!)
• [32:41] Melatonin synthesis in plants: what we can learn 
• [34:57] How vines (climbing plants) have evolved to locate host trees through senses like “sniffing”
• [36:59] Where to get the best quality and variety of seeds for ease of planting experience this year!
• [38:35] Sourcing a wide variety of high-quality soil, fertilizer, potty mix, and more!
• [40:24] What are some of the ways vines (climbing plants) can find their host trees?
• [42:04] Are plants smarter? (Hint: It’s not what you think!)
• [44:07] What are the limits of technology when it comes to understanding plant intelligence?
• [46:56] Do plants have feelings? 
• [50:24] Do plants understand music?
• [53:35] What is plant blindness?

Mentioned in our conversation:

• Planta Sapiens: The New Science of Plant Intelligence, book by Paco Calvo and Natalie Lawrence
• MINT Lab / Minimal Intelligence Lab
• How society makes monsters, TEDx talk by Natalie Lawrence
• BBC Wildlife – Natalie Lawrence 
• BBC Woman's Hour “The unicorn – a symbol of our times?” with Natalie Lawrence
• Natalie Lawrence on Aeon Magazine

Do you think your houseplants can actually sense what’s happening around them?

Check out the full show notes and blog for a deeper look at plant intelligence and consciousness!

Follow Paco:

MINT Lab

Follow Natalie:

Website

X

Linkedin

Follow Maria and Growing Joy:

Order my book: Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness (and Plants)by Maria Failla, Illustrated by Samantha Leung

Join the Bloom and Grow Garden Party Community Platform & App AKA the plantiest and kindest corner of the internet! Get your FREE 2-week trial here!

Take the Plant Parent Personality Quiz (Get the perfect plants, projects and educational resources for YOUR Lifestyle)

Support Bloom and Grow Radio by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon!

Instagram: @growingjoywithmaria

Tiktok: @growingjoywithmaria

Subscribe to the Growing Joy Youtube channel! /growingjoywithmaria

Website: www.growingjoywithmaria.com

Pinterest: @growingjoywithmaria

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Do you have the guts to release beneficial insects in your home? I recently invited Jamie, the co-founder of DMV Beneficials, into my studio to do exactly that. We spent the afternoon performing a professional consultation on my green wall. We examined my alocasia, philodendron, hoya, and more under a microscope to see what was really going on. We found broad mites, spider mite eggs, and a possible infestation starting on my rabbit's foot fern. It was a little scary, but probably the best way to recreate nature right in our living rooms is to release these beneficial insects.

You can watch the full video of our release on my YouTube channel if you want to see these bugs in action!

In this episode, we learn:

• [02:03] What to expect from this unique live-audio episode
• [07:04] Meet Jamie from DMV Beneficials and what her company offers!
• [08:46] What are beneficial insects?
• [09:53] How Jamie conducts a live pest diagnostic check
• [12:27] What kind of microscope should you use to look for pests?
• [14:05] Why we start diagnostics with plants like Alocasia and Philodendron
• [15:35] Manukora
• [17:20] How to identify eggs vs. dust
• [19:45] Is it normal to see pests on your plants?
• [22:12] Checking for thrips on a philodendron
• [24:24] Are beneficial bugs safe to use in a home with birds and pets?
• [24:49] Identifying broad mites and how they get inside your home
• [27:40] What to look for when checking Hoyas for flat mites
• [29:48] Checking my fern for pests
• [32:58] How to use keystone plants to assess your plant population health
• [33:26] How to release soil predators (Stratiolaelaps) to your pots
• [35:22] How to aesthetically place and hang beneficial insect sachets
• [39:02] Treating ferns and hoyas with the beneficial insects!
• [43:21] How to safely release lacewings to your plants
• [46:44] How to use a hex cell to treat 60 plants with one release
• [49:19] Where to find Jamie, DMV Beneficials, and local bug chapters!

Mentioned in our conversation:

• Growing Joy 272: Beneficial Insects For Effortless Houseplant Pest Management with Jamie of DMV Beneficials
• The Ultimate Guide to Houseplant Pests
• DMV Beneficials Shop
• Neem Oil
• Lacewing Larvae in Hexcell (400 Count)
• Cryptolaemus Larvae in Bottle (250 Count)
• Stratiolaelaps Mites in Bottle (12500/25000/125000)

If you're curious to know which beneficials work for your houseplants,

check out the full show notes and blog here!

Follow DMV Beneficials:

Website
Instagram
Facebook
X
YouTube

Thank you to our episode sponsor:

Manukora

Go to manukora.com/bloom to get up to 31% off the starter kit that includes their 850+ Manukora honey jar, 5 honey travel sticks, a wooden spoon, and a guidebook, PLUS $25 worth of free gifts!

Follow Maria and Growing Joy:

Order my book: Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness (and Plants)by Maria Failla, Illustrated by Samantha Leung

Take the Plant Parent Personality Quiz (Get the perfect plants, projects and educational resources for YOUR Lifestyle)

Support Growing Joy with Maria by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon!

Instagram: @growingjoywithmaria

Tiktok: @growingjoywithmaria

Subscribe to the Growing Joy YouTube channel! /growingjoywithmaria

Website: www.growingjoywithmaria.com

Pinterest: @growingjoywithmaria

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

To me, a hedge of hydrangea is one of the most iconic things you can do for your garden. They're epic, gorgeous, and yes, they have a reputation for being a little high maintenance. But once you set them up for success, hydrangeas can be one of the easiest flowering shrubs to grow.

In this Best of Growing Joy replay, I'm sitting down with Ryan McEnaney aka @ryanplantsplants a fifth-generation member of Bailey Nurseries and the face behind the best-selling Endless Summer Hydrangeas collection. Ryan breaks down everything from the 4 main hydrangea varieties and the number one pruning mistake killing your blooms, to soil pH secrets for changing your flower color, fertilizing tips, and how reblooming varieties can flower every month.

If you already have a hydrangea in your garden, it's going to be so much happier this year. And if you don't have one yet? You just might be inspired to bring one home!

In this episode, we learn:

• [06:13] What has Ryan’s plant parent journey looked like?
• [09:54] What are the 4 main species of hydrangea?
• [13:42] Understanding bloom cycles for pruning
• [16:56] Say goodbye to balcony watering stress this summer with self-watering planters!
• [17:23] Learn how to create the perfect cutting garden for bouquets with The Cut Flower Handbook
• [18:25] What is the blooming cycle of hydrangeas?
• [20:09] When should you prune hydrangeas?
• [22:40] How does soil affect the color of Hydrangea macrophylla blooms?
• [28:58] What should you know about planting hydrangeas in the ground?
• [30:12] What’s the general light guideline?
• [30:42] Common mistakes people make with planting hydrangea
• [31:23] Get everything you need, from containers to raised beds, with Gardener's Supply Company
• [32:40] Check your hydrangeas’ soil acidity with Espoma Organics
• [34:30] Why is it important to choose hydrangeas with flower buds?
• [42:42] How to extend the length of hydrangea blooms
• [48:26] Where can you find Ryan on social media?
• [48:43] Where can you get Ryan’s book ‘Field Guide to Outside Style’?

Mentioned in our conversation:

• Northwest Flower and Garden Show
• Bailey Nurseries
• First Editions
• Youtube: 210 How to Grow Citrus Indoors
• Pop Star® Reblooming Hydrangea
• Endless Summer Hydrangeas
• Espoma Organic Soil Acidifier
• Espoma Organic Garden Lime
• Espoma Organic Holly-tone Organic Fertilizer
• Espoma Organic Rose-tone Organic Fertilizer
• ‘Limelight' – Panicle Hydrangea – Hydrangea paniculata
• Vanilla Strawberry™ Panicle Hydrangea

Have you been struggling to get your hydrangeas to bloom?

Check out the full show notes and blog for everything you need to know about hydrangea care, pruning, and soil!

Follow Ryan

Website

Instagram

Book

Follow Maria and Growing Joy:

Order my book: Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness (and Plants)by Maria Failla, Illustrated by Samantha Leung

Join the Bloom and Grow Garden Party Community Platform & App AKA the plantiest and kindest corner of the internet! Get your FREE 2-week trial here!

Take the Plant Parent Personality Quiz (Get the perfect plants, projects and educational resources for YOUR Lifestyle)

Support Bloom and Grow Radio by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon!

Instagram: @growingjoywithmaria

Tiktok: @growingjoywithmaria

Subscribe to the Growing Joy Youtube channel! /growingjoywithmaria

Website: www.growingjoywithmaria.com

Pinterest: @growingjoywithmaria

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Don't sweet peas have the most amazing floral scent? I remember them as a scent before I ever knew them as a flower, like the Bath & Body Works body spray that no other brands can seem to replicate. Then I realized I had never actually done an episode on these before, so there’s no better time than to invite my dear plant friend, Marryn Mathis, the Sweet Pea Queen, to share her story! Marryn quit a 21-year IT career, moved her family onto raw land in a 28-foot travel trailer, and built The Farmhouse Flower Farm from the ground up. She's now growing 40,000 sweet pea seedlings a season, breeding her own varieties, and just wrote a book on the subject! Let's get growing!

In this episode, we learn:

• [02:49] Meet Marryn Mathis, the Sweet Pea Queen!
• [06:51] Growing flowers at scale without formal training
• [08:12] Growing cut flowers for florists vs. harvesting seeds for sale
• [09:14] What’s her process of breeding and naming a new Sweet Pea variety?
• [10:52] Why Sweet Pea deserves more popularity!
• [13:38] What’s the history behind Sweet Pea? (Hint: It started in Sicily!)
• [15:37] Lisa Ziegler’s Cut Flower Handbook
• [16:55] Espoma Organic
• [18:47] How sweet peas migrated from garden fixtures into the cut flower industry
• [19:38] What is the sweet pea fragrance scale and how do you differentiate them?
• [21:31] Spencer sweet peas vs. other varieties
• [22:37] How to grow sweet peas in hot climates and warmer zones (like Florida and Texas)
• [24:31] Starting sweet peas from seed vs. buying garden center seedlings
• [24:45] How to start sweet peas from seed
• [26:25] The #1 mistake people make when growing sweet peas
• [27:06] The 55-degree germination temperature for sweet pea seeds
• [29:51] When to transplant indoor-started sweet peas
• [31:27] How sunlight and location impact the lifespan of your sweet peas
• [32:58] How to set up drip irrigation for sweet pea beds
• [36:17] How to create a magical "Sweet Pea Tunnel" with cattle panels
• [37:15] What are the biggest mistakes beginners make with sweet peas?
• [39:45] Some cutting tips for sweet peas
• [41:38] Is there a way to preserve sweet pea scent after cutting?
• [41:51] What are the best workhorse sweet pea varieties for beginners?
• [45:30] Where to find Marryn, her seeds, and her farm!
• [46:10] Check out their new storefront on their farm!

Mentioned in our conversation:

• Sweet Pea School Book by Marryn Mathis
• PRO-MIX Potting Mix
• Espoma Potting Soil Mix
• Growing Joy 246: What is Regenerative Gardening and Permaculture? with Stephanie Rose of Garden Therapy

For Marryn's trusted advice on how to grow sweet peas,

check out the full show notes and blog here!

Follow Marryn:
Website
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube
Shop

Thank you to our episode sponsors:

Quarto: The Cut Flower Handbook by Lisa M Ziegler

Pick up The Cut Flower Handbook at your favorite local bookstore, quarto.com, bookshop.org, Barnes & Noble or amazon.com.

Espoma Organic

Visit espoma.com to find your local Espoma dealer or check my Amazon storefront.

Follow Maria and Growing Joy:

Order my book: Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness (and Plants)by Maria Failla, Illustrated by Samantha Leung

Take the Plant Parent Personality Quiz (Get the perfect plants, projects and educational resources for YOUR Lifestyle)

Support Growing Joy with Maria by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon!

Instagram: @growingjoywithmaria

Tiktok: @growingjoywithmaria

Subscribe to the Growing Joy YouTube channel! /growingjoywithmaria

Website: www.growingjoywithmaria.com

Pinterest: @growingjoywithmaria

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.