If you're looking for a large, tree-like plant, a pop of color, or a cool, structural statement piece for your home, might I suggest the rubber plant? Ficus elastica is one of the most underrated houseplants out there, and today we're giving it the hype it deserves!

In this Best of Growing Joy series, I pulled my conversation with Raffaele of Ohio Tropics, a fellow rubber plant lover, where we talk about everything you need to know about rubber plant care: how to help your rubber plant truly grow, how to stop it from dropping its leaves, and how to keep those glossy leaves from crisping up.

Because whether it's a simple green rubber tree or a stunning variegated variety like my beloved Ficus Belize on my green wall, those huge, glossy leaves make such a statement in your home. Listen in to learn simple rubber plant care tips, plus the most common mistakes plant parents make (and exactly how to avoid them), so you can grow your very own iconic indoor tree.

In this episode, we learn:

• [00:43] Maria’s plant and personal updates
• [02:12] Introducing Raffaele from Ohio Tropics
• [03:14] Your invitation to a free 10-day virtual garden festival!
• [03:58] What to expect from this rubber plant episode
• [06:40] How Raffael became the plant parent he is today
• [10:06] What is a rubber plant?
• [11:26] Do rubber trees produce latex?
• [12:53] Where can you find rubber plants in nature?
• [14:33] What are the different types and varieties of rubber plants?
• [18:54] How to water rubber plants
• [21:27] Raffaele’s watering tip using a turkey baster
• [23:21] How much sunlight does a rubber plant need?
• [27:35] Are rubber plants low-light plants?
• [28:35] What kind of soil mix is good for rubber plants?
• [30:52] Where to get pre-grown plants and seeds for your spring garden
• [32:09] The best indoor and outdoor gardening products
• [34:49] How to fertilize rubber plants
• [37:11] Rubber Plant FAQ #1: Why is my rubber plant not growing?
• [39:03] Rubber Plant FAQ #2: How do I get my rubber plant to branch and be bushier instead of taller?
• [39:51] What is the air layering propagation method?
• [44:15] Rubber Plant FAQ #3: Why are my new leaves smaller than the older ones?
• [45:32] Rubber Plant FAQ #4: Why are my rubber plant leaves dropping?
• [48:20] Why overwatering can cause issues to your plant (in ways you might not expect)
• [49:12] Rubber Plant FAQ #5: My plant looks healthy, but the branches are all over the place; why is this happening?
• [50:26] Rubber Plant FAQ #6: What are the tiny white spots on my rubber plant?
• [51:26] Rubber Plant FAQ#7: Why are the edges of my variegated rubber plant browning?
• [54:09] Rubber Plant FAQ #8: My rubber plant has aerial roots, but do they grow better in slightly cooler conditions?
• [55:18] Raffaele’s recommendations of the best rubber plant varieties for beginners
• [57:35] What Raffaele’s book Houseplant Warrior is about!
• [59:41] Where to connect with Raffaele
• [01:01:52] Upgrade your plant education with these two events!

Mentioned in our conversation:

• Houseplant Warrior: 7 Keys to Unlocking the Mysteries of Houseplant Care, book by Raffaele Di Lallo
• The Great Grow Along Virtual Garden Festival

Which rubber plant variety are you most excited to try?

Check out the full show notes and blog to start growing your own statement rubber plant!

Follow Raffaele:

Blog

Instagram

YouTube

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.

Propagation is your best friend as a plant parent. It's a free way to make more of the plants you already have, and watching new roots grow is so much fun! But there's more to it than sticking a pothos in a glass of water, not to mention that if you get the humidity wrong, you’ll get mold. So I invited over my go-to propagation nerd, Lindsay Sisti, to guide us through the different ways you can propagate successfully. She’s a propagation expert, plant breeder, and author of The Ultimate Guide to Houseplant Propagation. She’s been in the podcast before, and we've both survived mold cleanup in our own homes. Listen in!

In this episode, we learn:

• [02:22] Welcome back, Lindsay, my propagation nerd and friend of the pod!
• [04:28] What tropical houseplants are found in the rainforest?
• [06:00] Why your heating/AC sucks the humidity out of your home
• [10:00] Why growing houseplants indoors in Florida is hard!
• [10:56] When does humidity become a big aspect of plant keeping? (common plants vs. the divas)
• [14:51] Experience the richness of single-origin honey with 3x more antioxidants with Manukora!
• [16:36] Why filling your house with humidifiers isn't realistic
• [17:45] Lindsay's black mold nightmare in her 100-year-old home!
• [21:20] How humidity travels through your HVAC and grows mold where you'd never expect
• [23:29] Humidity hacks that fail (sorry!)
• [25:09] Why misting is mostly pointless and when it causes problems
• [28:31] IKEA grow cabinets 101: the MILSBO, Rust-Oleum, and building your glass box
• [33:40] Choosing grow lights: Barrina, Monios, and T8 vs. T5
• [35:53] Why you need fans and airflow (transpiration and guttation explained)
• [40:18] What prop boxes are and why they root plants better than a glass of water
• [43:21] Building a prop box (containers, sphagnum moss, and the "wrung-out sponge" rule)
• [46:30] Lindsay's layered setup!
• [49:44] Do you really need to "burp" your prop box?
• [52:31] How to rebuild Raffi the Rhaphidophora from node cuttings
• [58:16] Should you let cuttings callus first? Variegated vs. non-variegated
• [1:01:16] Mold vs. algae, and the diluted hydrogen peroxide fix
• [1:03:18] Final steps: lid on, into the window, and when to transplant
• [1:06:56] Can you crowd the nodes?
• [1:08:11] Why are prop boxes low stakes?
• [1:09:43] Where to find Lindsay and her propagation book!
• [1:11:21] Update: how Raffi's prop box actually turned out

Mentioned in our conversation:

• The Ultimate Guide to Houseplant Propagation by Lindsay Sisti
• IKEA MILSBO
• Barrina Grow Light
• Monios-L Grow Lights
• LECHUZA-PON

For Lindsay's different propagation methods,

check out the full show notes and blog here!

Follow Lindsay:

Website
Instagram
YouTube
TikTok

Thank you to our episode sponsors:

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!

ZenAI

Visit zen.ai to start your first vibecast for free.

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.

Have you ever thought about growing your own luffa? Someone sent me a packet of luffa seeds about four years ago. I think I won them in a giveaway, and they just... sat there. I never planted it because something about luffa felt kinda different. It's not your classic garden edible, and I couldn't picture how it worked. So I invited Janice Cox over to talk about growing luffa! Janice is a garden and natural beauty expert, and she's written a whole workbook on this plant. Now I can't stop thinking about growing luffa, harvesting it, and figuring out what to make with it. Turns out it's way simpler than I built it up to be in my head. Learn with me!

In this episode, we learn:

• [01:47] Meet Janice Cox, the luffa queen!
• [02:34] What is luffa, and why does it have so many surprising uses?
• [04:10] How Janice backed into gardening through natural beauty writing
• [05:57] Why clean beauty pushed her toward aloe vera and label-reading in the US
• [10:12] How luffa went from ancient Egypt to WWII oil filters
• [12:18] Turning a luffa harvest into soap, crafts, and pet toys
• [15:29] Feed your midsummer garden with Espoma Organic!
• [17:47] What does luffa need to grow? (full sun, pollinators, and a trellis)
• [19:54] Male vs. female flowers and hand-pollinating your luffa
• [22:06] What the luffa growth stages look like and how to know when to harvest
• [25:24] Water and light requirements for luffa
• [26:44] How do you process your luffa? (peeling, saving seeds, and cleaning for gifts)
• [29:09] Direct sowing vs. starting luffa seeds indoors
• [30:58] How to slice, flatten, and sew with dried luffa
• [33:59] What are the different luffa varieties?
• [35:52] What are the most common mistakes first-time luffa growers make?
• [38:30] Why luffa makes a great gift and a full-circle, sustainable plant
• [40:15] Luffa seed tips: nicking, soaking, and testing for viability
• [42:06] Where to find Janice, her books, and her guides

Mentioned in our conversation:

• Growing Joy 310: Digital Detox: What 3 Days in Nature Taught Me (and How You Can Recreate It at Home)
• Growing Joy 319: How to Preserve Food From Your Garden with Staci and Jeremy Hill
• Janice Cox’s books:
  • Natural Beauty At Home Handbook
  • Beautiful Luffa
  • Beautiful Roses
  • Beautiful Lavender
  • Beautiful Flowers

For foolproof luffa growing tips,

check out Janice's guide in the full show notes and blog!

Follow Janice:

Website
Instagram
Blog
Books

Thank you to our episode sponsors:

Espoma Organic

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

ZenAI

Visit zen.ai to start your first vibecast for free.

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.

Philodendron might just be the most underrated genus in the houseplant world, and plant friends, it's completely beginner-friendly! This isn't a plant you bring home from the garden center only to watch it shrivel, brown, and die within a week. It gives you trailing vines, climbing drama, bold pops of color, and incredible leaf shapes. It's one of my all-time favorites, and it's the star of today's episode of our Best of Growing Joy series.

We're breaking down everything you need to know about philodendron care, aka this iconic houseplant genus that's been beloved for decades and never goes out of style. Today's episode covers philodendron light requirements, philodendron watering tips, and the best philodendron varieties to add to your indoor plant collection.

You'll also learn how philodendron grow in the wild and discover which variety might just become your next plant obsession.

In this episode, we learn:

• [03:50] Philodendron high-level overview
• [09:38] Care #1: Light
• [13:43] Care #2: Water
• [15:38] Care #3: Soil
• [16:05] Care #4: Humidity
• [17:08] Care #5: Fertilizer
• [17:39] Troubleshooting philodendron issues
• [19:10] Thank you Proven Winners leafjoy™ for sponsoring this episode!
• [21:01] Heartleaf Philodendron (Philodendron hederaceum)
• [22:21] Philodendron ‘Brasil'
• [22:37] Philodendron ‘Lemon Lime' (as seen on my podcast art!)
• [24:13] Prismacolor™ Brandtianum
• [25:16] Philodendron atabapoense
• [26:05] Philodendron ‘Silver Sword' (Philodendron hastatum)
• [27:11] Prismacolor™ Philodendron Fozzie™
• [28:38] Philodendron ‘White Wizard' (Philodendron erubescens)
• [30:18] ‘Prince of Orange' Philodendron
• [32:08] Prismacolor™ Sun Red Philodendron
• [32:33] Philodendron ‘Pink Princess'

Mentioned in our conversation:

• Prismacolor™ Sun Red – Philodendron hybrid
• Prismacolor™ Atabapoense – Philodendron hybrid
• Prismacolor™ Brandtianum – Philodendron hybrid
• Prismacolor™ Florida Green – Climbing Philodendron
• Prismacolor™ Fozzie – Fuzzy Petiole Philodendron
• Prismacolor™ Gloriosum – Creeping Philodendron
• Prismacolor™ Hastatum – Silver Sword Philodendron
• Prismacolor™ Pink Princess – Philodendron hybrid
• Prismacolor™ Rojo Congo – Philodendron hybrid
• Prismacolor™ Sun Red – Philodendron hybrid
• Prismacolor™ White Wizard – Philodendron hybrid
• Prismacolor™ Lemon Lime – Philodendron hybrid

What's your go-to philodendron, and how long have you had it?

Check out the full show notes and blog for all my favorite philodendron varieties!

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.

What if your backyard could feed you for decades with way less work than a tomato patch? You can achieve this with fruit trees! I met arborist Allen Taylor at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show earlier this year. He's the founder of Conservation Tree Care, and he shares how to grow fruit trees in your own backyard with confidence and patience. I'm a homeowner now, and I am so excited to finally have fruit trees of my own!

In this episode, we learn:

• [01:52] Meet Allen Taylor, founder of Conservation Treecare!
• [02:17] What is forestry, and how did Allen get into it via a college course?
• [03:22] How arboriculture differs from forestry (individual trees vs. whole ecosystems)
• [04:45] The Overstory and tree climbers who work up in the canopy
• [09:37] How his passion for large trees relates to small fruit trees
• [10:51] Seattle's century-old orchard trees!
• [12:32] What are the two starting points for fruit trees? (assessing a bare site vs. inheriting mature trees already there)
• [14:07] Why you also have to think about harvest volume you can handle
• [15:02] Check out The Essential Guide to Ecological Gardening by the American Horticultural Society!
• [16:17] Set your fruit trees up right from planting with Espoma Organic!
• [18:21] Why it's okay to treat a fruit tree as a low-maintenance shade tree (that happens to fruit)
• [19:38] What makes something an "orchard" vs. just having a tree?
• [22:30] Why fruit exists (spreading seeds) and how domestication changed fruit itself
• [24:10] Fruit tree timeline! What age of wood trees fruit on?
• [26:55] Which fruit trees are most popular by region, and why local zone/climate matters so much?
• [29:19] Why local extension services and nurseries beat big box stores for picking trees
• [31:41] What does the yearly care for fruit trees look like (pruning, planting, harvest windows)?
• [34:17] Planting and transplant shock!
• [35:52] Fruit trees planting basics: hole size, soil, mulch, watering to establishment
• [39:03] Sun and site selection (full sun, flat ground, and thinking about ladder access)
• [42:38] Why you should prune fruit trees compared to other edibles
• [43:58] Why does dormant pruning work with the tree's stress response?
• [46:14] Should you remove blossoms in year one, or just leave the tree alone and wait?
• [47:33] Pruning vs. training explained
• [48:59] Pruning intensity tips
• [52:10] What are the top beginner mistakes you commit with trees?
• [57:10] The 3 types of pruning cuts (removal, reduction, heading) and how the tree responds to each
• [59:06] Why fruit trees are a great gateway into caring about trees generally
• [59:51] Allen's favorite fruit tree and the joy of sharing homegrown harvests with neighbors!
• [1:01:33] Where to find Allen, Conservation Treecare, and his work at the Amazon Spheres

Mentioned in our conversation:

• Robert Jan Van Pelt’s Books
• The Overstory by Richard Powers

For Allen's fruit tree tips,

check out the full show notes and blog here!

Follow Allen:

Website
Instagram

Thank you to our episode sponsors:

Quarto

Grab the Essential Guide to Ecological Gardening at quarto.com and wherever books are sold.

Espoma Organic

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

ZenAI

Visit zen.ai to start your first vibecast for free.

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.

Did you know plants for your home office can do more than just look nice? Office or work from home, they can boost your focus, spark creativity, lift your mood, and cut your stress. It's been proven over and over.

So today, for the Best of Growing Joy series, I'm digging into the archives and refreshing an old solo episode from the middle of the pandemic. Fair warning, you'll hear me talk about work from home a lot, since that's all we were doing back then. Our community got really creative with their setups too.

This one's all about biophilic design, something I keep coming back to this year since I'm renovating my own home through that lens. We'll get into easy ways to turn your desk into a plant-filled workspace that actually helps your productivity and your mental health.

Think about it, work is a huge chunk of our life. Nine to five, five days a week. So why not spend it surrounded by plants? That's what this episode is about: making your workday more joyful, more relaxing, and more productive. I hope it helps.

In this episode, we learn:

• [02:07] Why Bloom and Grow Radio is doing an episode on #plantywfh spaces
• [04:39] Check out Maria’s Planty WFH space tour
• [05:03] What to expect from this episode on work from home setups and biophilic design
• [06:50] The AMAZING and unbelievable benefits of engaging with plants and biophilic design, according to 14 Patterns of Biophilic Design
• [07:27] What is biophilia, the idea behind it, and the important figures behind this wonderful hypothesis
• [09:24] The psychological role of plants in our creativity
• [10:09] How being around nature and scenery affects patient recovery, as studied by Dr. Ulrich in 1972 to 1981
• [11:13] A review of direct versus involuntary attention based on studies by Stephen R. Kellert and Rachel Kaplan
• [13:41] Biophilic Pattern #1: Visual Connection with Nature
• [13:54] Planty WFH Tip #1: Put your desk near a window
• [14:15] Planty WFH Tip #2: Put plants within the eyeline of your desk
• [14:33] Planty WFH Tip #3: Have a green wall in your office
• [14:56] Planty WFH Tip #4: If you can’t have real plants, pictures of plants will do!
• [15:09] Biophilic Pattern #2: Non-Visual Connection with Nature
• [15:26] Planty WFH Tip #5: Play nature sounds like the one-square inch forest silence in the Olympic National Park, bird songs, or waves
• [16:36] Planty WFH Tip #6: Have different plant scents nearby, or you can use a diffuser like Maria!)
• [16:53] Biophilic Pattern #3: Non-Rhythmic Sensory Stimuli
• [17:09] Planty WFH Tip #7: Set up bird feeders or pollinator-attracting plants, or take care of rare-blooming plants for a nice surprise
• [17:39] Biophilic Pattern #4: Thermal and Air Flow Variability
• [17:59] Biophilic Pattern #5: Presence of Water
• [18:07] Planty WFH Tip #8: It’s your humidifier’s time to shine! Maybe a tiny fancy plug-in fountain?
• [18:40] Biophilic Pattern #6: Dynamic and Diffuse Light
• [18:52] Planty WFH Tip #9: Install a grow light with a timer, and have a more sustainable work hours setup!
• [19:12] Planty WFH Tip #10: Reduce your blue light intake and light candles after a long day of work
• [19:33] Biophilic Pattern #7: Connection with Natural Systems
• [19:47] Biophilic Pattern #8: Biomorphic Forms and Patterns
• [19:56] Did you know there are interesting and precise angles in nature?
• [20:35] Biophilic Pattern #9: Material Connection with Nature
• [21:07] Planty WFH Tip #11: Add accents in your home office like wood grains, fossil textures, and bamboo rattans
• [21:30] Planty WFH Tip #12: Try a natural color palette of greens and browns
• [21:50] How Maria and Billy managed their storage during their move
• [24:52] Biophilic Pattern #10: Prospect
• [25:04] Why it’s important to change the focus of your eyes every once in a while
• [25:18] Biophilic Pattern #11: Refuge
• [25:19] Why Maria recommends a planty screen-free space
• [26:10] Biophilic Patterns #12: Mystery and #13: Risk and Peril
• [26:20] The biggest rule of thumb of biophilic designs for Maria
• [27:06] If you can’t have real plants, download the Bloom and Grow Radio’s free and gorgeous watercolor of prickly pear cactus in various states of bloom!
• [28:03] Planty WFH Tip #13: Envelop your space in plants (if you can!)
• [28:32] Maria’s planty WFH tips and ideas based on her own WFH setup
• [30:04] The best plants for low-light home offices
• [31:13] Are you blessed with a high-light office situation? Maria recommends these plants that love abundant light
• [31:36] Planty WFH Tip #14: Install grow lights to incorporate more plants
• [32:44] Planty WFH Tip #15: Tiny space? Go vertical!
• [34:21] Maria’s biggest takeaways from 14 Patterns of Biophilic Design and her top advice on #plantyWFH setups
• [36:26] Finding joy and awe in your #plantyWFH as a small break from your work day

Mentioned in our conversation:

• Get the free download with 9 Tips for Greening Up Your Work From Home Office Space
• Check out Maria's #plantywfh office tour on youtube!
• BAGR YouTube video Houseplant Tour: My Restorative Plant Corner // Why Plant Care Truly is Self Care
• BAGR Episode How To Use Plants To Create Restorative Environments With Anne Meore From NYBG
• 14 Patterns of Biophilic Design by William Browning, Catherine Ryan, and Joseph Clancy
• Hoh Rainforest Audio
• Biophilia by Edward O. Wilson
• Frederick Law Olmsted
• View Through a Window May Influence Recovery from Surgery by Roger Ulrich
• Stephen R. Kellert
• Attention Restoration Theory: Exploring the Role of Soft Fascination and Mental Bandwidth by Rachel Kaplan
• What Was That Like Podcast by Scott Johnson

Which biophilic design tip are you most excited to try in your workspace?

Check out the full show notes and blog for my plant-filled home office setup!

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.

What if the most relaxing time for you in your garden isn't during the day, but after dark? In those cool summer nights when garden chores aren't practical because you can't see very well, we have a unique opportunity to ease burnout, support mental health, and deepen your connection to plants and nature. So I'm joined by a friend, Perla Sofia Curbelo-Santiago, a repeat guest and the author of Verdura, to talk about her new take on garden breaks after dark. And we discuss how to create simple, mindful rituals that help plant parents unwind, reset, and find joy in the garden in the evening, in even just 10 minutes. Let's get started!

In this episode, we learn:

• [01:39] Catching up with Perla Sofia Curbelo-Santiago and the Northwest Flower and Garden Show!
• [03:43] What Perla has been up to since publishing her book, Verdura
• [05:13] How do garden breaks improve employee well-being?
• [09:15] Perla’s personal wake-up call with burnout and
• [10:22] Why we need to stop feeling guilty about taking breaks
• [14:05] Why shifting your garden break to the evening is an overlooked opportunity
• [14:58] Experience single-origin honey with 3x more antioxidants with Manukora!
• [16:43] How experiencing complete darkness after Hurricane Maria inspired Perla’s night sky gardening
• [18:36] How our artificial outdoor lighting negatively affects pollinators and migrating birds
• [19:01] Why it’s actually easier to relax in your garden at night than during the day
• [21:12] Simple ways to light your outdoor spaces without disturbing local wildlife
• [25:14] How to safely plan your paths and prepare for your first garden break after dark
• [28:48] What should you actually do during a 5 to 15-minute nighttime garden break?
• [33:25] How to take a meaningful nature break when winter weather keeps you indoors
• [36:43] How one client uses her garden's evening soundscape to decompress after a long workday
• [41:21] Where to find Perla, AgroChic, and her resources online!

Mentioned in our conversation:

• Growing Joy Episode 225: Indoor Plant Projects for Stress Relief with Perla Sofía Curbelo-Santiago
• ¡Verdura! – Living a Garden Life: 30 Projects to Nurture Your Passion for Plants and Find Your Bliss by Perla Curbelo-Santiago

For Perla's mindful gardening insights,

check out the full show notes and blog here!

Follow Perla:

Website – Spanish
Website – English
Instagram
Facebook
Twitter/X

Thank you to our episode sponsors:

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!

ZenAI

Visit zen.ai to start your first vibecast for free.

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

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What if herbs go beyond the small, contained, and kitchen-window plants we use them for? Herbs could do so, so much more! In this episode, I sit down with Sue Goetz, a garden designer, author, and herb obsessive, to explore the many different ways we can use our favorite herbs in our garden landscape. She has a five-foot rosemary hedge in her backyard and uses chamomile between her stepping stones. She also grows lavender, sage, and catmint as full-on landscape plants that feed her, scent her garden, attract pollinators, and keep deer out. So not only do herbs have flavor, fragrance, and medicinal properties, they’re also low-maintenance once established. Let's dive in!

In this episode, we learn:

• [01:38] Meet garden designer and author Sue Goetz!
• [02:09] How Sue developed a passion for plants
• [05:07] Why herbs are the most "generous" plants
• [06:28] Why scent is the most underutilized sense in our gardens
• [08:57] How to start treating herbs as large landscape shrubs, trees, and hedges
• [10:45] Which herbs are best for replacing large plants/hedges?
• [12:23] How to get large creeping and upright rosemary hedges
• [15:09] Invest in quality soil and compost to build your garden’s foundation with Espoma Organic!
• [16:33] What are some deer-resistant herbs that we can use as protectors?
• [19:02] Which smaller herbs work best for edging borders and invisible fences
• [20:24] Is Alyssum an herb?
• [20:48] Landscape herb sun needs and chamomile ground cover
• [24:37] How chives double as a sturdy pollinator magnet and an easy DIY gift
• [26:25] How can we use herbs as landscape plants to attract more pollinators?
• [29:04] Why you might be killing your lavender and how it actually wants to be treated
• [32:10] How to pair landscape herbs together (and which aggressive spreaders belong in pots)
• [34:34] Why you should grow what you love and then try one "crazy" experiment
• [38:55] How to use colored basil for landscape pop and cut flower arrangements
• [41:21] Simple ratio for mixing your own herbal bath salts from the garden
• [44:26] Where to find Sue, her blog, and her themed container herb gardening book!

Mentioned in our conversation:

• Complete Container Herb Gardening by Sue Goetz
• Crescent Garden Self-Watering Elevated Planter

For Sue's recommended herbs for garden landscaping,

check out the full show notes and blog here!

Follow Sue:

Website
The Herb Lover's Garden
Instagram
Facebook

Thank you to our episode sponsors:

Espoma Organic

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

ZenAI

Visit zen.ai to start your first vibecast for free.

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

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Ferns are some of the most gorgeous houseplants you can grow... and one of the oldest plants on the planet. They're basically living dinosaurs. But if you've ever watched a maidenhair fern grow in a sidewalk crack, only to crumble the second you bring it indoors, you know exactly why ferns have a reputation for being impossible to keep alive.

Most people aren't failing at ferns. They're just growing the wrong fern for their home.

In this episode, I'm bringing back one of my favorite interviews from the archives with my friend Lisa from The Houseplant Guru. Lisa is a lifelong plant expert who has successfully grown ferns for years, even in a Midwest home that's about as far from a tropical rainforest as you can get.

We're talking about how to keep your ferns healthy, how to actually get them to grow, why you keep finding crispy fronds all over your floor, and how to choose the right fern for your lifestyle and your home conditions. Spoiler: it's almost never going to be the maidenhair fern... unless you're growing it under glass.

In this episode, we learn:

• [02:03] Meet houseplant expert Lisa!
• [03:27] Lisa’s 60-year-old heirloom Boston fern and why ferns get a bad rap
• [06:05] Where do ferns grow naturally?
• [08:53] Is there something about ferns' root systems that makes them more finicky?
• [10:51] How to choose the right window and light placement for ferns
• [12:28] How to fertilize ferns without burning their roots?
• [14:40] How to water ferns correctly?
• [20:53] How to safely treat pests and scale on sensitive leaves
• [23:55] What are spores, stolons, and how do ferns actually reproduce?
• [29:05] Maidenhair ferns
• [29:56] What are the best ferns for your home?
• [30:54] What does Lisa recommend with brown fronds?
• [34:20] Unique collector ferns to add to your collection!
• [38:20] How to care for staghorn ferns
• [41:36] How to properly water a bird’s nest fern without rotting the center
• [44:23] Tips for raising tree ferns and baby mother ferns using closed glass terrariums
• [46:53] Where to find Lisa, her resources, and her books!

Mentioned in our conversation:

• Growing Joy Episode 84: African Violets 101 with Lisa from Houseplant Guru
• Growing Joy Episode 261: The Best Low Light Plants for Dim Spaces
• Grow in the Dark: How to Choose and Care for Low-Light Houseplants by Lisa
• Creative Houseplant Projects (Former Houseplant Party) by Lisa
• How to Care for An Heirloom Fern Over 40 Years Old (Blog)
• The Austral Gem Fern is THE Fern for the Fern Challenged (Blog)
• The Antlers on My Walls (Blog)
• Do You Use Lemon Juice to Clean Your Plant Leaves? I Do! (Blog)
• Systemic Houseplant Insect Control
• Espoma Organic Indoor!
• Jack's Classic 20-20-20 All Purpose Water-Soluble Fertilizer

Which fern are you most excited to try in your home?

Check out the full show notes and blog for Lisa's easy-care fern guide!

Follow Lisa:

Website

Books

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

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What if we don't design or control our gardens, but instead collaborate with them? I moved from the lush woods of Zone 5B to a front yard full of sand in Zone 10B Florida and felt like I had no control over my garden design. It was frustrating! So I sat down with Evan Meyer of Bloedel Reserve, a 140-acre garden and wild lands complex on Bainbridge Island just outside of Seattle, to help me feel more grounded in my new garden. Evan has spent his career working across the states studying restoration ecology, native plants, and conservation horticulture. We talked about co-designing with nature, as he believes we should move away from the "God complex" of traditional garden design and let Mother Nature be our co-designer. Listen in!

In this episode, we learn:

• [01:57] Meet Evan Meyer, Executive Director of Bloedel Reserve!
• [05:15] What Evan learned about ecological horticulture across different climates
• [10:15] Why individual home gardens have a larger ecological footprint than public parks
• [12:19] How the plant supply chain keeps most landscapes generic
• [15:43] Experience single-origin honey with 3x more antioxidants with Manukora!
• [17:28] Prep your kitchen for garden harvest season with Caraway Cookware!
• [18:53] Why are more gardeners actively seeking out native plants?
• [21:45] How to co-design your home garden with nature
• [22:06] If a tree falls, leave it!
• [24:42] Why you should read your local ecology
• [25:46] Let’s reframe garden "problems" as opportunities
• [29:10] More examples from Bloedel that home gardeners can actually steal
• [30:06] How does Bloedel's moss gardener curate rather than plant?
• [31:44] Retrain your eyes to find dormant plants and deadwood beautiful!
• [34:35] Practical steps for learning your local wild ecology
• [37:58] How an ecologically minded front yard builds neighborhood community
• [39:07] The rise of whimsy in garden design and why we're craving that feeling right now
• [40:13] What to expect when you visit Bloedel Reserve!

Mentioned in our conversation:

• iNaturalist
• Understanding Natural Light
• What's Your Plant Parent Personality?

Interested in doing a collab with your garden?

Check out the full show notes and blog here for Evan's advice!

Follow Evan & Bloedel Reserve:
Evan's LinkedIn
Website
Facebook
Instagram

Thank you to our episode sponsors:

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!

Caraway

Visit carawayhome.com and use promo code BLOOM at checkout for an additional 10% off your order.

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

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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.