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

Gardening is already a popular hobby, but the pandemic has revived an interest in growing plants. Many of us plant parents turned to gardening to keep busy, improve our mental health, and even grow food as we were forced to spend more time at home. Similar to this occurrence is the Victory Gardens of the past. In this episode, Maggie Stuckey joins us to review the history of Victory Gardens and their surprising role in society throughout the last hundred years. We also explore why people are so drawn to plants in tough times!

In this episode, we learn:

• [00:00] War Gardens, Victory Gardens, or Pandemic Gardens
• [05:30] Maggie shares an excerpt from her book about gardening as a manifestation of hope
• [08:07] Growing up in rural South Carolina where farming and vegetable gardens were prominent
• [10:46] How Maggie’s book on container gardening became a go-to gardening resource, challenging the belief that vegetables couldn't be grown in containers
• [13:46] Drawing parallels between the current gardening movement and past Victory Gardens
• [14:13] Where can you find trusted products for gardening, such as potting mix, garden soil, and fertilizer?
• [16:18] Where can you listen to enchanting wind chimes and choose from various colors, sizes, and sounds?
• [20:47] What is the history of Victory gardens?
• [26:45] Community gardens during World War II in Boston, Washington, D.C., and Minneapolis
• [27:50] The concept and history behind community gardens
• [29:40] What motivates people to start gardens during challenging times like war, pandemics, or personal struggles?
• [33:22] The therapeutic nature of gardening and how it simplifies life and reconnects people with nature
• [36:36] The importance of in-person human interactions and actions
• [37:18] What are common mistakes made by new gardeners and why do they occur?
• [44:16] Why did Maggie include edible flowers in her book?
• [47:40] What should beginner gardeners grow in three containers for a successful first garden experience?
• [50:26] Heartwarming stories in Maggie's book and the one that warmed her heart the most
• [53:55] Where can you find Maggie’s book, The Container Victory Garden: A Beginner’s Guide to Growing Your Own Groceries?

Mentioned in our conversation:

• Territorial Seed Company Kitchen Counter Collection
• Hydroponic planter
• Maggie Stuckey’s book The Container Victory Garden: A Beginner’s Guide to Growing Your Own Groceries

For Maggie's recommendations on best container gardening plants,

check out the full show notes and blog here!

Thank you to our episode sponsors:

Espoma Organic

Set your garden up for success with the right products! Espoma Organic is dedicated to making safe indoor and outdoor gardening products for people, pets, and the planet. They have an amazing variety of high-quality, organic potting mixes, garden soil, fertilizers, and pest control products that are organic and eco-friendly. To top it all off, they have a huge sustainability commitment with a 100% solar powered plant, zero waste manufacturing and eco-friendly packaging.

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

Wind River Chimes

Bring more peace, serenity, and magic into your home with chimes. Wind River is a Virginia-based company creating premium handcrafted and hand-tuned wind chimes for over 35 years. If you are looking for a new way to grow joy in your life and find a moment of peace, a Wind River chime is the perfect addition for your home or garden. Plus, it's a perfect personalized gift for your loved ones!

Visit windriverchimes.com and use code GROWINGJOY to receive free engraving on all Corinthian Bells wind chimes.

Follow Maggie:

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Order my book: Growing Joy: The Plant...

Are you worried about leaving your plants at home this holiday season? When I was constantly on the road for shows as a musical theater performer, I became a professional traveler and learned a lot of dos and don’ts when it comes to leaving your plant babies at home. The experience can be scary: it can make traveling—what is supposed to be exciting and relaxing—a time filled with anxiety. In this episode, I share many helpful tips you can start implementing on your plant collection so you can enjoy your vacations and holidays stress-free!

Give the gift of Growing Joy! Gift your loved ones copies of Growing Joy and get a free personalized bookplate and month to the Garden Party!

Visit bit.ly/giftgrowingjoy to redeem!

In this episode, we learn:

• [01:28] Maria’s fall updates
• [02:24] Have you been to the kindest and plantiest corner of the internet yet?
• [03:03] The perfect planty gift for your loved ones this holiday
• [04:56] What inspired Maria to do an episode on plants and traveling
• [09:46] Your next favorite kitchen appliance!
• [12:40] Understanding your plants’ lighting needs when you’re on vacation
• [15:12] The importance of using grow lights in your home
• [17:37] How to make sure your plants get good air circulation while you’re gone
• [19:28] Maria shares her experience of accidentally leaving her plants in extremely hot temperatures
• [21:31] How to keep your plants watered while you’re away
• [25:23] Different watering hacks when on vacation
• [29:36] Where to get stylish and functional plant accessories for gifting
• [33:40] Why you need to cut off dead and yellowing leaves from your plants
• [35:31] Should you hire a plant sitter when you go on vacation?
• [40:40] Why putting your plants in the bathtub while you’re away might not work
• [41:33] How to avoid root rot in plants
• [42:34] Why the greenhouse method won’t work when you’re on vacation
• [44:33] Maria’s reminder about the role of plants in our lives
• [46:17] What to keep in mind as you travel and move around this holiday season

Mentioned in our conversation:

• Self-watering planters
• Watering spikes
• Watering orbs
• Watering Can plantsitter app
• FREE 2-week trial to the Garden Party!

For a detailed summary of Maria's tips and tricks,

check out the full blog and show notes here!

Thank you to our episode sponsors:

Modern Sprout

When you think of planty products and accessories, you need to think Modern Sprout. With gorgeous different lines of planty products and accessories from grow lights to watering cans to the cutest gift sets, Modern Sprout has got you covered for this holiday season.

Visit modernsprout.com/growingjoy to see my top gift picks for the holidays and use code GROWINGJOY at checkout for 20% off sitewide.

Lomi

Lomi is a small countertop composter that is the perfect solution to reducing your garbage footprint and food waste. This sleek composter enables you to compost hassle-free: just take your food scraps and put it in the Lomi, press a button, and you're set! Lomi is giving a rare discount $50 off with code BLOOM at checkout!

Go to pela.com and redeem your special gift and use code BLOOM at checkout!

Give the gift of Growing Joy!

Gift your loved ones copies of Growing Joy and get a free personalized bookplate and month to the Garden Party!

Visit bit.ly/giftgrowingjoy to redeem!

Follow Maria and Bloom and Grow Radio:

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 Bloom and Grow Plant Parent ...

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 company would make you feel empowered, as it did me.

In case you didn’t know, The Sill was one of the OG plant brands that helped start the houseplant craze before the pandemic. And when I first started my podcast, they were also the first to reach out and show their support! So I want to take this opportunity to show you the story behind the success of The Sill live on stage at the Northwest Flower and Garden Festival in Seattle.

In this episode, we learn:

• [00:30] The Sill and its impact on the houseplant community
• [05:23] How did Eliza get into houseplants?
• [07:28] How exciting/challenging is it to launch a houseplant brand early on?
• [11:20] How did The Sill come about?
• [13:13] How Eliza built a multimillion-dollar brand
• [14:25] Why “fake it till you make it” mindset works WONDERS!
• [15:47] Create the perfect Danish hygge atmosphere with Wind River Chimes
• [18:57] What was the struggle for The Sill during COVID?
• [20:34] Navigating challenges in the plant industry
• [22:23] What’s the process of sourcing and acquiring plants?
• [24:14] What’s Eliza’s definition of success (and has it changed over the years?)
• [25:10] What it feels like being a woman in a male-dominated industry
• [26:56] Trends and customer preferences in 2024
• [29:01] What’s next for The Sill?
• [30:01] Eliza’s personal life and hobbies beyond plants
• [32:30] Eliza’s favorite client story!

Mentioned in our conversation:

• Northwest Flower and Garden Festival
• Tropical Plant International Expo (TPIE)
• Growing Joy Ep 18: Prepping Your Houseplant For Spring and the Science Behind Fertilizer With Chris Satch from The Sill
• Growing Joy Ep 30 Orchid 101 with Chris from The Sill
• Growing Joy Ep 38: Transitioning Your Plants Back Indoors for Winter with Chris from The Sill

For a deeper dive into The Sill's story,

check out the full show notes and blog here!

Thank you to our episode sponsor:

Wind River Chimes

Turn your home into a relaxation oasis with chimes! Wind River is a Virginia-based company creating premium handcrafted and hand-tuned wind chimes for over 35 years. They are launching a new collection of chimes called Eclipse, which are Corinthian bells uniquely tuned to the Lydian mode, a scale that creates an ethereal atmosphere of enchantment that matches the mystery and wonder of the solar eclipse and of outer space. Plus, these chimes make for amazing personal gifts to your loved ones!

Visit windriverchimes.com and use code GROWINGJOY to receive free engraving on all engraveable wind chimes.

Follow Eliza:

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Facebook

Instagram

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YouTube

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)

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The winter can be challenging for indoor tropical houseplants that thrive in hot, humid environments. While our houseplants do not experience the true dormancy of outdoor deciduous plants (plants that drop all their leaves at some point in the year), they can enter a period of slowed growth known as “quiescence.” During this time, they require adjusted care to stay happy and healthy. After keeping houseplants for many winters and making my share of mistakes, I want to share the knowledge I’ve gained about their winter care needs in this episode.

In this episode, we learn:

• [04:05] Dormancy vs quiescence
• [05:47] Why winter is a great time to explore your inner quiescence
• [06:25] #1 The light levels are going to change
• [07:14] Why some plants might have more light availability during winter (exception to the rule)
• [08:29] Few things to do to help your plants survive the winter when there is less light available
• [10:13] #2 Your houseplants are going to hate your heaters
• [12:18] Tips for dealing with dry heat
• [15:05] Where can you find quality products for your indoor and outdoor planting needs?
• [16:43] Looking for unique and soothing chimes as a holiday gift?
• [18:48] #3 Winter is the time that pests like to show up
• [19:51] How to deal with plant pests
• [21:41] #4 Fertilize if you see new growth
• [23:28] I just got a Monstera Thai constellation!
• [24:26] Bonus Tip #1: Don't freak out that much about dropping leaves
• [25:36] Bonus Tip #2: If you’re dying, force bulbs inside!
• [27:14] Key insights you can learn to experience quiescence in your life!

Mentioned in our conversation:

• GJ Ep 158: Grow and Make Essential Oils With Chris Satch
• GJ Ep 200: Identification And How To Get Rid Of Fungus Gnats, Spidermites, Scale, White Flies And Mealybugs: Grow Better With Leslie
• GJ Ep 208: Diy Houseplant First Aid Kit With Leslie Halleck
• Soltech AspectTM LED Growlight
• Espoma Liquid Fertilizers
• Painters Tape

For additional tips on winter plant care,

check out the full show notes and blog here!

Thank you to our episode sponsors:

Espoma Organic

Make sure your plants are all set for the new season! Espoma Organic is dedicated to making safe indoor and outdoor gardening products for people, pets, and the planet. They have an amazing variety of high-quality, organic potting mixes, garden soil, fertilizers, and pest control products that are organic and eco-friendly. To top it all off, they have a huge sustainability commitment with a 100% solar-powered plant, zero waste manufacturing and eco-friendly packaging.

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

Wind River Chimes

This holiday season, bring more peace, serenity, and magic into your home with chimes. Wind River is a Virginia-based company creating premium handcrafted and hand-tuned wind chimes for over 35 years. If you are looking for a new way to grow joy in your life and find a moment of peace, a Wind River chime is the perfect addition to your home or garden. Plus, it's a perfect personalized gift for your loved ones this holiday season!

Visit windriverchimes.com and use code GROWINGJOY to receive free engraving on all Corinthian Bells wind chimes.

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, ...

It's been such a joy having fellow podcasters join me in the pod as they never disappoint and have such wonderful insights about plant parenthood and plantrepreneurship. I met this episode's guest in 2020 and figured it was time to have her back on to catch up and explore a concept she’ll be tackling on the next season of her show: the past, present, and future of black people in horticulture. Colah has created an amazing brand called Black in the Garden that has blown up in the last couple of years, and created a space for so many people to feel seen within the plant community. Tune in as we share an important conversation about historic black plant people and their rich yet less discovered contributions to plant society.

Join the Bloom and Grow Garden Society!

The Bloom and Grow Garden Society is your one-stop shop for plant parenthood growth. When you join, you'll gain full access to the Garden Party Community Platform and App PLUS monthly plant care lectures with Horticulturist in Residence Leslie Halleck, monthly office hours with Leslie to troubleshoot your personal plant care issues and monthly Growing Joy Calls with Maria to develop our community of Society Members and explore the plant/person connection.

Click here to join us!

Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast,

so you don't miss the amazing episodes we have coming up!

In this episode we learn:

• [00:57] Maria’s plant updates
• [05:30] Who is Colah and why she started her podcast, Black in the Garden
• [09:16] How has Colah’s plant collection changed through her personal transitions?
• [15:07] What it’s like to have a plant-sitter
• [16:52] Reevaluating the lesson of resiliency as a Black woman
• [19:16] Moving forward and seeking opportunities presented to you
• [22:04] Letting go of things that don’t bring you joy
• [23:11] Why Wangari Mathai is Colah’s most inspirational historic Black figure
• [25:26] Making the diaspora of Black people known and accessible
• [29:09] Where to get the best seeds for this growing season
• [30:45] Indoor and outdoor gardening products for people, pets, and the planet
• [32:30] Jerome the Gnome and Colah’s update on inclusivity in garden products
• [34:26] Black representation in media and podcasting
• [38:59] Colah shares recent recognitions for Black people in horticulture
• [41:51] Horticulturist Abra Lee and her mission to uncover the history of Black garden clubs and societies
• [46:08] Ideating and self-publishing the Black in the Garden Coloring Book
• [49:58] Acknowledging white privilege in horticulture
• [52:52] Why Colah is exploring the past, present, and future in Black in the Garden podcast
• [55:41] What’s next for Colah and Black in the Garden in 2022
• [01:00:50] How to level up your plant parent skills this year!

Mentioned in our conversation:

• Bloom and Grow Radio YouTube video Flower Preservation Unboxing
• You Grow, Gurl!: A Lush Guide to Plant Parenthood by Christopher Griffin
• Bloom and Grow Radio podcast episode Lessons from Plants from 2021 with Beronda Montgomery
• Mashable’s article on Juliet Sargeant, “First female black designer in 103 years of Chelsea Flower Show wins gold”
• Website: Abra Lee / Conquer the Soil
• Colah's tree planting initiative: Underground Arborist

Thank you to our episode sponsors:

Territorial Seed Company

Excited for this year's growing season? Territorial Seed Co's got you covered with high-quality seeds and plants (over 2,000 varieties) that are tried and tested on their 75-acre farm! From Artichoke through Zucchini, they have everything you need to grow your best garden ever! And with over 40 years of experience, you know they have seeds and plants you can trust. They are offering an exclusive discount just for listeners of Bloom & Grow Radio, use code GROW10 to get 10% off your first order. Order now at territorialseed.com

Espoma Organic

Espoma Organic is dedicated to making safe indoor and outdoor gardening products for people, pets, and the planet. They have an amazing ...