Growing Joy with Plants - Wellness Rooted in Nature

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Soltech Solutions

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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

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

Instagram: @growingjoywithmaria

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[03:33] What is eco-anxiety?

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81 MIN

APR 23, 2024

Eco Anxiety

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

In this episode, we learn:

[07:14] Rachael’s personal story of identifying/managing eco-anxiety

[09:45] Coping with eco-anxiety

[11:21] How perspective affects happiness

[12:16] What is the environmental impact of our actions, and how does it relate to our well-being?

[15:21] Fill your homes with the most ethereal sounds with the new Wind River Eclipse Collection (use code GROWINGJOY)
[17:26] Discover gardening tips, kitchen tricks, and family activities to reduce waste and save money with ‘Simple Country Living’ by Annette Thurmon
[18:39] What is Rachael's book, Self-Care for Eco-Anxiety, all about?
[20:01] Is corporate responsibility being misdirected, with consumers unfairly blamed?
[22:30] How to shift from fight/flight to parasympathetic rest and digest mode
[24:18] Somatic practices to release severe negative feelings associated with eco-anxiety
[29:01] Finding neutrality and managing anxiety
[30:10] What is the concept of “the mother tree” in Rachael’s book?
[32:25] What is the mycelium network?
[36:42] What are some ways we can give back to Mother Nature?
[41:37] Rachael’s favorite strategy for bringing oneself back from an eco-anxiety spiral
[43:23] How is the book constructed?
[46:55] Where can you get the book?

Mentioned in our conversation:

Finding the Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest, book by Suzanne Simard
The Overstory: A Novel, book by Richard Powers
Growing Joy Ep 229: Why You Should Care About the Spring Equinox
Self-care for Eco-Anxiety: 52 Weekly Practices for Positive, Personal Change Through the Power of Nature, book by Rachael Cohen
Growing Joy Ep 223: Cultivating Intuition with Nature with Rachael of Our Infinite Nature
Growing Joy Episode 209: Plant Magic: How to Be a Green Witch with Rachael from Infinite Succulent

For a list of simple ways that you can give back to Mother Nature,

check out the full show notes and blogs here!

Follow Rachael:

Thank you to our episode sponsors:

Wind River Chimes

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

Quarto: Simple Country Living by Annette Thurmon

Grab Simple Country Living: Techniques, Recipes, and Wisdom for the Garden, Kitchen, and Beyond by Annette Thurmon at your favorite local bookstore, bookshop.org, Barnes & Noble or amazon.com.

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

Subscribe to the Growing Joy Youtube channel! /growingjoywithmaria

Pinterest: @growingjoywithmaria

50 MIN

APR 16, 2024

Composting Basics

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

My guest, Michelle Balz, is a true composting guru who has written, not one, but two incredible books solely focused on this amazing soil amendment. By the end of our conversation, you'll understand exactly what compost is made of, how it benefits your garden's soil, why it's so great for the environment, and best of all—how to successfully compost both indoors and out.

In this episode, we learn:

[06:49] What has Michelle’s journey been in composting?
[09:24] How many different composting systems does Michelle have in her home?
[10:20] Compost vs soil vs potting mix
[12:02] What makes compost so special?
[13:53] How does composting benefit the environment, ourselves, and our gardens?
[14:31] Carbon sequestration
[15:40] Discover the secrets to attracting birds to your garden with 'Bird Friendly Gardening'!
[17:44] Skip the hassle of making your own compost with this organic Compost Blend!
[20:51] How does composting impact gardeners?
[26:42] How does compost help support the mycorrhizae?
[27:20] What can and cannot be composted?
[29:52] Is the composting ratio important?
[32:18] What do we need to know about anaerobic/aerobic composting?
[34:17] Indoor composting
[35:07] How does vermicomposting work?
[36:55] How can compost be extracted without worms?
[40:30] Bokashi composting
[42:57] Terracotta pot composting
[45:22] What are the best composting options for outdoor gardeners? (bin and in-garden systems)
[49:27] How do you know when the compost is finished/ready?
[50:13] What is the life cycle of composting, how long until the first batch, and how can you nurture it effectively?
[01:01:23] What is Hügelkultur?
[01:02:45] What is an African keyhole garden?
[01:05:14] Where can you find Michelle's books and social media?

Mentioned in our conversation:

Lomi tabletop composter
No-Waste Composting: Small-Space Waste Recycling, Indoors and Out. Plus, 10 projects to repurpose household items into compost-making machines (No-Waste Gardening), book by Michelle Balz
Composting for a New Generation: Latest Techniques for the Bin and Beyond, book by Michelle Balz

For Michelle's recommended composting methods,

Follow Michelle:

Instagram

Amazon

Thank you to our episode sponsors:

Quarto: Bird-Friendly Gardening by Jen McGuinness

Grab the book at your favorite local bookstore, 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

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

Subscribe to the Growing Joy Youtube channel! /growingjoywithmaria

Everything You Need to Know About Philodendron

Pinterest: @growingjoywithmaria

69 MIN

APR 9, 2024

If you're a houseplant lover like me, chances are you already have a philodendron or two in your collection. These awesome tropical plants are some of the most popular and beloved houseplants for good reason—they come in tons of different shapes, colors and sizes, and they're relatively easy to care for too! In this episode, I'm going to give you the full rundown of everything you need to know about growing these amazing plants at home. We'll cover the basics of their natural habitat and key care requirements, and I'll introduce you to some of my current favorite philodendron varieties.

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:

For a list of my current Philodendron favorites,

Thank you to our episode sponsor:

Proven Winners

If you want to have success with houseplants, you’ve got to have two things: the knowledge to care for them successfully and healthy plants. Meet my new favorite houseplant grower: Proven Winner’s leafjoy™. With only the best plant genetics grown in a state-of-the-art, European greenhouse, you will not be disappointed in the variety and quality of your favorite plants from Proven Winner’s leafjoy™. This company has taken the guesswork out of plant shopping with plant tags that include scientific names and care guides, as well as color-coded collections for the different areas of your home that you want plants in!

Find plant joy in leafjoy™. Head to provenwinners.com to find your local leafjoy™ dealer and let me know which plant you take home on socials!

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

Subscribe to the Growing Joy Youtube channel! /growingjoywithmaria

How She Grew The Sill: Plantrepreneur Eliza Blank

Pinterest: @growingjoywithmaria

38 MIN

APR 2, 2024

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,

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:

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

Subscribe to the Growing Joy Youtube channel! /growingjoywithmaria