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

Is a plant ever really just a plant? I don't think so. I went from former plant killer to a house full of green in about three months. And somewhere along the way, my plants stopped being decor and started being company. For many of us, plants are also routine and a reason to get up in the morning. And for Krystal Duran of Plants With Krystal, they were a big part of healing after losing her husband. In this episode, we talked about grief, growth, and why you don’t have to be at your peak all the time. Come join our conversation.

• [02:08] Join my free Substack newsletter!
• [03:04] Meet Krystal Duran from @_plantswithkrystal_
• [03:42] What it’s like to write a book after years of short-form plant content
• [04:46] Short-form videos vs. long-form writing
• [06:26] What was Krystal’s relationship with nature like as a kid? (+ the first houseplant she killed!)
• [09:46] Why some popular houseplants just don’t work for every home
• [11:33] How a move to Indiana and a career in social work led her to plants
• [14:01] Why she started with cacti and succulents for her plant collection
• [15:32] Learn 35+ ways to make new plants with The Essential Guide to Plant Propagation from the American Horticultural Society!
• [17:05] Keep your houseplants cared for this fall with Espoma Organic’s premium gardening products!
• [19:00] Is your succulent growing, or is it stretching for light?
• [20:22] Krystal’s love story with her husband, Tony
• [22:49] What happens when a plant lover marries a minimalist?
• [26:11] Plant life parallels
• [27:27] How plant care helped her decompress after hard workdays
• [30:09] Why plants offer "companionship without expectation"
• [32:11] Losing her husband and dealing with grief on social media
• [35:24] How the plant community showed up for her (even inside Animal Crossing)
• [37:10] What happened to her 300-plant collection while she was grieving?
• [40:00] What grief taught her about patience and finding joy in small things
• [43:11] Why we're not supposed to be at our peak all the time
• [44:34] The indoor lotus pond she built that didn't last
• [47:22] Why she shifted toward low-maintenance plants
• [51:16] Inside More Than Just a Plant (her book about grief, plant care, and community)
• [53:11] What are some creative ways to gift plants to new plant parents?
• [55:48] Where to find Krystal and her book!

• More Than Just A Plant by Krystal Duran
• Growing Joy 330: 2026 Garden and Houseplant Trends: My Main Takeaways from Northwest Flower and Garden Festival
• Growing Joy 247: Growing Joy "After Dark": Spilling the Planty Tea with Kamili Bell Hill and Agatha Isabel

Check out the full show notes and blog.

Follow Krystal:
Website
Instagram
Facebook
TikTok
YouTube

Grab your copy of The Essential Guide to Plant Propagation at quarto.com, wherever books are sold, or through your local bookstore.

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

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When winter sets in and our gardens go dormant, that 'green itch' doesn’t go anywhere!

In this Best of Growing Joy replay, I’m revisiting my conversation with returning guest Perla Sofía Curbelo-Santiago, certified horticultural therapist and author of Verdura: Living a Garden Life, all about indoor plant projects for stress relief and mental health. 

Perla shares her genius tiny barefoot garden, a shallow pot of fragrant thyme you can rest your feet on for a little grounding when it’s too cold to go shoeless outside (an idea I’ve used ever since). We also cover creating a miniature garden escape, gardening for your inner child, and why just 15 minutes with plants can lift your mood for days.

• [01:53] Rebranding of my YouTube Channel
• [02:43] Introducing Perla Sofia Curbelo-Santiago aka Agrochic!
• [04:24] How did Perla develop her passion for gardening and plants?
• [07:05] How did Agrochic start?
• [09:38] How did Perla balance Spanish and English content?
• [11:32] What does her plant collection and garden look like?
• [15:08] Make meditation more relaxing and meaningful with Wind River’s Meditation Chimes!
• [16:51] Learn how to grow cut flowers with The Cut Flower Handbook’s beautiful illustrations!
• [18:41] Why are people drawn to nature and plants right now? 
• [21:08] Seeking simplicity to escape social media overstimulation
• [22:08] Perla’s interesting success stories about bringing plants into clients' lives
• [29:17] What is nature’s role in mood and healing?
• [30:42] Concept of gardening as a means to reconnect with one's inner child
• [34:18] Rediscover a sense of “awe” and childlike wonder
• [38:21] What is Perla’s barefoot garden project all about?
• [45:02] How do you create a miniature garden for yourself?
• [50:34] Get Perla’s book and follow her on social media!

• Book by Perla ¡Verdura! – Living a Garden Life: 30 Projects to Nurture Your Passion for Plants and Find Your Bliss
• Book by Florence Williams The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative
• GardenComm
• My Garden Break
• KidsGardening

Check out the full show notes and blog for indoor plant projects that ease stress while your garden sleeps!

Follow Perla:

Website – Spanish

Website – English

Instagram

Facebook

Twitter/X

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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You probably spend most of your day inside. Most of us do... about 93% of our time, actually. Not to mention you’re definitely on your phone all the time. This is a health risk! To explain how harmful this habit is, I invited my dear friend Dr. John La Puma to explain what these habits might be doing to our brain and heart. He was on the show before, where we talked about culinary medicine and gardening! John is a board-certified internist, a trained chef, and he runs an organic regenerative farm in Santa Barbara. He also read 2,200 studies to understand why being outside feels so good. What he found became his book, Indoor Epidemic, which became the focus of our conversation, and how we are so starving for nature. Listen in!

• [02:31] Sign up for my Growing Joy newsletter on Substack!
• [03:10] Welcome back, Dr. John La Puma!
• [04:50] How a doctor and chef became a nature as medicine expert
• [06:46] Why does nature feel good?
• [07:38] Buying an abandoned plant nursery and reading 2,200 studies
• [09:19] How his work shifted from ecotherapy to the indoor epidemic
• [11:21] How blue light at night affects your heart health (and what to use instead)
• [14:31] What is the indoor epidemic?
• [16:20] Get a daily dose of antioxidants and immune support with Manukora Honey!
• [18:09] How hinoki oil and forest bathing help improve immunity and blood pressure
• [21:14] Why 17 minutes outside a day is all you need (optimizing the 7%)
• [23:04] Light first, coffee second…?
• [26:38] Why sunglasses and windows block morning light
• [28:12] Why burnout is really digital overload
• [29:07] What is a zeitgeber?
• [30:15] How CO2 buildup indoors affects your brain
• [31:50] How awe and sunsets calm the vagus nerve
• [34:40] Attention restoration theory (why nature rests your brain)
• [36:24] Why you need to put your phone down outside
• [38:26] Plant blindness and how to find nature in the city
• [40:37] How does gardening help improve mental health and dementia?
• [43:28] Can light therapy help with seasonal depression? (10,000 lux study vs. Prozac)
• [46:30] John’s number one morning routine protocol!
• [49:14] How to get kids off screens and outside
• [50:55] Where to find John, Indoor Epidemic, the free toolkit, and the Nature Number quiz!

• Indoor Epidemic by Dr. John La Puma
• Dr. John on The Oprah Winfrey Show
• Growing Joy 131: Culinary Medicine from Our Gardens with Dr John la Puma

check out the full show notes and blog on how it works!

Follow John:

Website
Blog
Books
Facebook
Instagram
YouTube
TikTok

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, a guidebook, and an onboarding call with Manukora's clinical specialist, PLUS $75 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

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Have you ever picked up a plant at the garden center and wondered how the houseplants even get here? I didn't think about it much until I was invited to speak at Cultivate, one of the biggest horticulture industry conferences, and I spent the whole time walking the halls. I'd been caring for plants for years. But I had no idea how much love and time go into getting one plant onto a store shelf. So I asked my friend Justin Hancock to walk us through it. Justin is a horticulturist at Costa Farms, the largest houseplant grower in the world. We talked about plant hunters, secret R&D areas in greenhouses, years of testing, and literally millions of cuttings before a plant ever makes it onto a store shelf! Let's dive in!

• [01:33] Come hang out with me over on Substack!
• [02:58] Welcome back, Justin Hancock!
• [05:19] Why the horticulture industry is so grounded and generational
• [06:30] What has Justin’s experience in the horticulture industry been like?
• [07:38] Why many horticulture businesses are passed down through generations
• [09:29] How a plant gets from discovery to your local garden center
• [11:12] What is a plant hunter, and how do you become one?
• [12:14] What makes a good new houseplant
• [14:00] How long does a plant spend in R&D before it hits shelves?
• [14:11] How growers forecast plant trends years ahead of social media
• [15:51] Meet the plant rebels who changed history in Rebel Gardeners by Camilla Anderson!
• [17:43] Plant hunting vs. plant breeding
• [19:35] Why aureums are so shy to flower…
• [20:52] What happens after a plant passes R&D? (propagating from one cutting to thousands)
• [22:40] Costa's five-point testing process and why variegated plants are so tricky to produce
• [24:40] The other roles that touch plants before they reach the garden center
• [25:19] How Costa is making its potting mixes more sustainable and locally sourced
• [26:33] How many plants make it out of R&D (and the Monstera subpinnata that flopped)
• [28:37] How tissue culture fits into plant hunting and production
• [29:33] What is tissue culture, and how is it different from growing from a cutting?
• [30:53] Should everyday plant parents buy tissue culture plants?
• [34:01] When trends move faster than production: the pink princess philodendron
• [36:12] What's hot right now and the new genera coming out of R&D
• [38:55] Inside Justin's book, The New Complete Guide to Houseplants
• [40:40] Bonus plant profiles and signed copies when you pre-order through Costa Farms!
• [42:31] Rapid-fire questions: underrated & overhyped houseplants
• [44:00] The plant Justin always kills, and the one he grows best!
• [45:30] The one thing he wishes every person understood about their houseplants

•  The New Complete Guide to Houseplants by Justin Hancock
• Mike Rimland (Plant hunter at Costa Farms)
• Monstera Bulbasaur
• Growing Joy 357: Motherhood, Seasons of Life and Changing Plant Passions with Becca De La Plants
• Growing Joy 300: Exploring the Different Types of Pothos: From Marble Queen to Albo to Climbing Giants with Justin of Costa Farms

Check out the full show notes and blog to find out!

Follow Costa Farms:

Website
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube
TikTok
Pinterest
LinkedIn

Grab your copy of Rebel Gardeners at quarto.com, wherever books are sold, or through your local bookstore. 

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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If you're already dreaming about your 2027 garden, I fully support you! But I also want to encourage you to take a beat... because the best thing you can do for next year's garden is to properly put your garden to bed for winter right now.

So here's one of my favorite conversations for the Best of Growing Joy series. It's with author and garden influencer Resh Gala, and it's all about what she does at the end of the growing season to feed the soil, support wildlife, and make spring gardening so much easier.

We cover compost, cover crops, what to leave behind, and what to clean up during your fall garden cleanup. And Resh shares the one crop you should plant before winter so you can enjoy it in the spring.

• [05:19] Resh's gardening journey and how understanding soil quality led to her success
• [07:53] How does Resh balance gardening, extending the growing season, and self-care in her small backyard garden?
• [09:37] Creating a greenhouse effect in snowy conditions with bent metal or PVC pipes
• [11:24] Why preparing and “putting to bed” gardens for winter is important
• [13:20] What are the sustainable gardening practices for winter that you should know about?
• [16:57] Importance of adding compost to garden beds before winter to improve soil health
• [19:13] What should be done in spring to prepare the soil for planting?
• [20:18] Nourish your garden with Espoma Organic's diverse range of organic composts
• [22:19] Gift a touch of harmony this holiday with Wind River Wind Chimes
• [25:10] Why cover crops are a valuable addition to regenerative gardening and soil enrichment
• [28:54] Why it’s easy to grow garlic during winter (keeps pests away, resilient, and is a gardener’s favorite!)
• [32:09] Why is it important to reflect on the gardening season as part of self-care in plant care?
• [34:09] Resh’s favorite list of what to grow in preparation for the next garden season (tomatoes and cucumber varieties)
• [39:59] What kinds of flowers does Resh like to grow in her garden to attract pollinators?
• [48:19] Pre-order Resh's upcoming book Vegetable Gardening Made Easy later this year
• [50:52] Where can you find Resh on social media?

• Building and Installing a Low Tunnel Hoop House — Resh Gala
• Growing Joy Ep 168 Grow Your Own Tea: Intro To Herbalism With Juliet Of Chestnut School Of Herbal Medicine
• Growing Joy Ep 199 How To Grow Garlic With Jill Winger
• Growing Joy Ep 200 Common Houseplant Pest Identification And How To Get Rid Of Fungus Gnats, Spidermites, Scale, White Flies And Mealybugs
• Sundried Cherry Tomatoes — Instagram Reel
• Tomato crops
• Cucumber crops
• Pre-order Resh Gala’s book, Vegetable Gardening Made Easy

Check out the full show notes and blog for why putting your garden to bed for winter is the best thing you can do!

Follow Resh:

Website

Instagram

YouTube

Hundred Tomatoes

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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This might be uncomfortable to ask you, plant friends, but when was the last time you had an original thought? Meaning, it shouldn’t be something you heard from a podcast, Instagram, or even ChatGPT. I’ve been itching to ask this question since coming back from maternity leave. And even when I sat down to write this, I caught myself scrolling, trying to find more about how to stop doing exactly that. This might be a little different from what we always talk about, but I figured it's something we can all have a conversation about. Let's dive in!

• [02:04] Why is it so hard to hear yourself coming out of maternity leave?
• [04:49] How it's possible to go a whole day without one original thought
• [07:33] What is information overload?
• [08:24] Why do self-help, wellness, and meditation apps sometimes add to information overload?
• [09:56] Why we need space and the ability to get bored again
• [11:40] “Look at a plant before you look at a screen”
• [12:33] How did trading coffee with my phone for coffee with my plants change my mornings?
• [15:35] Have you tried single-origin Manukora honey? 
• [17:21] Make fertilizing and mixing chunky soil simple with Espoma Organic!
• [19:21] Why plants are such a gentle place to put your attention
• [20:21] What is attention restoration theory? (Directed vs. involuntary attention)
• [22:36] How a 40-second green roof microbreak improved focus
• [24:35] Why I'm telling you to turn off this podcast…
• [25:55] Check out my Substack!
• [26:14] Back to the original question:  when was the last time you had an original thought?

• Growing Joy episodes:
  • 322: From Plant Care to Nature Therapy: A Solo Heart to Heart
  • 310: Digital Detox: What 3 Days in Nature Taught Me (and How You Can Recreate It at Home)
  • 192: How to Overcome Burnout Through The Healing Power of Nature
• 2015 Study: 40-Second Green Roof Views Sustain Attention
• Subscribe to my Substack

Check out the full show notes and blog for more details!

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!

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.

The first time I visited Arizona, I could not believe my eyes. I could not believe that, as someone who spent my life growing up in the Northeast, an arid desert like Arizona exists!

The southwestern climate is so wild because I don't understand how a desert garden could look and feel lush and magical, just like a tropical oasis, but it can. It's all about desert landscaping with low-water plants and native desert plants that are built to grow on less. So I visited the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona a couple of years ago, and I got to interview Tina Wilson, their Director of Horticulture, who gave us this crash course on how to landscape in the desert.

So for this episode of the Best of Growing Joy series, I wanted to bring back this conversation for any of our listeners living in arid desert areas in the Southwest. Because plant friends, there are gorgeous drought-tolerant plants and smart drip irrigation systems that will bring pollinators and gorgeous beings to your southwest garden, so it grows well instead of just looking fried!

• [04:58] How Tina Wilson became Director of Horticulture at Desert Botanical Garden
• [06:13] Tina's duties as Director of Horticulture
• [08:04] Unique vegetation in Arizona
• [10:02] What is desert landscaping? (and its 3 characteristics!)
• [13:08] Gardening zones in the Southwest
• [14:06] Key factors to consider when landscaping in the desert
• [14:42] Right plant at the right location!
• [15:51] What are the plants recommended for desert landscapes?
• [16:46] The impact of the southwestern sun on plants
• [18:17] Protecting plants from sunburn with shade cloth
• [19:16] What is a plant palette?
• [21:08] Where to find the best bamboo bedding for health and comfort?
• [23:36] Want to grow fresh berries in your own garden?
• [25:09] The importance of water conservation and irrigation in the desert
• [26:22] Why reduce grass/turf in desert landscapes?
• [29:24] The process of renovating a yard: soil profiling and testing
• [31:07] Why are native desert plants so well-suited to desert conditions?
• [33:34] An overview of desert plants' root systems
• [34:17] How a Saguaro cactus stays upright despite its shallow root system
• [35:53] Exploring water harvesting techniques
• [37:02] What are some of the drought-tolerant plants?
• [40:20] Tina's favorite pollinator-attracting plants
• [42:04] Maria's experience at the New York Botanical Garden
• [42:39] Join Desert Landscape School now for an exceptional learning experience.
• [45:26] Is there a season for growing food in the desert?

• Channy Gray Home
• Elevated Gardening
• New York Botanical Garden
• Desert Botanical Garden
• Marriott Hotel Phoenix
• Desert Landscaping School of Desert Botanical Garden

Check out the full show notes and blog for why overwatering is the #1 desert landscaping mistake!

Follow Desert Botanical Garden:

Website

Instagram

Facebook

Twitter

Tiktok

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.

So, plant friends… all my plants are dead. Well, not all of them. But MANY of them. I had a baby in June, and my houseplants did not survive my postpartum era. What’s interesting is that I've heard from listeners who went through this exact thing. I never judged them once and coached them through it. But I still thought it would never be me, because I have a whole podcast about houseplants. But here we are. Let's talk about it!

• [00:00] My plants are dead!!!
• [01:55] 12 weeks postpartum in Florida with a baby… and a lot of sad plants :(
• [03:06] My pregnancy, buying/renovating a house, and a very difficult birth
• [05:09] How 'mom brain' affected me
• [06:54] How I’m redefining plant parenthood
• [07:46] The syngonium I found on my honeymoon
• [08:37] What are the life transitions that quietly change how I care for plants?
• [10:02] 8 years of shifting my interests (houseplants, growing food, cut flowers, propagation, tropicals)
• [12:50] What I actually want now in this new season of life
• [14:17] Low maintenance, high impact (stroller walks, snipped bouquets, and birdsongs)
• [15:35] Experience the richness of single-origin honey with 3x more antioxidants with Manukora Honey!
• [17:21] What connecting with nature indoors looks like
• [18:51] Caring for Polpettino and feeling more like a mammal than ever!
• [19:47] Why this episode is "All My Plants Are Dead," not "I Killed All My Plants"
• [20:09] Not giving up on plants and what I'm committing to in Zone 10B!
• [21:24] What does your growing joy look like right now, and what do you want it to look like in 2027?

• Growing Joy Episode 357: Motherhood, Seasons of Life and Changing Plant Passions with Becca De La Plants
• Clarkson's Farm (TV Series 2021– )

Check out the full show notes and blog here!

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.

Did you know that Becca from Becca De La Plants and I delivered our babies 24 hours and 3 minutes apart?! We didn't plan that. We've been friends for almost 10 years now, and the first time we hung out, she was planning her wedding. Since then, we've gotten married, moved, built businesses, and now she's had her second baby, and I've had my first! For some reason, we keep landing in the same season of life at the same time. So I asked her to come talk with me about it. About two hard pregnancies, about the identity shift nobody warns you about properly, and about what plants have been quietly teaching us the whole time. Come join our conversation!

• [02:14] Meet Becca De La Plants
• [06:53] The TikTok comment that flagged her cholestasis!
• [08:22] Where social media saves you, and where it wrecks you
• [10:22] Running my business from bed through a sick first trimester
• [11:43] What prenatal depression took from Becca’s toddler's first years
• [13:41] The beliefs we absorb about how pregnancy is supposed to feel
• [14:51] Joey Santore’s Concrete Botany
• [15:55] Espoma Organic
• [17:57] Why I wouldn't let myself attach to this pregnancy after two losses
• [20:42] How one Five Guys order sent me to the ER with gallstones
• [24:22] How a hard pregnancy made the newborn phase feel blissful!
• [25:53] Becca's HG lifting the day she delivered and finally being able to eat
• [28:47] Why snap-back culture makes no sense when you barely gained weight
• [29:49] The identity shift of becoming a mom!
• [35:46] How thinking in seasons gives you permission to be fully present
• [37:37] Is "don't lose yourself" actually good advice?
• [38:21] My HOT take: why you should have your kids later
• [42:01] What slow-germinating seeds taught me about timing
• [42:59] What it's like being last to have a kid when you've always gone first
• [46:19] Second-baby calm vs. logging every single diaper in the app
• [47:53] Sibling age gaps, and watching your own sister dynamic play out in your kids
• [49:49] Childcare, pumping, and holding the next year with an open hand
• [51:50] Why first-time moms should be allowed to be weird (the mammal side of postpartum)
• [54:18] Do I let Growing Joy expand beyond plants?
• [57:22] Why evolving your content is the only way to keep it honest
• [58:50] A six-month check-in with Becca!

• Growing Joy 240: How to Move with Houseplants with Becca De La Plants, Ep 240
• Huckleberry App: Baby Tracker & Sleep Experts
• Understanding Natural Light
• Green Up Your Workspace

check out the full show notes and blog!

Follow Becca:

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Grab your copy of Concrete Botany at quarto.com, wherever books are sold or through your local bookstore.

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

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Have you ever wandered through the citrus section of a nursery, inhaling the sweet scent of Meyer lemons and key limes, and thought “Oh my, I want one”? As someone who impulse purchased a struggling lime tree years ago—which I named Limey, by the way—growing citrus indoors is possible with the right care and conditions. Citrus plants can be great houseplants if you set them up for success, and they present a unique opportunity to engage all five senses! In this episode, I invited my long-lost dear friend Danny Trejo from Via Citrus to share with you everything you need to know to cultivate your own indoor citrus plant, from choosing the right variety to proper care for growth and fruiting.

• [00:00] What citrus varieties has Maria grown over the years? 
• [11:59] What is Danny's background with citrus?
• [19:39] What citrus varieties does Danny recommend for beginners?
• [21:20] Other citrus varieties Via Citrus are growing
• [24:13] What conditions do citrus plants need to thrive indoors?
• [28:01] Grow light specifications for citrus (a crash course)
• [31:28] Why you should have a proper watering schedule
• [34:09] Soil care and drainage hole for your citrus
• [35:52] How often should you fertilize citrus?
• [37:11] How to prepare your citrus in the winter
• [38:37] When is the best time to prune your citrus plants?
• [41:40] How to increase humidity for citrus in the winter
• [42:53] What are some common citrus troubleshooting tips?
• [44:08] Can you grow citrus from seeds?
• [45:28] What is grafting?
• [49:53] How to ensure that your plant's buds develop into fruit
• [51:52] What exciting new sustainable pot line is Danny creating?
• [55:06] Where can you find Danny on social media? (use code ‘GROWINGJOY' for 10% discount!)

• Growing Joy Ep 206 The History Of Italian Gardens And Italian Citrus With Helena Attlee
• Growing Joy Ep 203 How To Bring Your Plants Indoors For The Winter
• YouTube video Limey’s Grand Adventure // Flying My Lime Tree To Florida
• Helena Attlee’s book, The Land Where Lemons Grow: The Story of Italy and Its Citrus Fruit
• We The Wild
• Soltech Aspect Lights Collection
• Espoma Organic Citrus Tone
• Espoma Organic Citrus Food

Check out the full show notes and blog here!

Follow Danny:

Website
Instagram
Repots
Facebook
Email

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.