If you’re an edible gardener, chances are you’ve found yourself staring at a heaping bowl of tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, or carrots, wondering how on earth you’re going to eat them all before they go bad.

In this Best of Growing Joy replay, I’m revisiting my conversation with Stephanie Thurow, a certified master food preserver and bestselling author of several books on canning and fermenting. Stephanie shares everything you need to know to get started with home canning while making the whole process feel safe, approachable, and fun.

In this episode, we learn:

• [06:06] How Stephanie got into canning and fermenting
• [07:42] What's the strategy behind the timing of canning? 
• [09:53] Difference between canning and fermenting
• [11:53] Is fermentation a shelf-stable process like canning, or does it require refrigeration?
• [13:37] Why is it advised to consume a spoonful of fermented food each day, such as sauerkraut?
• [14:31] What is the storage setup for Stephanie's canned and fermented goods?
• [15:22] Materials you need for water bath canning
• [16:43] Why is a rack required when using your 4th burner pot for canning?
• [19:00] Where can you find premium, handcrafted wind chimes that are perfect for gifting?
• [20:32] Where can you find potting mixes, composts, and fertilizers for indoor and outdoor gardening?
• [23:05] Steps to prepare for a canning session
• [28:28] Common mistakes beginners make when canning
• [31:11] What are the basic requirements for fermenting vegetables?
• [32:16] Why “The Cottage Garden” is your ultimate resource for understanding the history, evolution, and stunning modern interpretations of cottage garden design
• [33:47] Difference between dry salting and brining in fermentation
• [35:44] Are there any precautions or cleanliness practices to follow during fermentation?
• [36:25] What do you need to know about fermenting basics?
• [38:31] What is the recommended timeline for fermenting different types of foods?
• [39:36] Common troubleshooting tips for fermenting to avoid issues like mold?
• [40:24] Should you follow recipes?
• [41:01] Where can you find trusted online recipes for fermentation and canning recipes?
• [42:15] What are Stephanie's favorite fermentation and canning recipes?
• [46:12] Unique or unusual items Stephanie has tried pickling
• [49:12] Where can you find Stephanie’s books online?
• [51:30] How do you break the seal on the tightly sealed jars?
• [52:35] Where can you find Stephanie on social media?

Mentioned in our conversation:

• Growing Joy Episode 195: Homesteading For Beginners With Michelle Bruhn And Stephanie Thurow
• National Center for Home Food Preservation
• Ball Mason Jar Lids & Bands
• Spritz Society Pickle by Claussen®
• Food Preservation Cookbooks by Stephanie Thurow:
• Can It & Ferment It: More Than 75 Satisfying Small-Batch Canning and Fermentation Recipes for the Whole Year
• WECK Home Preserving: Made-from-Scratch Recipes for Water-Bath Canning, Fermenting, Pickling, and More
• WECK Small-Batch Preserving: Year-Round Recipes for Canning, Fermenting, Pickling, and More

Ever thought about making your own tiny ecosystem?

Check out the full show notes and blog to learn how to create your own unique terrarium world!

Follow Stephanie:

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Instagram

Facebook

YouTube

Follow Maria and Growing Joy:

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

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

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

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

Instagram: @growingjoywithmaria

Tiktok: @growingjoywithmaria

Subscribe to the Growing Joy Youtube channel! /growingjoywithmaria

Website: www.growingjoywithmaria.com

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What do a theater kid, a Venus flytrap, and a million TikTok followers have in common? Abundance… and my new plant friend Brian from Redleaf Ranch! Brian is the viral TikTok gardener you've probably come across if you spend any time in plant social media. He's the guy who makes you say "abundance!" out loud, and he’s here to talk about his approach to abundance and gratitude, plus how he used gardening as a tool for personal growth and community building.

In this episode, we learn:

• [01:42] Meet Brian from Redleaf Ranch!
• [02:47] How long has Brian been a theater kid and a plant person?
• [04:09] Why carnivorous plants have super tall flowers
• [05:06] Growing abundance: winter squash, potatoes, and food that preserves well
• [06:20] How Redleaf Ranch began
• [09:01] The “vision” moment that made Brian feel at home in the soil
• [11:24] Redleaf Ranch + Redleaf Exotics
• [14:48] Extend your growing season with Espoma Organic
• [16:23] Learn 75 plant facts with the book Plants with Superpowers by David Domoney
• [21:21] What Kevin from Epic Gardening taught us
• [22:53] Plant blindness to plant awakening
• [25:43] How “abundance!” became Brian’s signature catchphrase
• [29:24] Why abundance is a mindset, not just volume
• [31:34] How to find abundance during dark times
• [34:58] What is his mindfulness practice?
• [36:29] Why hand watering the garden is Brian’s meditation
• [37:49] Content creation vs. market farming
• [42:28] Strategic content creation with seasonal boundaries
• [42:49] What’s next for Redleaf?
• [44:17] Nature's rule: plants live/thrive in community
• [45:46] Where to find Brian and his book "Gardening for Abundance" and connect with Redleaf Ranch

Mentioned in our conversation:

• Growing Joy 269: Carnivorous Plants: The Houseplant Pest Control You Never Thought Of with Kenny Coogan
• Growing Joy 147: How to Care For Carnivorous Plants Indoors with Damon of California Carnivores
• RedLeaf Exotics
• Gardening For Abundance — Redleaf Ranch
• Sony Alpha ZV-E10
• Kevin from Epic Gardening

Interested in adapting the abundance mindset?

Check out the full show notes and blog here! 

Follow Brian:

Website

Instagram

YouTube

TikTok

Facebook

Thank you to our episode sponsors:Espoma Organic

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

Quarto: Plants with Superpowers by David Domoney

Pick up Plants with Superpowers at your local bookstore, bookshop.org, Barnes and Noble, quarto.com, 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

Tiktok: @growingjoywithmaria

Subscribe to the Growing Joy Youtube channel! /growingjoywithmaria

Website: www.growingjoywithmaria.com

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What if your next plant project wasn’t just a container of soil and greenery—but a living, breathing world? In this Best of Growing Joy episode, we revisit a wonderful conversation I had a couple years back with terrarium expert Patricia from Doodle Bird Terrariums to explore the captivating art of creating terrariums, paludariums, and vivariums—miniature ecosystems that blend plants, animals, water, and even mist into magical displays. Because let's be real, in times like these, we need a little more whimsy in our lives. So get ready to get inspired to build your own thriving little universe, no matter your experience level.

In this episode, we learn:

• [00:47] The magic of terrariums
• [05:22] How Patricia became the plant lady she is today
• [06:33] Why Patricia loves terrariums
• [07:03] How terrariums can have restorative effects on people
• [09:02] What are the differences among terrariums, vivariums, and paladariums?
• [11:56] What are the benefits of growing plants in terrariums?
• [12:32] What are common terrarium problems and how do you solve them?
• [14:36] How do you put isopods in your terrarium?
• [15:55] Maria’s first terrarium story
• [17:45] How different is it to set up a terrarium, a vivarium, and a paladarium?
• [18:39] What materials do you need for a basic terrarium?
• [20:30] Open terrariums vs closed terrariums
• [21:45] Where can you source terrarium containers?
• [23:25] Which plants are NOT recommended for terrariums?
• [25:56] Can you use beneficial insects in an open terrarium?
• [27:19] How much soil is needed in terrariums?
• [31:22] How to plant up a terrarium
• [32:21] Patricia’s recommended drainage layer setup
• [34:06] How do you water a terrarium? What water should you use for terrariums?
• [36:21] How often should you open a closed terrarium?
• [37:23] Patricia’s most recommended plants for terrariums
• [39:38] How do you set up a vivarium?
• [42:03] Can you use driftwood in a vivarium?
• [42:58] The best starter pets to put in a vivarium
• [45:05] Bigger plants to use in a vivarium
• [46:42] How to feed your vivarium animals
• [48:19] Where to get tiny and cute terrarium figurines
• [49:18] What is the biggest must-know when installing paladariums?
• [51:16] Do you clean the water in paladariums? Do you change it?
• [52:47] The most common terrarium care mistakes and questions
• [57:26] Where to find Patricia online
• [59:26] Maria and Billy’s terrarium plans!
• [01:00:08] Thank you so much for the pre-orders, plant friends!

Mentioned in our conversation:

• Growing Joy Episode 19: Terrarium 101 with @teenytinyterra
• A Family Guide to Terrariums by Patricia Buzo

Ever thought about making your own tiny ecosystem?

Check out the full show notes and blog to learn how to create your own unique terrarium world!

Follow Patricia:

Website

Instagram

Blog

Shop

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

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

If you’ve ever watched your fiddle leaf fig drop all its leaves, battled fungus gnats that fly into your ear, or poured water on your plant only to watch it run straight through the pot without soaking in, this is your wake-up call. I called in the big guns for this one with my plant friend Mandi from Happy Happy Houseplant. Between our two communities, these are the plant problems we get asked about the most, and she’s got science-backed fixes for each of them. We’re going to be talking about failing fiddle leaf figs, fungus gnats that refuse to leave, and that dreaded “gap of death” in your soil. So let's get to it!

Get my new Houseplant SOS course here!

In this episode, we learn:

• [02:26] Get to know my “Plant SOS” mini-course!
• [05:29] How Happy Happy Houseplant began
• [09:51] How did Mandi grow a million-follower plant brand on IG?
• [15:16] Wind River Chimes
• [17:03] The Ultimate Guide to Houseplant Propagation
• [27:35] Problem #1: Why people kill their fiddle leaf figs
• [28:24] The #1 factor in fiddle leaf success
• [31:08] How to trigger growth for fiddle leaf figs
• [34:32] Fertilizing and leaf cleaning tips for fiddle leaf figs
• [36:50] Problem #2: The gap of death (hydrophobic soil)
• [37:30] Hydration Renew product for soil rehydration
• [39:23] Large plant repotting challenges
• [43:39] Problem #3: Fungus gnats
• [44:12] How fungus gnats show up
• [46:06] How do you treat fungus gnats?
• [46:45] What are death drops?
• [47:12] Does cinnamon work for fungus gnats?
• [54:43] What’s the biggest surprise in Mandi’s plant journey?
• [56:30] Who does Mandi look up to in the plant space?
• [59:59] Where to find Happy Happy Houseplant and their products?

Mentioned in our conversation:

• Plant SOS: The Houseplant First Aid & Pest Survival Guide
• Vintage Revivals
• Fungus Gnat Death Drops
• Hydration Renew
• Soil Refresh
• Killer Smiles
• Plant Food
• Melani Sanders (@justbeingmelani)
• Dana Carpenter (@fancyplantsclub)
• Chantel Gray (@channygrayhome)
• Diatomaceous Earth: Uses, Benefits, and Safety
• DMV Beneficials
• Taffy Shop
• Growing Joy 289: How to Propagate Plants in Fluval Stratum with Lindsay Sisti

Having a hard time getting rid of those fungus gnats?

Check out the full show notes and blog here for Mandi's tips!

Thank you to our episode sponsors:Wind River Chimes

Visit windriverchimes.com and use code GROWINGJOY to receive free engraving on your chosen wind chimes.

Quarto: The Ultimate Guide to Houseplant Propagation by Lindsay Sisti

Grab your copy of The Ultimate Guide to Houseplant Propagation at quarto.com and wherever books are sold. 

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

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

When I polled our listener community about your top requests for outdoor garden-related episodes, the number one request surprised me: it wasn’t managing fertilizer, succession planting, or garden design. It was how to manage pesky animals getting into your gardens! Today, I have the answer to your prayers: Brie from briegrows.com walks us through such a comprehensive list of practices and solutions for managing pests and other critters in the garden. This conversation really helps us rethink the way we approach animals in the garden, and I’m excited for you to learn from Brie as I did!

In this episode, we learn:

• [00:06:05] How Brie became Brie The Plant Lady
• [00:08:59] Brie shares her greatest achievement in plant propagation
• [00:11:29] Maria’s experience with squirrels and deer in the garden
• [00:14:15] Do we call them ‘pests’ or ‘animals’?
• [00:21:03] How to use hot peppers as animal repellent
• [00:24:18] Different and easy ways to use peppermint oil as animal repellent (hint: seashells!)
• [00:26:49] How to prevent squirrels and chipmunks from digging holes in your garden beds
• [00:30:20] Vole king bags vs chicken wire planters
• [00:32:47] How to deal with moles in the garden
• [00:33:21] Why you should use less mulch in the garden
• [00:39:16] Do you need to worry about burrowing animals if you have raised beds?
• [00:43:14] Squirrel damage vs groundhog damage
• [00:45:29] Setting up a wildlife camera for better animal surveillance in the garden
• [00:49:24] The best and easiest deer fence kits for your garden
• [00:54:25] The different plants that help repel rabbits 
• [00:57:26] How often should you apply repellents to your plants?
• [01:01:50] How to install hedges and streamers that keep deer away
• [01:13:33] The rookie mistakes gardeners make when trying to keep animals from the garden

Mentioned in our conversation:

• The Foodscape Revolution by Brie Arthur
• Gardening with Grains by Brie Arthur
• The Humane Gardener: Nurturing a Backyard Habitat for Wildlife by Nancy Lawson
• Deer‑Resistant Design: Fence‑free Gardens that Thrive Despite the Deer by Karen Chapman

Have you ever tried to rebloom an orchid?

Check out the full show notes and blog to learn what to expect in your first year as an orchid parent!

Follow Brie:

Brie Grows

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

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Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

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I thought I had a pretty deep connection with plants. I mean, this podcast is literally about talking to them (and about them). But after 300+ episodes, this is the only conversation that impacted my daily interaction with plants. My guest, LoriAnn Bird, an Indigenous Métis herbalist and author of Revered Roots, introduced a concept of “plants as our relatives.” Elders. Teachers. Sovereign beings. And once you start viewing them that way, you can’t unsee it. You will realize that we all need to take care of what takes care of us. Listen in and join the conversation!

In this episode, we learn:

• [04:56] What does “ indigenous plants” mean for LoriAnn?
• [06:18] How LoriAnn developed her close relationship with nature
• [08:51] What it means to be a Métis woman
• [10:39] Being raised in a privileged Eurocentric view
• [12:10] How herbalism came into LoriAnn’s life
• [14:53] Gift a soothing and personalized Wind River Chime for any special occasion, and get a free engraving!
• [17:06] Why the book was structured to start with relationships
• [17:41] The 5 Rs of plant relationship
• [24:17] Understanding our relatives: rooted, stone, and flying nations
• [28:44] What's the connection between humans and birds?
• [30:29] The story of “Sky Woman”
• [32:03] Birth, life, death, rebirth - continuous cycles
• [33:39] Honorable harvest and reciprocal foraging
• [35:58] Asking permission from landowners when foraging
• [38:19] How to get started with herbalism
• [39:47] Your garden may already be full of medicine
• [41:11] Where to get the book ‘Revered Roots’
• [43:00] Meet your local herbalist!
• [43:19] "Ancestral" vs "indigenous" in the book title

Mentioned in our conversation:

• Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
• Gathering Moss by Robin Wall Kimmerer
• Don Ollsin
• Doug Tallamy - Co-Founder of Homegrown National Park
• Mary Reynolds | We Are The Ark
• Merlin Bird ID
• WebMD

If you're looking to connect deeper with your plants and with the world,

check out LoriAnn's guide in the full show notes and blog.

Thank you to our episode sponsor:Wind River Chimes

Visit windriverchimes.com and use code GROWINGJOY to receive free engraving on your chosen 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, 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

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

We are joined by Chris today for another installment of our Plant Science Series featuring The Sill! Orchid 101 is near and dear to my heart because I STRUGGLE with orchids, and Chris has been my go-to resource for personal orchid care. So I knew he would be the perfect guest to have come on the show and answer your orchid questions!

If you don’t know already, The Sill is a plant brand with two brick-and-mortar shops in NYC and an online shop that delivers nationwide. Their quality of plants and the way they ship plants is unparalleled. Their pots are some of my most treasured pots that I own and are locally sourced. They have a huge focus on education with awesome online classes and in-person classes in their stores, and they just started the Plant Parent Club! The PPC is their monthly plant subscription service. When you join their club, you get a monthly surprise plant delivery, and included in the membership is also access to all of their online workshops and free shipping on any other plants. So if you are interested in anything I’ve just mentioned, visit www.thesill.com.

In this episode, we learn:

• Why Orchids have a reputation for being difficult, and why they can be intimidating
• What an orchid is and where we find them in nature
• The anatomy of an orchid
• Myth Busting on ice cubes, level of difficulty, fertilizer
• Orchid care: light and watering
• Orchid bark—how necessary is it? What is it?
• Is it ok to buy orchids at your local grocery store or Trader Joe’s/Whole Foods
• What does a year as a new orchid parent look like (from buying an orchid in full bloom to then having the blooms die and getting the plant to rebloom)
• Fertilizer: to use or not to use
• Myth busting: Are ice cubes a good idea for watering?
• Listener questions
• Why everyone should try growing an orchid

Mentioned in our conversation:

• GJ Episode 133: How To Manage Deer, Squirrels, Chipmunks, Moles, Voles And Other Animals In Your Garden With Brie The Plant Lady
• GJ Episode 30: Orchid 101 With Chris
• GJ Episode 84 : African Violets 101 With Lisa
• Order Lisa’s book “Bloom: The secrets of growing flowering houseplants year-round”

Have you ever tried to rebloom an orchid?

Check out the full show notes and blog to learn what to expect in your first year as an orchid parent!

Follow Chris Satch:

Website

Instagram

LinkedIn

Follow The Sill: 

Website

Instagram

X

YouTube

Facebook

TikTok

Pinterest

Plant Parent Club

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

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Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Are you looking at your basket filled with zucchini (and cucumbers) that you’ve harvested this summer? You might also be wondering what you can do with them because there’s only so much roasted zucchini and pickled cucumber one person can take. You’re in the perfect place, because in this episode, I invited one of my favorite plant people, Kaleb Wyse of Wyse Guide. Kaleb’s a modern homesteader, gardener, storyteller, and now a New York Times bestselling cookbook author!

He joined us to chat about all the ways to actually enjoy your zucchini harvests aside from your typical zoodles! These four recipes are from Kaleb’s book There’s Always Room at the Table, and they’re flavorful, comforting, and super doable. Time to cook!

In this episode, we learn:

• [03:50] Meet Kaleb Wyse from Wyse Guide
• [05:44] What type of gardener is Kaleb?
• [06:18] Zone 5B growing conditions
• [09:02] How can you find boundaries in your gardening practice?
• [10:16] Kaleb's #1 advice for new gardeners
• [12:21] My Floridian challenges!
• [15:21] Revive your garden's late-season growth with Espoma Organic’s high-quality products!
• [16:20] Kaleb’s gardening philosophy and childhood stories
• [19:48] Zucchini growing tips: when and how to plant
• [21:45] Eating zucchini flowers (stuffed with goat cheese)
• [22:27] Growing zucchini on the ground vs. trellising?
• [24:05] The inspiration behind his cookbook, ‘There’s Always Room at the Table’?
• [26:55] What is Kaleb’s favorite zucchini recipe?
• [28:31] How to prevent zucchini from going mushy
• [29:36] More zucchini recipes!
• [32:42] Using dill flower heads for pickling
• [33:53] Quick pickle vs. normal pickle
• [35:09] Zucchini dip as a sandwich spread
• [36:16] Zucchini fritters recipe
• [38:37] Does Kaleb grow his own garlic? 
• [39:42] Fermenting garlic and honey for health and flavor
• [40:56] Zucchini loaf cake recipe
• [44:27] Where to follow Kaleb and get his cookbook

Mentioned in our conversation:

• There’s Always Room at the Table by Kaleb Wyse
• 'Incredible Escalator' Climbing Zucchini – Renee's Garden

For Kaleb's easy yet delicious zucchini recipes,

check out the full show notes and blog here!

Follow Kaleb:

Website

Instagram

TikTok

YouTube

Facebook

X

Thank you to our episode sponsor:Espoma Organic

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

Follow Maria and Growing Joy:

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

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

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

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Today’s episode is about exactly what the title says: our brains… on plants, and what happens in our brains when we become plant people. When I was starting to move from plant killer to crazy plant lady, I noticed there were a few months at the beginning of my plant collection where I felt like the love for plants kind of took over my life. I was constantly buying new plants, going to plant shops, and researching plants on the internet. I was having so much fun with this new hobby, but for a moment, it felt like I couldn’t stop. Billy had to have a little intervention with me to slow me down and make sure we had the space and knowledge of the plants we already had. With his help (or maybe insistence), I put myself on a plant pause, which helped snap me out of that obsessive moment. But I’ve always thought about that particular phase in my life when I couldn’t stop.

Enter Dr. Caitlin Vander Weele, the answer to my “plant-iest” and “expert-iest” of dreams. Caitlin is not only an awesome listener of Growing Joy but also a neuroscientist and author with over 10 years of expertise in understanding how emotions and brain chemistry influence decision-making. She is also the founder of Interstellate, a movement that blends science and art with visual imagery to promote science education. Caitlin is really, really smart. And she is also a crazy plant lady, and this conversation blew my mind.

In this episode, we learn:

• How Caitlin became a crazy plant lady
• Maria gets real with Caitlin and explains the addictive behaviors she experienced early into plant parenthood.
• Caitlin breaks down what exactly was happening in Maria’s brain in those first few months of buying as many plants as possible
• What causes our brain to release dopamine and what it is
• What compulsive behavior is
• What our brain on dopamine does
• What neurotransmitters, synapses and receptors are
• The difference between endorphins and dopamine
• Why we feel bonded to our plants: enter oxytocin
• How these things are measured in our brains
• 4 phases of compulsive behaviors to look out for
• How to cope with compulsive urges when growing your urban jungle

Looking for more reasons to justify your plant addiction?

Check out the full show notes and blog to learn how your brain responds to plant care!

Follow Caitlin:

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Follow Stellate:

Website

Twitter

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

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Your plant parent story might have started with some humble pothos. It’s forgiving, fast-growing, and honestly, it’s probably the most underrated plant in most of our collections. But there is so much more to the pothos that you might be missing out on. So in this episode, we’re going to talk about pothos way beyond the basics with the help of my plant friend Justin Hancock of Costa Farms.

Justin started in horticultural publishing before joining Costa Farms to assist with their marketing. His role at Costa Farms now involves testing how new plant varieties hold up with different light/watering/environment conditions, and making sure the average person can be successful with them. Let’s dive in!

In this episode, we learn:

• [00:00] Why Pothos might be the most underrated plant in your collection
• [02:14] Meet Justin Hancock from Costa Farms!
• [03:09] Justin’s lifelong plant passion and career path
• [04:37] What Justin does at Costa Farms
• [05:20] Why Pothos is having a comeback moment
• [07:45] Where do pothos come from?
• [08:16] Pothos or Epipremnum or... something else? What makes a pothos a pothos?
• [09:17] Why pothos is called "Devil's Ivy"
• [09:46] Pothos vs philodendron vs scindapsus
• [11:50] How do we care for pothos?
• [13:05] Indirect light and what plants actually want
• [15:24] Moss poles vs. fence planks
• [16:03] How to make Pothos look so lush and full
• [17:35] What’s the #1 problem with pothos care?
• [18:19] What are the different pothos varieties?
• [20:19] How do you specifically care for variegated pothos?
• [22:26] How Costa Farms discovers new varieties around the world
• [24:24] How Shangri-La and Champs-Élysées came to be
• [27:18] The trend of fenestrated Pothos is here
• [27:49] Rapid-fire matchmaking: which Pothos fits your personality?
• [29:57] What is Costa Farms and where to find their plants
• [31:04] Where to follow Justin and Costa Farms online

Mentioned in our conversation:

• Trending Tropicals® Collection – Costa Farms
• Exotic Angel – Costa Farms
• Blog: A Plethora of Pothos Varieties
• Golden Pothos
• Albo Pothos
• Lemon Top Pothos
• Global Green Pothos
• Pothos Manjula
• Pothos Neon Joy
• Jessenia Pothos

For pothos recommendations based on your plant parent personality,

check out the full show notes and blog here!

Follow Costa Farms:

Website

Instagram

Facebook

YouTube

TikTok

Pinterest

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

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

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