Have you ever seen one of those viral plant hack videos where someone sprinkles banana peels in their soil or ices their orchid? If you’re wondering if they work, I hate to be the bearer of bad news because the answer is no. Sorry, plant friends.

In this episode, I will be separating fact from fiction with my dear friend, Derek Haynes aka The Chocolate Botanist. Derek is a plant biologist who’s not afraid to call out the myths, explain the real science behind plant care, and help us simplify things.

Let’s bust 5 of the biggest houseplant myths floating around online.

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

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This one is everywhere, and people actually DM me about it. You take banana peels, soak them in water, stick it in the sun, and then pour them on your plants. Tada, you now have homemade fertilizer, right?

Wrong.

Plants can’t use nutrients unless they’re broken down by microbes. So that banana peel water is not bioavailable.

Basically, soaking banana peels doesn’t magically turn them into fertilizer. You’re better off composting them or using a proper houseplant fertilizer that’s been formulated to work right now, not in a year.

And while they’re sitting in water, fungus gnats are waiting to seize the opportunity.

I used to believe this one, too. Well, coffee grounds have nitrogen. And nitrogen is good. So coffee grounds should work, right?

But after digging into the science, you’re really just feeding the soil’s microbial life. That’s a great thing outside, but indoors, that population isn’t very active. You’re not getting the benefits you think you are. You might even be introducing mold or fungi without knowing it.

Derek sanitizes his coffee grounds in an old pressure cooker before using them, but even he admits that’s overkill for most people. So, unless you’re composting properly, skip the coffee grounds.

This one sounds resourceful and feels old-school.

Even if you crush them down into the finest powder, it will take up to a year at least for that calcium to be translated into a form that’s acceptable to the plants. That’s a long time to wait, especially if your houseplants don’t even need it in the first place.

Derek shared a more effective alternative: you can dissolve the eggshells in white vinegar (equal parts) to create a calcium salt solution. Dilute that with water and you’ve got something your plants can actually use.

But again, only if your plant is actually calcium-deficient, which, by the way, most houseplants are not.

This one hurts my heart. There’s this idea that watering orchids with ice cubes is better because it “melts slowly” and prevents overwatering. But orchids are tropical plants, so they are used to warm, humid environments.

Ice is a shock to their system.

Derek suspects this myth was cooked up by “Big Orchid” to keep you buying new plants after the old ones die.

Instead, just water normally when it’s dry.

If there’s one thing I hope you take from this conversation, it’s that houseplant care doesn’t need to be complicated. You don’t need kitchen scraps, DIY fertilizers, or mystical watering schedules.

Get a good quality organic potting mix (I use Espoma Organic’s indoor mix), light your plant actually likes, and fertilize monthly with something designed for houseplants. That’s it.

I know we all want to be good plant parents. We want to do the right thing. But chasing viral hacks often leads to frustration and… dead plants.

As we welcome the season of growing and gardening, make sure you're using nontoxic products in the garden! 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.

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Why should politicians become gardeners? No, this is not a political post. No, I didn’t lose it!  We will not be talking about sides. This is about healing, connection, and what we can learn from our gardens and our plants in a time where it feels like everything is falling apart.

Lately, I’ve been feeling this weight from watching the world spin in chaos and there’s disconnection, judgment, overwhelm, and division everywhere. We have a connection deficiency. And I’m starting to believe, with every fiber of my being, that if our leaders gardened, if all of us gardened, the world would be a kinder/greener place!

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

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Just like plants suffer when they’re missing nitrogen or iron, our society suffers from emotional and relational deficiencies: connection, compassion & communication. So, when there's a nutrient deficiency, here are the tools to help us:

Plants don’t speak in words. They don’t bark or meow when they need help. They whisper through leaf droops, color changes and soil texture. And in order to care for them, you have to tune in.

That kind of listening sharpens your intuition and builds empathy. It teaches you to pause, observe, and respond with care.

And it’s not just politicians I’m thinking about. You’re a leader too. Maybe in your family, at work, in your friend group, your gym, your book club. Maybe you lead your pets! If we all saw ourselves as stewards, the way gardeners are stewards of the land, I think that shift alone could ripple out into something much bigger.

We are so used to instant gratification. Scroll, swipe, Amazon prime delivery. But that’s not how it works in the garden because you plant a seed and wait.

And wait again. You water, you hope, you check the light, you trust. Because growth takes time plant friends!

That seed will sprout when it’s ready. That hydrangea will bloom on its schedule, not yours.

And that’s a powerful lesson, especially for leaders. Real change isn’t overnight. It takes time, care, and the long view. And it’s something we desperately need right now.

Nature works in cycles. Growth, rest, death, rebirth. Summer, fall, winter, spring. It’s never static.

When something goes wrong in the garden, I zoom out. I look at the bigger picture. Is this just a season? Is this part of a larger rhythm?

And that’s true in life, too. Not everything is a failure, sometimes it’s just winter. Sometimes it’s compost… something breaking down so it can become something richer and more nourishing.

We don’t control nature, but we can create the ideal conditions. We can water and fertilize and place our plant in the perfect spot. But we can’t force it to grow.

We can nurture and support, but after that we step back and let nature do its thing.

I think leadership should be like that, set the stage for people to grow and not always look for control. That’s not how growth works in plants and in people!

One of my favorite parts of garden planning is figuring out which plants grow better together, such as tomatoes and basil.

Zinnias attract pollinators. Beans fix nitrogen in the soil. It’s all about mutual support.

And that’s what we could use more of in our communities. More diversity, collaboration, and less monoculture. We need more growing ecosystems where everyone brings something different to the table.

A garden doesn’t grow with just one plant, and neither does a society!

Yeah, maybe it sounds a little wild to say that politicians should be gardeners. But what if they were? What if we all were? What if every person on this planet learned to care for a single plant with patience, empathy, curiosity, and love? What kind of world could we create then?

It fills me with hope. And I hope it sparks something in you too!

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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“To know a Dahlia is to love a Dahlia.” And once you grow one, it’s like all your other flowers just kind of fade into the background. There’s just something about them. One of my most favorite flowers I have ever grown is a Dahlia called Kogane Fubuki. It was this magical pink and yellow ombre bloom that literally stopped me in my tracks every time I stepped onto my patio.

And I want you to have those magical Dahlia moments too! So I brought on Anne from The Dahlia House to walk us through every step of Dahlia care. Her story is as gorgeous as her blooms, and she generously spilled all her tips to help us get the most out of our Dahlias this year.

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Anne started as a mom growing Dahlias in her yard, gifting them to teachers and neighbors. Her collection grew and grew until her community literally started calling her house “The Dahlia House.”

A devastating wireworm infestation wiped out 95% of her collection, but she still persisted and launched her own Dahlia business. And now she’s growing over 450 varieties, runs pop-up U-picks, and is basically Dahlia royalty!

First things first—sourcing matters. Don’t just grab a tuber from the big-box store. Many of those come from overseas and can carry diseases. Look for farms that share their disease-free protocols because healthy tubers make all the difference.

When your tuber arrives and you’re not ready to plant it yet, you can pop it in your fridge (not freezer) or start waking it up indoors.

Anne's hack is she tosses a handful of soil into a grocery bag, adds the tubers, gives it a splash of water, and lets them sit in a corner. This jumpstarts root growth and gets your Dahlias ready to grow once they hit the soil.

If your ground is workable and your last frost date is near, you’re good to go. Or you can use Anne’s favorite timing cue: when the lilacs bloom, it’s Dahlia time. Dahlias love full sun and rich soil, so mix in lots of compost. They’re heavy feeders and respond best to well-amended beds.

Plant the tuber horizontally, eyes up. Don’t worry if it’s not perfect because Dahlias are surprisingly forgiving. Anne plants hers just 2 inches deep to make digging them up easier later. If you’re in a colder zone and need to lift your tubers for winter, that’ll be a lifesaver.

Dahlias also need support. These plants get big, and the blooms can be heavy. Give them something to lean on such as a tomato cage, bamboo stake, or a DIY twine corral.

As for pests, if you’ve got slugs or earwigs, grab some Sluggo Plus. It’s kid- and pet-safe, and Anne swears by it. Apply at planting and again a few weeks later to protect your tender new sprouts.

Water deeply once or twice a week depending on your weather. Dahlias like moisture but hate soggy feet. And while you can fertilize monthly, Anne takes a simpler approach by using compost, a sprinkle of CalMag, and a balanced fertilizer at planting time.

And for pinching, once your plant is about 8-12 inches tall, pinch off the top two sets of leaves. It feels scary, but it triggers branching, longer stems, and way more blooms. Like, triple!

Dahlias are cut-and-come-again flowers, which means the more you cut, the more they bloom. So if you want a longer vase life, cut your stems underwater. It prevents air from entering the stem and keeps your flowers fresher longer.

If you’re growing in containers, go big. An 18-inch pot can hold three tubers. Anything smaller and your Dahlias will protest. And yes, I’ve learned this the hard way!

There are endless varieties, but if you’re starting out, skip the unicorns (aka the rare, expensive ones). Choose a solid, affordable favorite like a ball Dahlia, which holds up beautifully in a vase and stores well.

One of Annee’s faves is Cafe de Paris. It’s basically Cafe au Lait’s stylish cousin with spiraled petals.

And listen, if you’re in zone 10B like me, where Dahlias don’t thrive, I feel your pain. I’m mourning my Dahlia days hard, but I want to live vicariously through you. So please, go grow Dahlias for me! Tag me in your photos an let me swoon over your blooms.

You can find Anne’s gorgeous, healthy tubers and all her amazing resources at The Dahlia House. Her passion is infectious, and her knowledge will set you up for success.

So plant friends, grab your tubers and get ready to fall in love with Dahlias. May your summer be full of blooms, joy, and the magic only Dahlias can bring.

Bring the gift of peace, serenity, and magic 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 an amazing gift that can help you or your loved ones grow joy and find a moment of peace, a Wind River chime is the perfect option. Plus, you can engrave the wind sail on the wind chime with meaningful dates, names, or phrases!

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

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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!

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

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The post Growing Dahlias Made Easy: How to Grow Stunning Blooms from Tuber to Flower, Ep 285 appeared first on Growing Joy with Maria.

With the push to get people back into offices, there’s a glaring question floating around the corporate world: how do we make the office a place people actually want to come back to? As someone who believes in the impact of plants not just on spaces but on people, this question has me wishing of a world where every office has its own green vegetable garden out back.

Does it sound too good to be true? Well, it’s already happening. In this episode, I sat down with Josh and Troy, the founders of StartOrganic,  a company that helps employers give that opportunity to their employees. They’ve created office gardens for companies like PayPal, eBay, Intuit, and Apple, and what they’re doing is so much more than planting tomatoes.

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

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Employee wellness is not a cute perk anymore—it’s a necessity. And sure, you can throw a yoga class on the calendar or install a smoothie bar, but what if you could walk outside during your lunch break and tend to a garden bed filled with kale, cucumbers, and cherry tomatoes? What if your coworkers joined you and it turned into a team-building moment? And you could take those veggies home for dinner?

The idea of corporate gardening makes me happy because it blends who we are outside the office with who we are at work. We are our whole selves. And that whole self needs dirt under her nails every once in a while.

Josh and Troy were college soccer teammates, then corporate guys, then scrappy entrepreneurs starting plants in a Tahoe laundry room.

They started small backyard gardens for residential clients in the Bay Area. After installing over a thousand home gardens, the big corporations came knocking. Now they run full-fledged wellness programs where employees grow food, learn new skills, and connect with each other in raised bed gardens right on campus.

These aren’t scrappy side plots shoved next to the loading dock. Every garden begins with a thoughtful site visit, looking at sun exposure, foot traffic, and space for future expansion. Then come the raised beds (12 to 18 inches deep), automatic irrigation, and curated soil blends to guarantee success from day one.

Employees also don’t just show up and pick lettuce. They join planting days, choose what they want to grow (hot peppers, herbs, heirloom tomatoes, you name it), and commit to tending their beds throughout the season. Some gardens are individual, some are team-based. Some are focused on education, others on food production. It’s all customizable.

Short answer: yes. StartOrganic has done the surveys and the results are great. Over 90% of participants report positive lifestyle changes, reduced stress, healthier eating habits, and a better overall outlook on their company. I think that’s a big deal. Not to mention existing studies by big research organizations.

We know plant care is self-care. But now we’re seeing that garden care can be team care. Company culture care. Mental health care.

One of my favorite moments in our conversation was hearing about employees who started home gardens because of what they learned at work. One woman now gardens with her kids. One guy drove to the office at 10 PM to catch a skunk stealing veggies. Please don’t trap wildlife, plant friends. But also… total plant person energy.

Josh and Troy always say it’s about building success early. Start with radishes because they only take 30 days from seed to harvest. Then move on to tomatoes, zucchini, and more. Give people that early win and suddenly they’re gardeners for life.

Yes! 100%. It doesn’t matter if you’re working for a big tech company or a small local business; there are ways to bring plants into your workplace. Maybe you pitch it to HR. Maybe you offer to lead the charge yourself. Maybe you bring StartOrganic in for a consultation or virtual workshop.

Even one bed. Even a few herbs on a sunny windowsill. It’s not about perfection. It’s about growing something.

I’m dreaming of a world where every office has a garden. Where wellness programs include planting days and harvest parties. Where employees feel proud to bring home food they grew themselves.

It’s not just about productivity (though yes, happier employees are more productive). It’s about bringing more joy into our everyday lives, even at work.

If you’re interested in learning more about StartOrganic or want to bring them to your company, they have a free starter course on their website. And if you’re very much into indoor plants, I have two free courses for you!

Let’s keep growing joy, plant friends. One garden bed at a time.

As we welcome the season of growing and gardening, make sure you're using nontoxic products in the garden! 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.

Follow StartOrganic:

Website

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!

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Subscribe to the Growing Joy Youtube channel! /growingjoywithmaria

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The post How Office Gardens Are Boosting Employee Wellness, One Plant at a Time with StartOrganic, Ep 284 appeared first on Growing Joy with Maria.

What plants are flying off the shelves this year? If you’ve been hanging out with me on Instagram or listening to the podcast lately, you know that part of my job is traveling the country to speak at plant shows. I love getting to see what’s new, what’s trending, and honestly… just being surrounded by thousands of plants and planty people. It fills my joy tank like nothing else.

So I thought, why not bring the magic of one of these events to YOU? This episode is your virtual behind-the-scenes pass to the recent Northwest Flower & Garden Show in Seattle. I spent three days running around with my little mic, interviewing vendors, influencers, and anyone who would talk plants with me. I came home with so much planty intel, sore feet, and a heart full of joy.

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

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If I had to sum up the show in three words, I’d say: chaotic, floral, magical. You walk in and immediately get hit with this wave of jasmine, mulch (yep), and lavender. And while the plants are obviously the stars, the people, aka vendors, creators, and plant nerds alike, are what make it truly special.

The show was packed with themes and patterns you couldn’t ignore. If you’re wondering what’s “in” this year, here’s what kept popping up:

One of my favorite parts of these shows is discovering plants I didn’t even know I needed. Here are a few standouts:

I chatted with some of your favorite plant influencers—Kevin from Epic Gardening, Kamili from Plantblerd, Derek the Chocolate Botanist, Krystal from Plants with Krystal, and more—and asked them everything from what plants they kill the most (mostly calatheas and hoyas) to their best plant care advice:

Also, Kamili wins for best hot take: “There's no such thing as rare. Truly rare plants are in a conservatory.”

Honestly, what I loved most about this experience, besides the gorgeous plants, was seeing the community. Everyone was there to learn, connect, and share their love of plants. This plant world has space for each one of us.

If you ever get the chance to go to a garden show, do it! But if not, don’t worry. I’ve got the full video interviews over on YouTube and I’m sharing clips on my Instagram too.

Keep blooming and keep growing joy, plant friends.

Bring the gift of peace, serenity, and magic 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 an amazing gift that can help you or your loved ones grow joy and find a moment of peace, a Wind River chime is the perfect option. Plus, you can engrave the wind sail on the wind chime with meaningful dates, names, or phrases!

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

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The post From Wishlist to Whoops: 2025 Houseplant Trends, Plant Care Tips & Plant Fail Confessions From the Northwest Flower & Garden Show, Ep 283 appeared first on Growing Joy with Maria.

How do you plan your garden? Actually, do you plan your gardens at all? After many years of gardening and speaking with many garden experts, I learned that a successful organic vegetable garden doesn’t just happen when you plant it; it starts on the day you plan it. Garden success comes down to being strategic about plant selection, intentional with your soil health, and realistic about what can be managed.

In this episode, I have the perfect recurring guest, Joe Lamp'l, to discuss planning your garden for the year ahead and making sure 2025 is your best gardening season yet. Joe is the founder of Joe Gardener and creator of many digital gardening courses I've taken, including Organic Vegetable Gardening Course (discount applied at checkout through clicking the link!).

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

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Garden planning makes you ready for what to grow, how much to grow, and how to source your seeds/seedlings. So make sure to consider your plant hardiness zone and be very realistic about timelines.

Joe recommends planning about two months before your last frost date. For example, starting tomato seeds should be done about 4 weeks before potting them up, and another 4 weeks before transplanting them into the garden.

This method works for most warm-season crops like peppers and eggplant. But not every plant needs to be started from seed, so sometimes buying seedlings is the best option.

At the end of the season, our plants should have pulled all the nutrients out of the soil, so it should be considered in your plant aside from plant selection.

Soil is the most important thing in your garden according to Joe. If you have a dollar to spend, put $0.90 into the soil.

The best way to build soil health is to start with compost:

A biodiverse garden is a healthy garden. You can try to include a mix of flowers, herbs, and companion plants, which all help attract pollinators like bees and butterflies, while also inviting beneficial insects that help control pests naturally.

Something like borage, basil, and dill are great examples.

You might be tempted to fit as many plants as possible into a space, but this usually leads to poor air circulation and lower harvests.

It’s easy to go overboard at the garden center, only to realize there’s nowhere to put everything.

Joe has 16 garden beds, where he carefully spaces crops out to allow airflow and easy maintenance. Isn’t he amazing?

You can use a simple notebook or spreadsheet to track progress and plan ahead. This should prevent a lot of frustration later in the season.

If everything we talked about here feels too much, Joe’s Organic Vegetable Gardening Course is unlike anything else available.

His course follows plants from seeds to harvest with real-time video lessons. He got the idea from the show he previously hosted called Fresh from the Garden (on the DIY Network).

It takes you through the entire growing season, so you actually see how plants mature, what challenges come up, and how to troubleshoot along the way.

Joe also offers real-time support, so students can ask questions and get guidance as they grow. And for this week only, the course is available at a huge discount; normally $797, it’s currently $297.

The deadline to enroll at this price is March 31, 2025.

Did you know that some of the most delicious and medicinal mushrooms aren't found in grocery stores, but they're found growing wild, sometimes right in your backyard? In the new book, Go Forth and Forage, expert forager and Appalachian native, Whitney Johnson takes you on a season-by-season journey through 50 North American wild mushrooms, from spring morels to fall lion's mane and beyond. With stunning photos, clear identification tips, and expert guidance on safe harvesting, this book is your go-to field guide for finding, preparing, and even making medicinal tinctures with your foraged finds. So whether you're a curious beginner or a seasoned forager, this book is going to help you build confidence in the woods and the kitchen.

Grab yourself a copy of Go Forth and Forage: A Guide to Foraging Over 50 of the Most Common Edible & Medicinal North American Mushrooms by Whitney Johnson at your local bookstore, bookshop.org, Barnes and Noble, quarto.com, or amazon.com.

Follow Joe:

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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!

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What if the secret to a happy life is to live seasonally? Living seasonally isn’t just about eating fresh produce (but, yes, that’s delicious). It’s about noticing nature’s rhythms, then adjusting depending on the season and celebrating those small shifts that define the passage of time.

And with the Spring Equinox here, which is a time of renewal and balance, it’s the perfect moment to talk about how we can welcome the season with intention. I’m joined by a dear friend Bailey Van Tassel—a mom, gardener, author of Kitchen Garden Living, and someone who’s  really committed to living a more seasonal lifestyle.

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Bailey grew up in Northern California in a cowboy/ag family, surrounded by people who honored the solstices and equinoxes. But like so many of us, she kinda drifted away from that lifestyle and chased after the Devil Wears Prada dream, with gucci bags, high heels, and climbing the corporate ladder.

Until burnout hit.

Then, she had kids. And suddenly, the fast-paced, material-driven lifestyle didn’t fit anymore. She craved the slower, more intentional way of living she had once known.

Eventually, she built two raised beds on a dead patch of lawn outside her townhouse. She had to drag a hose through her house to water them, but those little garden beds changed her life. She started sharing veggies with neighbors and connecting with people in unexpected ways.

Spring is about waking up. Moving out of winter’s slow, inward state and into the energy of growth.

In winter, we store energy. We hibernate. We’re in holding on mode. But spring is the exhale. It’s hope. It’s light. It’s time to start again.

Living with the seasons is about small choices:

Bailey put it nicely: “Be where your feet are.”

Spring is a season of renewal and fresh starts. This is the time of year when nature literally wakes up. There’s a reason our ancestors saw this as the true new year.

Here are some easy ways to start:

One of my favorites about Bailey’s book is how she always includes ways to get kids involved. If you have little ones, you can bring them into seasonal living in fun ways:

Seasonal living isn’t about doing it perfectly. It’s not about following strict rules or growing all your own food. It’s about noticing. It’s about embracing.

If you do one thing this spring equinox, just step outside. Touch a plant. Look at the sky. Breathe it in.

Or plant something. Take a deep breath. And let this season work its magic. It’s up to you how you honor the spring equinox.

Bring the gift of peace, serenity, and magic 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 an amazing gift that can help you or your loved ones grow joy and find a moment of peace, a Wind River chime is the perfect option. Plus, you can engrave the wind sail on the wind chime with meaningful dates, names, or phrases!

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

As we welcome the season of growing and gardening, make sure you're using nontoxic products in the garden! 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.

Follow Bailey:

Website

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

The post How to Live Seasonally and Celebrate the Spring Equinox with Bailey Van Tassel, Ep 281 appeared first on Growing Joy with Maria.

Grief is so heavy that it can feel like an impossible weight to carry. But if you think about it, you can use plant care as a method to process grief and loss. Like plants, people can also grow and find resilience. They don’t rush and don’t demand. They just grow… little by little, day by day.

In this episode, I want to share the story of my dear plant friend, Wade Lee, also known as Plants by Wade Lee. His story is so much more than houseplant care. It’s about loss, grief, healing, and finding joy again, one leaf, one root, one seed at a time.

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

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

I’ve always believed that plants are more than just home decor. They’re companions. When life gets too overstimulating, when the world feels too much, plants offer this steady, quiet presence. They don’t ask for anything other than a little water, a little light, and in return, they just are.

Wade experienced this in such a touching way. After losing his husband, Stephen, to pancreatic cancer, plants became more than just a hobby for him. They became a lifeline. In the chaos of grief, plants gave him something to focus on. They grounded him.

There’s this phrase I love: turning graves into gardens. Wade took that love of plants and turned it into Plants by Wade Lee—a business, a podcast, and a full-time career.

He does plant styling/consulations, teaches workshops, and builds community through his social media. And the most amazing thing is he’s now a gardener at the Cummer Museum in Jacksonville, which, by the way, is the same exact place where he got married.

 If that’s not the universe working in beautiful, mysterious ways, I don’t know what is.

But grief isn’t just about finding comfort; it’s also about learning to let go. When Wade was grieving, he stopped watering his plants and hundreds of them died.

And for a while, that felt like another loss, another thing slipping through his fingers. But then, Malcolm—his now-husband—helped him see it differently. Plants live and die. That’s just part of it.

And you know what? That’s part of our journey, too. We have seasons, just like our plants. We’re allowed to have a winter. We’re allowed to have a season where we lose our leaves. Nature tells us that it’s part of growth.

Nature is a “nervous system regulator.” When we don’t have the words, when we don’t have the strength, when we just need to be, nature can hold it.

Maybe for you, it’s houseplants. Maybe it’s the ocean, or the woods.

Grief never really goes away. It just changes shape. Some days, it’s loud. Some days, it’s just a whisper. But it’s always there.

And so are plants. They remind us that healing isn’t linear. That it’s okay to start small. To have seasons. To shed old growth. And that, even when we can’t see it, life is always, always moving forward.

So if you’re carrying grief that feels impossible—maybe start with something small. A plant. A moment outside. A deep breath. Because healing doesn’t happen all at once. It happens leaf by leaf, root by root, one day at a time.

Bring the gift of peace, serenity, and magic 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 an amazing gift that can help you or your loved ones grow joy and find a moment of peace, a Wind River chime is the perfect option. Plus, you can engrave the wind sail on the wind chime with meaningful dates, names, or phrases!

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

Want to grow more food with less space, less effort, and less waste? That’s the magic of square-foot gardening! With the All New Square Foot Gardening, 4th Edition, grow fresh, organic produce with a simple, foolproof method. No digging, no tilling—just set up your raised bed, fill it with Mel’s Mix, and plant using an easy grid system. This edition is packed with updated garden plans, crop-by-crop guides, and solutions for extreme weather and pests—plus 200 new photos and illustrations to make planning a breeze. Whether you’re new to gardening or a seasoned pro, this book will help you grow more, work less, and harvest the difference!

Get your copy of All New! Square Foot Gardening, 4th Edition today at your local bookstore, bookshop.org, Barnes and Noble, quarto.com, or amazon.com.

Follow Wade:

Website

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

The post How to Use Plants to Heal From Grief with Wade Lee, Ep 280 appeared first on Growing Joy with Maria.

Have you ever found yourself overthinking over a yellow leaf and wondering, “Is this overwatering or underwatering? Does it need water? Is this normal?” You’re just like the rest of us, plant friend! It's something I've done many, many times, and I know it's something that people in our community do all the time. We all want to get it right, but overthinking plant care can suck the joy right out of it. But in 2025, we need as much joy and as little stress as possible. So here are 5 signs you might be overthinking your plant care and how to fix it!

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

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

Google has always been our go-to resource for everything… until the arrival of AI. When I was a beginner plant parent, I Googled everything too. But now we have ChatGPT, and it’s even easier.

So when you searched “yellow leaf” on Google (or ChatGPT), all of a sudden it made everything worse because one result says that “overwatering can bring yellow leaves,” and the other says “underwatering can bring yellow leaves.” And the rest say that low light can bring yellow leaves, and you don't know which one is right.

So instead of turning to unvetted advice, try this:

I have a vintage collection of plant care books from the ‘70s and some modern ones from the last couple of years by horticulturists and plant care experts who really know what they're talking about. Unlike random blog posts, books are typically vetted by horticultural editors, so the info is more reliable.

Follow them on Instagram, read their blogs, whatever works for you. Turn to them for advice instead. You can also go through 300+ hours of my interview with different experts!

Before turning to Google when you see a yellow leaf, ask yourself, “When did I last water this plant?” If it was yesterday, maybe it’s overwatered. If it’s been three weeks, it’s probably underwater.

Watering your plants every Sunday–no matter what–isn’t the best approach. I recommend having a weekly check-in day where you walk through your space, touch the soil, and see who actually needs water.

Also, these plant care card recommendations are based on what is the most general recommendation that makes sense for the largest population of people buying. But that's maybe 90%, right? So there's going to be 10% of people who that doesn't quite apply to.

So you can:

Remember that this isn’t baking. You don’t need exact measurements or rigid schedules. We're growing, blooming, and changing. So rigidity in any aspect of plant care kind of ruins the vibe.

Yellow leaves happen, and it’s natural! Plants shed older leaves just like we lose hair. Just simply remove it and move on with your life. I wouldn't say you should leave yellow leaves on your plant once they're fully yellow because you want the plant to be directing its energy to its new leaves.

You should only worry if you find multiple leaves yellowing in a short amount of time.

When something goes wrong, I know that the first thing people usually do is try everything to solve it. So they water the plant, increase the light, and spray it down with neem oil… trying to do all of these things at once.

BUT If you try too many fixes at once, you won’t know what actually worked. So make one change at a time. For example, if you think the plant needs more light, move it and wait to see how it responds before doing anything else.

Avoid moving them constantly around the house, especially if they’re sensitive plants like ficus. See what's working first before trying something else.

You think that if you’re anything less than a perfect plant parent, you are a bad plant parent. WRONG. That is a weed in your brain that needs to be weeded.

I know this has been the result of picture-perfect plant content creators on social media, but striving for that can make you miss the joy of your own plant journey.

So give yourself grace and stop comparing yourself and your plants to Pinterest/Instagram-perfect ones.

When I accidentally underwater or I've left a plant that I needed to treat for pests one extra day than I should have, I give myself grace. And I hope you do too.

If you do avoid doing these five things, you will have a more joyful 2025 when it comes to your houseplants. I hope this helps you give yourself a permission slip to not stress about plant care anymore this year and beyond!

Lessen you're overthinking, make sure you're using nontoxic products on your houseplants! 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.

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

The post 5 Signs You’re Overthinking Plant Care (And How to Relax), Ep 279 appeared first on Growing Joy with Maria.

“Start ‘em young.” That’s my motto. Well, it’s not really mine but I say it all the time when it comes to houseplants. And for this episode, I’m sure plant parents are gonna be happy to learn how to connect the younger generations to plants and nature at a young age. 

So I want to share this conversation with my plant friend Priscille Joseph, who is a Canadian author, illustrator, and plant lover. She wrote My First ABC Book of Houseplants and she’s all about helping kids connect with nature.

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

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

As with most plant lovers, Priscille grew up surrounded by plants — her grandma and mom had houseplants everywhere, in every nook, bathroom, kitchen, absolutely everywhere.

But like many of us, she didn’t develop her own appreciation until adulthood. During a high-risk pregnancy, she was diagnosed with cancer — and houseplants became her healing companions.

Her doctors advised her to spend at least 30 minutes a day outside, rain or shine, every single day as part of her recovery. This connection sparked something within her and she became the plant lady we know today.

What do you say to your kids when they start asking curious questions? For Priscilla, she said that she doesn’t simply say “This is a plant,” or “This is a tree.” She actually began teaching her kids about each plant’s personality, needs, and even their Latin names!

In fact, because she knows how to draw, she decided to illustrate each plant they had in the house, and her daughter would spot them and say things like, “ can I have two cups of water for this Benjamina tree?”

So these illustrations eventually became her book, “My First ABC Book of Houseplants.”

Talking with Priscille made me realize that kids are so smart and we don’t give them enough credit. There’s even research from the Journal of Environmental Health Education that says nature helps kids develop better mentally and physically.

And I thought I need to pitch this to my local garden center or even do this with my niece.

But Priscille shared many unique ways to capture kids’ curiosity.

Let kids touch fuzzy leaves. Let them touch an aloe vera or an African violet. Let them smell your lavender plant or mint. It's all about engaging their senses! Let them discover how a snake plant feels different from a monstera leaf.

Kids love stories, so make plant learning fun by connecting them with stories. Talk about how snake plants are like superheroes because they clean our air. Share stories about where the plant came from, or maybe even the story of how you got that special plant from grandma.

Prisicille even used stories to help her daughter overcome a fear of spiders by naming them Charlotte from Charlotte’s Web. And she became fearful of bugs, “The Bug Girl” by Sophia Spencer completely changed her perspective.

Priscille lets her kids play in potting mix (like a potting mix sandbox) while she does the dishes. Put a mat down, give them shovels, let them feel the soil, and plant small propagations.

Yes, it is messy, and it’s not fun cleaning, but these are the “seeds” that you are planting for your kids.

Take them on a greenhouse scavenger hunt! (Priscille has a free downloadable hunt guide.)

Play “I Spy” with plants: “I spy something green… I spy a snake plant!” It's a fun way to spend an afternoon, and you don't even need to buy anything.

You can get overly creative with plants around kids and turn them into art projects. You can try leaf rubbing — place a leaf underneath paper and rub over it with pastels or crayons to reveal the leaf's texture. You can make collages with fallen leaves or flower petals. This is also something to teach kids about the life cycle of plants. You can discuss composting, what happens when leaves decompose, and how they feed the earth.

Kids LOVE having responsibilities. Priscille gives her daughter weekly misting duties with a simple chart showing which plants need two mists, which need three. Sure, there might be some water on the floor, but that's okay!

We're planting seeds of responsibility and care that will grow for years to come.

Remember, plant friends, when we care for plants, we care for ourselves—and when we share that with kids, we’re growing joy for generations.

When you have kids or pets who are curious about your plant babies, make sure you're using nontoxic products on your houseplants! 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.

Follow Priscille:

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

The post Houseplants for Kids: Raising the Next Generation of Plant Parents with Priscille Joseph, Ep 278 appeared first on Growing Joy with Maria.