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

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Culinary Medicine from Our Gardens Aug 24, 2021

Show notes

Not only is growing your own food a fabulous hobby and a way to reconnect with the food chain, the earth, and yourself, it’s also a way to serve our bodies in a deeper way by feeding them with fresh, organic produce. Not to mention, a freshly picked cherry tomato or piece of lettuce tastes infinitely more delicious than a store-bought one. I’ve really enjoyed diving deep into gardening through the My First Garden Series on this podcast, and as a way to celebrate all our hard work, I've invited someone to help us make the best out of our harvest! Dr. John la Puma is a trained chef and doctor who has committed his life to culinary medicine and eco medicine. In this episode, we talk about the nutritional value of the foods we are growing, and some fun ways to prepare our harvest (we are both Italian-American and have lots of fun recipes we riff on throughout the episode!). Let's get cooking!

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Join us in the plantiest and kindest corner of the internet: our private community platform and app with dedicated conversation topics, quarterly meet ups, regional groups and the ability to find plant friends near you and so much more!

Join the Garden Party and become a Plant Friend!

Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast,

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

In this episode we learn:

[00:05:55] Maria shares her ‘fresh from the garden’ dinner of kohlrabi!
[00:07:24] Dr. John’s favorite kohlrabi recipe
[00:09:25] How Dr. John became a culinary medicine chef and how his farming journey began
[00:10:57] What is eco medicine? How can we apply this concept to our daily lives?
[00:15:09] Why gardening is the gateway to reconnecting with nature
[00:17:45] How umbellifers like carrots and fennels enable you to use less fertilizer in the garden
[00:19:27] How the pleasure of eating can help you eat and become healthier
[00:21:06] What does a more vibrant color of a fruit or vegetable mean for nutrition?
[00:22:35] How to bring out the lycopene in your tomatoes (it’s good for the heart!)
[00:27:00] The beneficial differences between cooking with fresh herbs versus with dried herbs
[00:28:31] How to grow turmeric, its health benefits, and the best ways to use it in cooking
[00:30:13] Dr. John’s fun kumquat alcohol recipe!
[00:31:33] The best way to keep animals from your garden
[00:33:23] How to help your plants grow with lights
[00:35:40] Dr. John’s gentle reminder about store-bought vs organic and home-grown food
[00:37:02] How to grow and how to use Mexican oregano in your dishes
[00:39:35] Maria’s favorite plant to grow and how she uses it in the kitchen
[00:39:57] The health benefits of alliums, the different kinds you can grow, and the best ways to cook with them
[00:43:10] Dr. John’s recommended ways to eat lightly cooked onions
[00:44:31] What is the best way to eat alliums like onions and leeks raw?
[00:46:34] Why cruciferous vegetables like arugula, broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage are good for your liver
[00:48:03] Cooking tricks to get the most nutritional benefits from your arugula and other cruciferous veggies
[00:49:35] Using arugula and other ways to elevate your pesto!
[00:51:08] How to cook with sweet potatoes and sweet potato leaves, and keep them growing in your garden
[00:53:22] Should you keep the skins on your vegetables?
[00:55:30] Dr. John shares one of his inspirations when it comes to cooking
[00:56:58] What is 'comfort nature' and how does it help us regain our connection to ourselves and with nature?
[00:59:24] How to be in your 'comfort nature' without leaving the house
[01:01:56] Help Maria win her TikTok war with Dr. John - LOL!

Mentioned resources in this episode:

ChefMD’s Big Book of Culinary Medicine by John la Puma, M.D.
Yotam Ottolenghi’s recipes in The Guardian
What is Your Comfort Nature Place? Quiz

Thank you to our episode sponsors:

DeerBusters

If you’ve got wildlife looking at your veggie garden, DeerBusters is here to help! DeerBusters strives to protect the gardens of companies and individuals through high-quality, easy-to-install, wildlife fencing kits that come in several different materials and sizes. No fancy hardware needed. Visit deerbuster.com today to protect your plants tomorrow and use code BLOOM at checkout for 10% off.

Soltech Solutions

Whether it's simply getting your plants through a lower light environment or you’ve just got too many plants but too few windows, and you need to bring more light indoors so your collection can keep growing, Soltech Solutions has the luxury lighting options for you! Save up to $100 with no coupon necessary. Head over to soltechsolutions.com and check out their bundles of lights and lighting accessories for up 20% off!

Follow John:

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Join the Bloom and Grow Garden Party Community Platform & App AKA the plantiest and kindest corner of the internet!

Take the Bloom and Grow 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 and Facebook: @BloomandGrowRadio

Tiktok: @bloomandgrowradio

Subscribe to the Bloom and Grow Youtube Show! /Bloomandgrowradio

Website: www.bloomandgrowradio.com

Join the (free) Garden Club: www.bloomandgrowradio.com/garden-club

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Plant Care Routines: The Plant Friend Hang Series Aug 10, 2021

Show notes

Plant Routines: the crucial part of every plant parent's plant care practice that ensures that our plants (and our minds) are happy and healthy. Going from plant killer to plant lady, I found that I became as attached to my plant care routine, as I was to my plants. The act of disconnecting with a screen to reconnect with these plants and nature, is also a way to clear space to reconnect with yourself. I have learned that a plant care routine practice is so much deeper than just a soil moisture check: they let us check in with our plants, and more importantly, with ourselves. Plant care is truly self care. Everyone’s plant care routines are different, like unique snowflakes, so I brought together a fantastic group of plant friends to have a new format of podcast episode call the "Plant Friend Hang" to dive deeper on this topic. Come and meet them!

Join the Bloom and Grow Garden Party!

Join the Garden Party and become a Plant Friend!

Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast,

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

In this episode we learn:

[00:02:36] Maria’s personal and podcast updates!
[00:05:49] Who is Kamili, how her plant parent journey began, and why she won’t say her plant number!
[00:07:41] A little fun discussion about Hoya and their recent popularity as houseplants
[00:10:17] Paul’s plant parent background, his current collection, and why he recommends pothos for everyone
[00:13:35] How Tiffany became @plantmamah, how plants helped her recover from a brain injury, and why she is obsessed with Hoya
[00:18:20] What’s the weirdest thing you do with your plants?
[00:27:04] What does your plant care routine look like on a daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly basis?
[00:35:21] Where to get the best indoor and outdoor gardening products (and plant-specific tones!)
[00:37:06] The best options for all your plants’ lighting needs
[00:38:24] Why you should bring your plants outside during summer
[00:40:48] Maria shares how she realized that her self-care and mental well-being are connected to her plant care
[00:43:46] How has your plant care evolved through time? Have you noticed personal shifts as your plant care routine changes with your collection?
[00:45:45] Why killing a plant should not make you feel ashamed and guilty
[00:49:00] What is your most favorite and least favorite plant chore?
[00:53:17] Paul shares his mad scientist soil mix equation!
[00:56:42] How the Plant Friends stay organized with their plant collection - is it a good idea to try plant apps?
[01:02:51] What does your plant care routine mean to you and why is it important?
[01:09:44] Maria reflects on the Plant Friend hang panel and why #MentalHealthMatters

Thank you to our episode sponsors:

Espoma Organic

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 learn more about their pet safe indoor and outdoor gardening products, visit espoma.com to find your local dealer or check out my Amazon storefront of my favorite Espoma products here.

Soltech Solutions

Follow the Plant Friend Hang Gang:

Kamili: Instagram | Website | Email

Paul: Instagram | YouTube | Email

Tiffany: Instagram | TikTok | Email

Follow Maria and Bloom and Grow Radio:

Join the Bloom and Grow Garden Party Community Platform & App AKA the plantiest and kindest corner of the internet!

Take the Bloom and Grow 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 and Facebook: @BloomandGrowRadio

Tiktok: @bloomandgrowradio

Subscribe to the Bloom and Grow Youtube Show! /Bloomandgrowradio

Website: www.bloomandgrowradio.com

Join the (free) Garden Club: www.bloomandgrowradio.com/garden-club

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

How to Root Bare Nodes or "Wet Sticks" Jul 27, 2021

Show notes

The first time I heard about wet stick propagation, I had no idea it even existed! That's why when I got an offer from a listener, Joey (@joey_de_la_plants), for a variegated Monstera 'Albo' wetstick (and I knew I wanted that plant but I had no idea what “wetstick” meant), I went down a research rabbit hole to know more about the process of rooting it. For the last 5 months, my node has not only rooted, but started growing!. So when I connected with Payton from Bloom Daddy Plants—who actively uses this method all the time to run his shop—I knew we had a super fun episode on our hands. And boy, did we go overboard with the cross-platform collaboration surrounding this episode! Tune in to learn all about node propagation, and join the Philodendron "Pink Princess" Wetstick Giveaway on Instagramfor the chance to win your own Philodendron 'Pink Princess' wet stick to try this method yourself!!

Join the Bloom and Grow Garden Party

Join us in the plantiest and kindest corner of the internet: our private community platform and app with dedicated conversation topics, quarterly meet ups, regional groups and the ability to find plant friends near you and so much more!

Join the Garden Party and become a Plant Friend!

Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast,

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

In this episode we learn:

[03:35] What to expect in this cross-platform episode (and where to find them!)
[04:51] How to get your own Philodendron ‘Pink Princess’ wet stick!
[07:17] Who is Payton, how his journey as a plant parent began, and how Bloom Daddy came to be
[10:05] Should we refer to plants as ‘rare’?
[13:00] Breaking the myth surrounding node propagation
[14:15] What is a ‘wet stick’? Its many other names and how to identify a node
[18:00] Why node propagation is used in nurseries
[19:33] 4 things you need for node propagation
[20:53] The ideal humidity level for your nodes (and cheaper alternatives for humidity chambers!)
[24:37] Where to cut a node from and how to do it
[25:50] Where to get the best garlic varieties for your year-round garden
[27:14] How to protect your greens and veggies from wildlife
[29:08] At what angle should you cut a node?
[29:54] When do you put the node in a prop box?
[30:43] Why you should let your node callus over
[31:02] How to activate your node (and make it happy!)
[32:48] Differentiating levels of moisture, and what the best moisture level is for your node
[35:23] How much space should you leave between your node and your prop box?
[37:17] The ideal light situation for your node prop box
[40:06] Transitioning your node after it establishes roots
[45:00] Maria shares where her curiosity took her recent peperomia propagation
[47:00] How to join the Philodendron ‘Pink Princess’ wet stick giveaway

Mentioned in our conversation:

Payton’s YouTube video on different Sphagnum moss moisture levels
Philodendron 'Pink Princess' Wetstick Giveaway happening on the @bloomandgrowradio IG account

Thank you to our episode sponsors:

Territorial Seed Company

Territorial Seed Co provides high-quality seeds and plants (over 2000 varieties) that are tried and tested on their 75-acre farm and have a ton of fall varieties for us to try! Most of us think of the gardening season as spring and summer, but with the right timing and varieties for your location, you can grow year-round! Territorial Seed Company carries lots of varieties to start in summer and harvest in late fall, winter, and even over winter. For seeds, plants, online garden planner, how-to videos and more, visit TerritorialSeed.com and use code BLOOM10 for 10% off on your first order.

DeerBusters

Follow Payton:

Instagram

Website

Etsy

Follow Maria and Bloom and Grow Radio:

Join the Bloom and Grow Garden Party Community Platform & App AKA the plantiest and kindest corner of the internet!

Take the Bloom and Grow 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 and Facebook: @BloomandGrowRadio

Tiktok: @bloomandgrowradio

Subscribe to the Bloom and Grow Youtube Show! /Bloomandgrowradio

Website: www.bloomandgrowradio.com

Join the (free) Garden Club: www.bloomandgrowradio.com/garden-club

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Flower Power: How to Grow Cut Flowers All Season Long (for Beginners) Jul 13, 2021

Show notes

When I first got into gardening, I got very fixated on the food I could grow for myself, but what I’m realizing is growing flowers can be as appealing as growing food — and flowers, being the pollinator magnets they are, are crucial to a healthy garden and a healthy mind. I’ve been so curious about cut flower gardening and connected with this episode's guest on Clubhouse, and started picking her brain about what cut flowers I should try as an ultra beginner. Brooklyn's passion for plants, her sensitivity, and her knowledge are things I've been wanting to share with this community! We also share heartwarming stories about our mothers and the lessons they taught us. I hope this episode brings you joy, just like flowers do!

Join the Bloom and Grow Garden Party

Join the Garden Party and become a Plant Friend!

Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast,

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

In this episode we learn:

[00:02:23] Maria’s garden update
[00:05:40] Who is Brooklyn and how she became a flower farmer
[00:08:31] Why everyone should have flowers in their garden
[00:09:15] Brooklyn shares the personal connection she feels when growing flowers
[00:12:08] Things to consider before growing flowers in your garden
[00:14:06] The best flowers to grow for beginners: sunflowers, zinnias, strawflowers, and more
[00:17:05] A quick recap on annuals vs perennials
[00:18:32] The best perennial flowers to grow for blooms year after year
[00:21:22] How to plan your flower garden so you have blooms all year long
[00:25:48] Brooklyn’s favorite ‘cut and come again’ flowers
[00:27:16] How to make the best soil mix for your flowers
[00:29:30] When to use fertilizers on your flowers
[00:31:04] Where to get the best potting mix, compost and fertilizer for your garden
[00:32:41] Where to order your garlic for this season
[00:35:03] Why you want to fertilize your flowers (and some signs that they need it!)
[00:36:12] Determining how much light your flowers need
[00:37:30] Maria shares her experience with her first garden and reading seed packets
[00:41:17] How to transplant your flowers and harden them off
[00:44:27] How to pinch flowers, what is it for, and when you should do it
[00:48:04] What should you do with your flower’s first bud?
[00:48:25] What is deadheading and how to do it properly
[00:51:03] Brooklyn’s growing tips for peonies
[00:52:43] How to grow flowers from corms and bulbs
[00:57:33] Brooklyn’s top five favorite flowers (and greens) to grow
[00:59:34] A little heartwarming story about Mama Failla and her garden gifts
[01:03:22] Maria shares her newfound interest and joy in flower gardening

Thank you to our episode sponsors:

Espoma Organic

Territorial Seed Company

Follow Brooklyn:

Instagram: @brooklynsherri

Petal and Herb Farm

Ya Grandma's Garden and Houseplants on Clubhouse

Follow Maria and Bloom and Grow Radio:

Join the Bloom and Grow Garden Party Community Platform & App AKA the plantiest and kindest corner of the internet!

Take the Bloom and Grow 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 and Facebook: @BloomandGrowRadio

Tiktok: @bloomandgrowradio

Subscribe to the Bloom and Grow Youtube Show! /Bloomandgrowradio

Website: www.bloomandgrowradio.com

Join the (free) Garden Club: www.bloomandgrowradio.com/garden-club

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Studies Behind the Plant/Person Connection with Dr Sue Stuart-Smith Jun 29, 2021

Show notes

#plantsmakepeoplehappy, this hashtag has almost 8 million posts so far and there’s a reason for it. It’s just true. Plants, nature, and the act of witnessing life itself make people happy, more connected, and more empowered. The plant/person connection is hard to explain, yet everyone knows it. We all feel this connection to our plant collection. Our hearts swell with new growth, and sometimes even grieve losses. Over the last year and a half, I’ve dove rather deeply into exploring this plant-person connection, reading several incredibly inspiring books one being written by our special guest today. Dr Sue Stuart Smith took me on a journey of this plant/person connection and made me feel so seen. I knew I just had to have her on the show, so find a cozy spot and let's dive in!

Join the Bloom and Grow Garden Party

Founding Plant Friend discounts running through July 1st! Then prices go up!

Become a Founding Plant Friend!

Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast,

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

In this episode we learn:

[00:27] Why we’re taking a deep dive into the plant-person connection
[06:04] How Sue became a vegetable gardener and a plant lady
[09:17] Sue’s background in psychiatry and psychotherapy
[11:30] How Sue realized the plant-person connection based on her own experiences in the garden
[13:18] The topics that Sue explores in her book “The Well Gardened Mind”
[16:50] Explaining plant blindness and the two aspects of this occurrence
[18:42] What is a plant mentor and why they’re important to the development of people’s interest in plants and in nature
[20:16] Maria shares her own experience with plant blindness and with her own plant mentors
[21:30] How plant mentors can help eliminate the feeling of plants being alien to people
[22:09] How the pandemic has paved the way for people to get back in touch with nature
[23:49] Where to get the best grow lights for all types of plant lighting needs
[25:25] Have you joined the plantiest place on the internet?
[27:46] The perspective that plants give Maria about time and moving forward
[29:43] What are some life-garden parallels that Sue has learned over time?
[32:20] How seeds encourage positive anticipation and trigger future plans
[33:57] Why gardening is about relationships and how it is more than just a hobby
[35:12] Who is Harold S and what important concepts did he introduce to the plant-person relationship
[37:02] What is urgent biophilia and how today’s context of a global pandemic and crises triggers this need
[40:03] Geosmin, petrichor, and how evolution developed our sensitivity to the natural world
[43:16] How gardening promotes good bacteria
[43:45] Mycobacterium vaccae (M. vaccae) and how it can be a potential treatment for PTSD
[46:30] Maria gives a hint about what’s next for her and for Bloom and Grow!

Mentioned in our conversation:

The Well Gardened Mind by Sue Stuart Smith

Thank you to our episode sponsor:

Soltech Solutions

Whether it's simply getting your plants through a lower light environment or you’ve just got too many plants, too few windows, and need to bring more light indoors so your collection can keep growing, Soltech Solutions has the luxury lighting options for you! Save up to $100 with no coupon necessary. Head over to soltechsolutions.com and check out their bundles of lights and lighting accessories for up 20% off!

The Bloom & Grow Garden Party

Become a Founding Plant Friend of our new Community Platform & App, the Bloom and Grow Garden Party. Available for iOS and Android- it's the new Plantiest and Kindest corner of the internet! I created it so we can make new plant friends, cultivate knowledge and grow more joy. Inside there are planty conversation topics, regional groups, the "plant friends near me" feature and exclusive plant care downloads found only in the platform. Join us!

Follow Sue:

Website

Instagram

Twitter

Follow Maria and Bloom and Grow Radio:

Take the Bloom and Grow 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 and Facebook: @BloomandGrowRadio

Tiktok: @bloomandgrowradio

Subscribe to the Bloom and Grow Youtube Show! /Bloomandgrowradio

Website: www.bloomandgrowradio.com

Join the (free) Garden Club: www.bloomandgrowradio.com/garden-club

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

I did something exciting! Welcome to the Bloom and Grow Garden Party Community Platform & App!!!!!! Jun 28, 2021

Show notes

In this mini episode, I share the why behind the creation of the Garden Party Community Platform & App and give you all the details of what’s inside!

Become a Founding Plant Friend of the Garden Party (Offer expires July 1st- you can get a whole years membership for the amount of one 8 inch plant!) https://community.bloomandgrowradio.com/

Check our a tour on the Youtube Channel!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In-Ground Gardening Basics with My New Plant Friend, Melody Jun 15, 2021

Show notes

This isn't a story about gardening, plant friends. This is an episode on plant friendship. Melody is a local gardener who lives 15 minutes from me and has one of the most unbelievable gardens I’ve ever seen! Her backyard is a whimsical garden oasis, with a gazebo, greenhouse, and a different flower or bloom everywhere you look. In this episode, I share the story of how I met Melody and Melody gives us a deeper understanding of soil, how it's alive, and how to make it the best soil for growing. Hear all of Melody's great tips on keeping your soil rich and how plants teach us the importance of coexistence. Listen to our gardening story below!

Get on the waitlist for the Bloom and Grow Garden Party Launch

Be the first to gain access and founding member discounts through joining our waitlist

Snag your spot on the waitlist here

Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast,

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

In this episode we learn:

[03:39] The changes to Maria’s gardening plans and a preview of her friendship with Melody
[07:50] The story of the attack rooster
[08:06] How Maria and Melody met and became friends
[09:23] Melody shares her rich horticultural background and how she became the plant lady that she is today
[11:11] How community-supported agriculture (CSA) helped address food shortage during the first months of COVID
[12:54] Store-bought vegetables vs homegrown and organic vegetables
[14:05] Melody discusses one of the biggest problems in agribusiness and food nutrition
[15:23] What is in Melody’s amazing live soil
[16:37] The three different types of soil and their characteristics
[19:41] What type of soil is best for the garden?
[21:01] Why you need the best soil for your plants
[21:13] Where to get the best indoor and outdoor gardening products
[22:39] How to best keep animals away from your greens
[25:14] How to keep weeds from growing in your garden with a collinear hoe
[27:07] Melody’s first year gardening
[28:28] How to keep your soil rich and how to format your garden
[30:12] Melody’s tips on designing an in-ground garden
[31:17] How to use compost in your garden
[33:28] A little trivia about sweet illicium, and the importance of knowing your beneficials
[34:59] Bees in the garden and why you shouldn’t be scared of them
[35:55] How plants teach us the importance of co-existence
[36:36] Garden beginner tip: try square gardening!
[38:21] Why you should examine the roots of your plants and what they can teach you about your garden
[39:38] Maria and Melody’s plants this growing season
[42:35] Maria shares the wonderful things she’s learned from Melody about plants and about life

Thank you to our episode sponsors:

Espoma Organic

DeerBusters

If you’ve got wildlife looking at your veggie garden, DeerBusters is here to help! DeerBusters strives to protect the gardens of companies and individuals through high-quality, easy-to-install, wildlife fencing kits that come in several different materials and sizes. No fancy hardware needed. Visit deerbusters.com today to protect your plants tomorrow and use code BLOOM at checkout for 10% off.

Check out Melody's garden on my Youtube channel! https://youtu.be/25vb5uGC0r4

Follow Maria and Bloom and Grow Radio:

Take the Bloom and Grow 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 and Facebook: @BloomandGrowRadio

Tiktok: @bloomandgrowradio

Subscribe to the Bloom and Grow Youtube Show! /Bloomandgrowradio

Website: www.bloomandgrowradio.com

Join the (free) Garden Club: www.bloomandgrowradio.com/garden-club

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Palm Care 101 with Chris Satch Jun 01, 2021

Show notes

When I look at a large gorgeous palm, outside or indoors, I immediately get tropical vibes from their huge leaves, the way they sway in the wind, and the way the leaves cascade over their delicate stems. They just have a certain something that creates an instant jungle vibe. However, palms are also notoriously tricky plants to successfully care for! Lucky for us, Chris of NYC Plant Doctor comes to the rescue with expert advice and knowledge on how to properly care for our palms, and how not to kill them as I did with my fan palm. Enjoy!

Get on the waitlist for the Bloom and Grow Garden Party Launch

Be the first to gain access and founding member discounts through joining our waitlist

Snag your spot on the waitlist here

Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast,

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

In this episode we learn:

[00:04:16] Chris shares his insane window setup in his new New York apartment!
[00:06:38] Some interesting trivia about the Arecaceae family
[00:08:04] The most common palms that you probably didn’t even know you know: coconut palm, carnauba palm, date palm, and more!
[00:11:15] Where the Arecaceae family got its name
[00:11:33] Three morphological groups of palm: rhizomatous, lianas, and arborescent
[00:14:53] Where palms grow in nature, their history, and their uses over time
[00:17:23] Why you won’t see rings in your palms
[00:19:53] Examples of cold-hardy palms and where to find them
[00:22:47] Chris gets real about palms: they are hard for beginners!
[00:23:16] Watering and humidity needs of your palm plants
[00:25:07] How to differentiate salt damage vs humidity issues in your palms
[00:26:39] Should you use distilled water or rainwater for your palms?
[00:28:44] The right soil for the palm you have
[00:30:38] Signs that your palm is happy, and signs that it’s not
[00:31:19] How much light do palms need? Chris shares a big myth-buster about palms and light
[00:32:41] Chris explains why palms can be difficult to grow: they are temperature-sensitive
[00:33:48] Did you know you can extend your garden harvest through fall and even over winter?
[00:35:12] The biggest threat to your garden
[00:36:42] How to fertilize your palm tree - and why they don’t need much!
[00:40:59] Chris expert advice on repotting your palms
[00:41:54] Why you should not plant your palms in terracotta pots
[00:43:44] The most common pests of palms, and why Chris doesn’t have palms in his home
[00:45:17] Maria talks about the one important aspect of plant parenthood: knowing what works for you and what doesn’t
[00:49:33] How to propagate your palms
[00:50:13] Can you really grow coconut indoors, and if yes, how?
[00:51:41] How can you control a palm’s growth?
[00:53:17] What to do when your palm gets pests
[00:55:57] Some fast palm facts from Chris!
[00:58:36] The best palm to get for beginners
[01:02:39] Maria’s reflections on palms and caring for them

Mentioned in our conversation:

Bloom and Grow Radio episodes

Thank you to our episode sponsors:

Territorial Seed Company

DeerBusters

If you’ve got wildlife looking at your veggie garden, DeerBusters is here to help! DeerBusters strives to protect the gardens of companies and individuals through high-quality, easy-to-install, wildlife fencing kits that come in several different materials and sizes. No fancy hardware needed. Visit https://www.deerbusters.com/ today to protect your plants tomorrow and use code BLOOM at checkout for 10% off.

Follow Chris:

Instagram: @botanictonic | @nycplantdoctor

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Parlor Palm Care article

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4 "Plant Care Hacks" I No Longer Do and Other Shifts in My Plant Care Practice May 18, 2021

Show notes

Plant friends, I’ve been fortunate enough to take a lot of deeper dives in the science of plant care since quarantine happened and my outlook on plant care and the hobby of keeping plants has dramatically shifted in the last year and a half. I find myself turning away from blogs and towards textbooks and have a new deep appreciation for the horticulturalists on this show who can truly dive deeper with us and explain the why behind the how of all the practices we are told to do on care cards and social media posts. The combination of over 120 episode interviews, and now all these hours in the courses, has been enlightening and I wanted to come clean about these shifts I’m making in my personal collection and plant care practices. Thank you for learning alongside me and I hope this episode helps you keep blooming and keep growing through your plant parenthood journey!

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In this episode we learn:

[05:07] Why Maria is sharing her plant hacks (past and current), shifts in her plant parenthood, and ‘aha!’ moments
[06:57] Been There Done That Plant Hack #1: Being obsessed with humidity (and some humidity tips from experts to help you with your humidity problems)
[12:00] Two humidity hacks that Maria is not doing anymore: misting and pebble trays
[12:43] The truth and risks behind misting your plants
[14:51] Been There Done That Plant Hack #2: Living by your plant care cards
[17:12] Maria shares an exciting feature of the Bloom and Grow Garden Party
[18:24] Been There Done That Plant Hack #3: Understanding light based on plant diagrams and not based on your specific light situation
[19:29] Maria’s experience dealing with a low light situation for her plants and how she became a super sleuth for sunbeams
[23:34] Been There Done That Plant Hack #4: Planting in pots without drainage holes!
[25:22] Maria’s two easy hacks for pots without drainage holes
[27:42] Plant Parenthood Shift #1: Converting plants from semi hydro to soil
[28:38] Maria’s bonus hack: use leca to root your plants
[29:28] The best companion after a planty day
[31:16] Growing season is not just for spring and summer, you can now have fall and winter harvest!
[33:16] An update on Limey, Maria’s lime tree
[34:42] Plant Parenthood Shift #2: Addressing plant FOMO and focusing on current plants
[37:07] What our plants teach us about life and how our plant collections should make us feel
[38:24] Learnings to bring into this new growing season!

Mentioned in our conversation:

Bloom and Grow Radio episodes

Bloom and Grow Youtube videos

3 Planty Date Night Ideas with Billy
How Drainage Works in Pots, The Perched Water Table & a "Drainage Hack" that Doesn't work!

Thank you to our episode sponsors:

Allagash Brewing Company

Allagash Brewing Company is an amazing brewery and b corporation out of Portland, Maine that has just come out with Fine Acre: an organic beer that’s the perfect accompaniment to your indoor and outdoor gardening practices this spring and summer! We are celebrating this launch with the Beer Gardening with Allagash Sweepstakes! The prize is insanely planty with $300 to Bloomscape, $100 Allagash merch gift card, a consultation with Maria, and the chance to direct $2,500 to a community garden nonprofit of your choosing! Head over to allagash.com for mechanics on how to join the giveaway! Fine Acre and other Allagash beers are for drinkers 21+. Please drink responsibly.

Allagash also sponsored a fantastic Youtube Video on the channel this week 3 Planty Date Night Ideas with Billy! Click here to check it out!

Territorial Seed Company

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How to Manage Deer, Squirrels, Chipmunks, Moles, Voles and Other Animals in Your Garden with Brie The Plant Lady May 11, 2021

Show notes

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!

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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’? Brie shares an important reminder about animals in nature
[00:18:29] Maria shares a totally honest story about critters #nofilter
[00:19:02] How to identify chipmunks from squirrels, and what their usual behaviors are in the garden
[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
[00:29:07] Using vole king bags to protect your bulbs from animals
[00:30:20] Vole king bags vs chicken wire planters
[00:31:11] Shrews vs voles vs moles
[00:32:47] How to deal with moles in the garden
[00:33:21] Why you should use less mulch in the garden
[00:35:12] Where and how to plant garlic as vole repellent (and hit two birds with one stone!)
[00:39:16] Do you need to worry about burrowing animals if you have raised beds?
[00:40:40] What are groundhogs and how to keep them away from the garden
[00:43:14] Squirrel damage vs groundhog damage
[00:45:29] Setting up a wildlife camera for better animal surveillance in the garden
[00:47:02] Where to get the best eco planters (with gorgeous color selections!)
[00:49:24] The best and easiest deer fence kits for your garden
[00:51:16] The idea behind trap crops and how to apply them in the garden
[00:54:25] The different plants that help repel rabbits
[00:57:26] How often should you apply repellents to your plants?
[00:58:54] Using animal scats to identify pests in the garden
[01:00:00] Why deer is a serious gardening problem and how understanding their behavior can help you keep them away
[01:01:50] How to install hedges and streamers that keep deer away
[01:06:29] Deer-proof plants, are there such things?
[01:09:05] When to use deer sprays and how to best use mammal-specific repellents
[01:11:35] Brie shares her own recipe of animal repellent using common household items!
[01:13:33] The rookie mistakes gardeners make when trying to keep animals from the garden
[01:15:56] Brie reminds us how to be mindful gardeners and have respect for the animals that we don’t want in our gardens
[01:17:11] What Brie’s garden looks like! It is envy-worthy!

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

Thank you to our episode sponsors:

WallyGro

Wallygro has just launched new Spring Colors in both their Eco and Loop planters! The Eco planter model makes installing your own greenwall a breeze and their Loop planter model is the answer to drip-free tabletop or hanging plants, and they are made from recycled plastic! WallyGro is offering a limited-time 15% discount to our community from May 11 to May 18th. Snag them while they are available at wallygro.com and use code BAGR15 for 15% off at checkout.

DeerBusters

If you’ve got wildlife looking at your veggie garden, DeerBusters is here to help! DeerBusters strives to protect the gardens of companies and individuals through high-quality, easy-to-install, wildlife fencing kits that come in several different materials and sizes. No fancy hardware needed. Visit deerbusters.com today to protect your plants tomorrow and use code BLOOM at checkout for 10% off.

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Instagram and Facebook: @BloomandGrowRadio

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Subscribe to the Bloom and Grow Youtube Show! /Bloomandgrowradio

Website: www.bloomandgrowradio.com

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