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

Latest Episodes:

Nature as Medicine: What 2,200 Studies Taught Dr. John La Puma About Getting Outside Oct 20, 2026

Show notes

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

In this episode, we learn:

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

Mentioned in our conversation:

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

You only need 17 intentional minutes of outdoor time,

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

Follow John:

Website
Blog
Books
Facebook
Instagram
YouTube
TikTok

Thank you to our episode sponsor:

Manukora

Go to manukora.com/bloom to get up to 31% off the starter kit that includes their 850+ Manukora honey jar, 5 honey travel sticks, a wooden spoon, a guidebook, and an onboarding call with Manukora's clinical specialist, PLUS $75 worth of free gifts!

Follow Maria and Growing Joy:

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

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

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

Instagram: @growingjoywithmaria

Tiktok: @growingjoywithmaria

Subscribe to the Growing Joy YouTube channel! /growingjoywithmaria

Website: www.growingjoywithmaria.com

Pinterest: @growingjoywithmaria

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

How Houseplants Get Made: Plant Breeding, Trend Forecasting and What It Takes to Grow Millions of Plants Oct 13, 2026

Show notes

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

In this episode, we learn:

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

Mentioned in our conversation:

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

Where do your favorite houseplants come from?

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

Follow Costa Farms:

Website
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube
TikTok
Pinterest
LinkedIn

Thank you to our episode sponsor:

Quarto: Rebel Gardeners by Camilla Anderson

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

Follow Maria and Growing Joy:

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

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

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

Instagram: @growingjoywithmaria

Tiktok: @growingjoywithmaria

Subscribe to the Growing Joy YouTube channel! /growingjoywithmaria

Website: www.growingjoywithmaria.com

Pinterest: @growingjoywithmaria

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

7 Gardening Tasks to Do Before Your Garden Goes Dormant: Best of Growing Joy Replay Oct 08, 2026

Show notes

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

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

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

In this episode, we learn:

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

Mentioned in our conversation:

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

Are you already dreaming about next year's garden?

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

Follow Resh:

Follow Maria and Growing Joy:

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

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

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

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

Instagram: @growingjoywithmaria

Tiktok: @growingjoywithmaria

Subscribe to the Growing Joy Youtube channel! /growingjoywithmaria

Website: www.growingjoywithmaria.com

Pinterest: @growingjoywithmaria

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

When Was the Last Time You Had an Original Thought? Oct 06, 2026

Show notes

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

In this episode, we learn:

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

Mentioned in our conversation:

Are you up for my no-screen mornings challenge?

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

Thank you to our episode sponsors:

Manukora

Go to manukora.com/bloom to get up to 31% off the starter kit that includes their 850+ Manukora honey jar, 5 honey travel sticks, a wooden spoon, and a guidebook, PLUS $25 worth of free gifts!

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

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

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

Instagram: @growingjoywithmaria

Tiktok: @growingjoywithmaria

Subscribe to the Growing Joy YouTube channel! /growingjoywithmaria

Website: www.growingjoywithmaria.com

Pinterest: @growingjoywithmaria

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

Desert Landscaping Tips for a Thriving Southwest Garden: Best of Growing Joy Replay Sep 24, 2026

Show notes

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

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

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

In this episode, we learn:

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

Mentioned in our conversation:

Have you ever killed a plant by loving it too much?

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

Follow Desert Botanical Garden:

Follow Maria and Growing Joy:

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

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

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

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

Instagram: @growingjoywithmaria

Tiktok: @growingjoywithmaria

Subscribe to the Growing Joy Youtube channel! /growingjoywithmaria

Website: www.growingjoywithmaria.com

Pinterest: @growingjoywithmaria

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

All My Plants are Dead Sep 22, 2026

Show notes

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

In this episode, we learn:

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

Mentioned in our conversation:

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

What's next for my plants?

Check out the full show notes and blog here!

Thank you to our episode sponsor:

Manukora

Go to manukora.com/bloom to get up to 31% off the starter kit that includes their 850+ Manukora honey jar, 5 honey travel sticks, a wooden spoon, and a guidebook, PLUS $25 worth of free gifts!

Follow Maria and Growing Joy:

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

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

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

Instagram: @growingjoywithmaria

Tiktok: @growingjoywithmaria

Subscribe to the Growing Joy YouTube channel! /growingjoywithmaria

Website: www.growingjoywithmaria.com

Pinterest: @growingjoywithmaria

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

Motherhood, Seasons of Life and Changing Plant Passions Sep 15, 2026

Show notes

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

In this episode, we learn:

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

Mentioned in our conversation:

For all of my and Becca's motherhood hot takes,

check out the full show notes and blog!

Follow Becca:

Podcast
Book
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube
TikTok

Thank you to our episode sponsors:

Quarto: Concrete Botany by Joey Santore

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

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

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

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

Instagram: @growingjoywithmaria

Tiktok: @growingjoywithmaria

Subscribe to the Growing Joy YouTube channel! /growingjoywithmaria

Website: www.growingjoywithmaria.com

Pinterest: @growingjoywithmaria

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

Indoor Citrus Trees: Light, Water, and Fruiting Tips: Best of Growing Joy Replay Sep 10, 2026

Show notes

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

In this episode, we learn:

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

Mentioned in our conversation:

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

Set your indoor citrus plant up for success with Danny's expert tips!

Check out the full show notes and blog here!

Follow Danny:

Website
Instagram
Repots
Facebook
Email

Follow Maria and Growing Joy:

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

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

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

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

Instagram: @growingjoywithmaria

Tiktok: @growingjoywithmaria

Subscribe to the Growing Joy Youtube channel! /growingjoywithmaria

Website: www.growingjoywithmaria.com

Pinterest: @growingjoywithmaria

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

Listen to This Before You Buy a Greenhouse! Sep 08, 2026

Show notes

Have you fallen down the greenhouse rabbit hole yet, plant friends? If you've had plants for more than a year, you're probably like me, who's started Googling "how to put a greenhouse in my backyard" already. And I learned that a greenhouse isn't a big plant shelf but a structure, and it's probably the largest single purchase you'll make as a plant parent. I'm in Zone 10b in Florida and I still haven't built mine. So I asked Leslie Halleck, a favorite podcast guest, a long-time friend, and someone who has a master's in greenhouse production and a new book called Home Greenhouse Revival, what to figure out first. And I think she also holds the guest record for most appearances on the show! Let's dive in!

In this episode, we learn:

[02:06] Meet Leslie Halleck
[02:33] Moving her whole life and business from Texas to Oregon
[03:29] Why the Pacific Northwest is a ‘horticultural mecca’ for gardeners
[04:42] Lelie’s new 6-acre property (what she calls folia forest farm)
[06:49] What does her "pocket farming" look like?
[09:03] Why are greenhouses trending?
[12:51] What is the biggest greenhouse mistake?
[14:13] Why cooling a greenhouse is so much harder than heating one
[15:29] Manukora Honey
[17:47] Hoop house vs. glass house
[18:47] What are the elements that make up a greenhouse?
[21:21] Greenhouse framing materials and glazing!
[22:43] Is there a beginner-friendly greenhouse?
[25:04] What Leslie thinks about thrifted/DIY vintage window greenhouses
[27:41] How to pick the right greenhouse size?
[29:48] Greenhouses as the expensive part of a cheap hobby
[30:33] Using multiple greenhouses to zone temperature and humidity
[32:47] What about a half-empty greenhouse?
[33:26] What is AOI (angle of incidence)? How roof pitch and sun angle affect how much light gets in
[35:49] Inside the plant profiles (PPFD, DLI, photoperiod, fertilizer PPM, and VPD)
[39:21] How does pest management in a greenhouse work?
[43:33] Leslie's dream greenhouse for her new property (and why she's leaning Venlo)
[48:23] How greenhouse pricing and options have changed and where to find good manufacturers
[50:26] Why you want someone local who knows your climate and orientation
[51:29] Starting small without setting yourself up to fail (and reviving a greenhouse that already flopped)
[54:10] Where to find Leslie, the book, her gardener's round tables, and her UCLA courses!

Mentioned in our conversation:

For Leslie's expert greenhouse advice,

check out the full show notes and blog here!

Follow Leslie:

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Shop
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Thank you to our episode sponsor:

Manukora

Go to manukora.com/bloom to get up to 31% off the starter kit that includes their 850+ Manukora honey jar, 5 honey travel sticks, a wooden spoon, and a guidebook, PLUS $25 worth of free gifts!

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The Secret Language of Flowers Every Plant Lover Should Know Sep 01, 2026

Show notes

How can we use flowers to further connect with nature and with the world? My mom once photocopied an entire flower dictionary for me from the thick pages of The Language of Flowers. I loved that she did it, but then I never really used it because it was too dense and there were a lot of meanings nobody says out loud anymore. But then I’ve thought deeply about it. I've grown dahlias my whole life. I have four hibiscus in my front lawn now. What if those choices were saying something? So I sat down with Mary Kelava, a former florist and author of A Bouquet of Words, to finally learn the language of flowers as a gardener. Come learn with me!

In this episode, we learn:

[01:27] Meet Mary Kelava!
[02:12] How she became a florist and a flower language expert
[03:41] Two types of flower books you’re bound to read!
[06:08] My mom’s photocopied dictionary part of ‘The Language of Flowers’
[07:41] Where does the language of flowers come from?
[10:21] How did the Victorian era understand the language of flowers?
[11:38] What the flowers you're drawn to might be telling you
[12:46] Why color, personal memory, and fragrance matter as much as the meaning
[15:03] Espoma Organic
[16:54] Leslie Halleck's new book, Home Greenhouse Revival
[18:30] Kate Middleton's wedding bouquet, Queen Elizabeth's funeral flowers, and a Lego hibiscus
[20:16] Do flower colors carry meanings of their own, or is it just color psychology?
[21:46] What zinnias mean, and how to handle flowers bred in every color
[22:58] What the research for her book ‘A Bouquet of Words’ looked like
[23:57] Do flower meanings hold up across cultures?
[25:35] How to start learning the language of flowers easily
[27:02] How to build a themed garden with meaning using easy-to-grow flowers
[28:29] Planning a flower memorial garden for a pet
[31:01] How to write notes that go with the bouquet
[32:29] Bringing this to the florist (or to the $6.99 Trader Joe's flowers)
[34:46] Bouquet recipes for housewarmings, Christmas, and new babies
[36:26] What are some birth month and zodiac flowers?
[37:02] Get well flowers, and giving hydrangea to someone who's persevered
[37:50] Why Mary assigns a signature flower to her closest friends
[38:34] What flowers to give someone in grief?
[40:49] Where to find Mary and A Bouquet of Words!

Mentioned in our conversation:

A Bouquet of Words by Mary Kelava
Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
Episode 339: How to Grow Sweet Peas, The World's Most Nostalgic Flower with Marryn Mathis

To grow flowers that have meaning to you,

check out the full show notes and blog for Mary's recommendations!

Follow Mary:

Website
Instagram
Blogs

Thank you to our episode sponsors:

Espoma Organic

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

Quarto: Home Greenhouse Revival by Leslie F. Halleck

Home Greenhouse Revival is available for pre-order now at quarto.com and launches in September. Pre-order your copy wherever books are sold or through your local bookstore.

Follow Maria and Growing Joy:

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

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

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

Instagram: @growingjoywithmaria

Tiktok: @growingjoywithmaria

Subscribe to the Growing Joy YouTube channel! /growingjoywithmaria

Website: www.growingjoywithmaria.com

Pinterest: @growingjoywithmaria

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Thank you to our episode sponsor:

Manukora

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To grow flowers that have meaning to you,

Thank you to our episode sponsors:

Espoma Organic

Quarto: Home Greenhouse Revival by Leslie F. Halleck

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