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

Maria Failla- Happy Plant Lady and Author of Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness

Looking for free, natural ways to decrease stress and increase joy and calm in your life? The answer might be simpler than you think: houseplants, gardening and nature. On Growing Joy with Plants, learn alongside Happy Plant Lady, Maria Failla to care for plants, engage with nature, and use them to manage your overwhelm, anxiety and experience happiness and calm you thought was only available on vacation.Plant care is self care. Come grow some joy with us. Follow along on socials @growingjoywithmaria

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429 episodes
Updated Thursday

Episodes429

Newest first

Jan 23, 2024 · 57 min
Top 5 Seed Starting Mistakes with Joe Gardener
It’s almost that glorious time of year again...seed starting season! I don’t know about you, but this is hands-down one of my favorite times in the garden. There’s just something touching about growing those tiny pieces of potential life into healthy plants and vegetables. However, I’d be lying if I said I’ve had perfect success right off the bat. Seed starting has a bit of a learning curve, but making mistakes is all part of the fun and learning in the garden! As long as you don’t lose an entir
Jan 16, 2024 · 54 min
Attract Pollinators with a Tiny Meadow in Your Yard
When I think of the word “meadow,” I imagine a glorious landscape filled with grasses and wildflowers swaying in the breeze. While beautiful, these meadows also seem completely out of reach for most home gardeners. But in this episode, meadow expert Graham Laird Gardner, author of ‘Tiny and Wild: Build a Small Scale Meadow Anywhere,’ is here to show us that we can recreate tiny meadows, even on the smallest scale.In this episode, we learn:[03:40] How Graham became the “meadow man”[06:27] Living
Jan 9, 2024 · 36 min
Everything You Need to Know about Alocasia
If there is one genus of plants that has captured my imagination for years but repeatedly evaded me, it’s Alocasia. These tropical plants with their large, alien-esque leaves and jewel-toned undersides have long obsessed me. I’d often pick them up from the garden center, only to watch them rapidly decline in my dry, temperate home. But after lots of trial and error, I’ve finally cracked the code to make them thrive! In this episode, I’m sharing everything I’ve learned about growing Alocasia hous
Jan 2, 2024 · 28 min
2024 Goals for My Houseplants and Garden
Happy New Year, plant friends! And you know what that means—time for some serious reflection about the previous year and thinking about how we want to step into 2024! I'm all about assessing what worked and what didn't across all areas of life. But today, let's talk about plants and how you and I can use them to cultivate as much happiness as possible in the coming year.When we show up consistently for our plant hobby, I firmly believe it can help us feel better, more peaceful, and more grounded
Dec 26, 2023 · 24 min
I killed a bunch of plants this year, here's what happened: How to Do a Plant Audit
Happy almost New Year, plant friends! For my last episode of 2023, I wanted to get a little reflective about the joy and growing parts of “Growing Joy.” This year, I bravely held a funeral for many of my houseplants that were no longer bringing me joy. Yes—I lost a LOT of houseplants this year. Some of the plants I said goodbye to weren’t even fully dead yet. They just weren’t happy in my home anymore, and I took it upon myself to consciously let them go in a ritualized way that released me from
Dec 19, 2023 · 1 hr 14 min
Being Organic Before Organic Was Cool: The Story of Espoma Organic
I still clearly remember the first time I used an Espoma product—their liquid indoor plant food to be exact. I had struggled so much with trying to find the right fertilizer for my houseplant collection, leading to a huge mess all over my kitchen from failed mixing attempts. But when I tried their simple liquid formula, I finally had the answer to my search, and healthy, thriving plants with gorgeous growth. And I became a lifelong Espoma convert!Little did I know then about the impressive 95-ye
Dec 12, 2023 · 31 min
4 Things You Need to Know about Winter and Houseplants
The winter can be challenging for indoor tropical houseplants that thrive in hot, humid environments. While our houseplants do not experience the true dormancy of outdoor deciduous plants (plants that drop all their leaves at some point in the year), they can enter a period of slowed growth known as “quiescence.” During this time, they require adjusted care to stay happy and healthy. After keeping houseplants for many winters and making my share of mistakes, I want to share the knowledge I’ve ga
Dec 5, 2023 · 1 hr
9 Jobs in Horticulture
Have you ever wondered, “Could working with plants really be my full-time job?” Well, dear plant friend, the answer is a resounding yes! There is a whole world of opportunities waiting for you in the horticulture industry should you decide to turn your plant passion into a career. In this episode, we’ll dig into 9 jobs in horticulture with my dear friend, Daniel Fuller. Daniel is a national council member for the Australian Institute of Horticulture, host of the “Plants Grow Here” podcast, and a
Nov 28, 2023 · 1 hr 7 min
How Much Lights Do My Houseplants Need?
Do you ever look around your home and wonder if your houseplants are getting enough light to thrive? Without the right amount and type of light, even the most pampered plant will struggle to survive. Yet many of us wing it when it comes to taking care of our houseplants. We stick that new fiddle leaf fig in a corner and wonder why its leaves droop. Or we assume a windowsill equals “bright indirect light” without really knowing what that means.I know it’s time to bring attention to this overlooke
Nov 21, 2023 · 35 min
5 Houseplant Crafts that Make Amazing DIY Holiday Gifts
The holiday season is officially here! As much as I love this festive time of year, gift-giving can be stressful for me. I always struggle to find meaningful, budget-friendly presents that make my loved ones happy. But this year, I'm spreading holiday cheer by gifting my friends and family homemade plant-inspired presents. Not only is this a budget-friendly idea—it also allows me to share my plant passion with the special people in my life. Plus, don’t you agree that plants make wonderful gifts,
Nov 14, 2023 · 54 min
How to Put Your Garden to Bed for Winter
The peak gardening season may be over, but there are still important tasks to do in the garden before winter arrives. As we enter fall and approach winter, it's time to start prepping our garden beds to go dormant. Properly putting your beds to rest sets your garden up for success when it awakens refreshed in spring. In this episode, gardening expert Resh Gala (@reshgala) tells us everything you need to know to properly put your garden to bed for the winter! This episode is a bit of a plant geek
Nov 7, 2023 · 58 min
How to Grow Citrus Indoors
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 de
Oct 24, 2023 · 1 hr 19 min
Plant Magic: How to Be a Green Witch
Do you ever wish you could invite a little more magic into your life? As fall approaches and the spooky season of Halloween is upon us, many of us long to connect with something… mystical. But magic doesn’t have to be complicated or even supernatural, plant friends. The energy of nature that surrounds us every day provides plenty of opportunity for wonder, spiritual connection, and manifestation!To guide us, I’ve invited my dear friend Rachael Cohen, who is a wonderful example of a modern green
Oct 17, 2023 · 1 hr 12 min
DIY Houseplant First Aid Kit
Caring for houseplants often means dealing with pests, diseases, or cultural issues at some point. Having a houseplant first aid kit prepared allows you to quickly treat problems and nurse your plants back to health. In this episode, our favorite horticulturist Leslie Halleck shares must-have items to include in your DIY houseplant first aid kit so you can effectively treat plant problems as soon as they pop up!In this episode, we learn:[00:17] What is a Houseplant First Aid Kit?[09:46] What is
Oct 10, 2023 · 40 min
Rooted in Generosity: Inspiring Harmony Through Wind Chimes and Why You Need Them in Your Garden
Wouldn't it be nice to wake up every morning to the hypnotic sound of wind chimes gently drifting through your bedroom window, plant friends? The delicate tones of wind chimes dancing on the breeze can turn an ordinary morning into a magical experience. In this episode, I spoke with the owners of Wind River Chimes to uncover the history, craftsmanship, and meaning behind these musical garden ornaments. If you’re a constant listener, I’m sure you know them as one of my podcast sponsors! Patty, Ja
Oct 3, 2023 · 51 min
The History of Italian Gardens and Italian Citrus
Ever heard the saying, "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade"? You bet those lemons might have come from an Italian garden, plant friends! To celebrate Italian American Heritage Month, this episode brings us all about the history of Italian gardens and citrus cultivation with Helena Attlee, an expert on Italian gardens and author of the book The Land Where Lemons Grow. We will talk about Italy's epic obsession with gardens and citrus fruits over the centuries.In this episode, we learn:[00:0
Sep 26, 2023 · 1 hr 5 min
Houseplant Styling Tips, How to Be A Professional Houseplant Stylist and All Things Maryah Greene
If you love styling your indoor plants and have an eye for design, becoming a professional plant stylist may be the perfect side hustle or full-time career for you, plant friends! Plant styling has exploded in popularity recently, as more people discover the therapeutic benefits of surrounding themselves with plants. In this episode, we'll share insights from Maryah Greene, a successful New York-based plant stylist and influencer, on how she built her brand Greene Piece. You'll learn Maryah’s ti
Sep 18, 2023 · 1 hr 3 min
How to Identify Houseplant Disease
Is your houseplant suddenly dropping leaves, getting spots, or just looking sick? Plant diseases can strike fear into any plant parent's heart. One day your plant baby is thriving, and the next it's on the decline! Plant diseases happen to the best of us. Even expert growers deal with fungal, bacterial, and viral plant infections. The good news is that many common houseplant diseases are treatable if caught early. But plant friends, you need to first know how to accurately identify them.In the t
Sep 12, 2023 · 26 min
How to Bring Your Plants Indoors for the Winter
The days are getting shorter and the temperatures are dropping, how do our plants adjust to this change? For us houseplant parents, this signals that it's time to start transitioning our outdoor summer plants back indoors. While it may seem simple to just pick up your plant pots and haul them inside, there are important steps to follow for a smooth transition.In this solo episode, I'll walk you through the entire process of bringing your houseplants indoors in 3 phases: Preparation, Transition,
Sep 5, 2023 · 54 min
How to Can and Ferment Vegetables and Fruits from Your Garden
When you grow an edible garden, you likely end up with a surplus of fresh produce at the peak of each growing season. Rather than letting those precious veggies and fruits go to waste, consider preserving them through time-tested techniques like canning and fermenting. These methods allow you to safely store your garden harvest so you can enjoy homemade jams, pickles, sauces, and more throughout the year! In this episode, you'll learn the basics of canning and fermenting from renowned homesteade

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

Top 5 Seed Starting Mistakes with Joe Gardener

Attract Pollinators with a Tiny Meadow in Your Yard

Everything You Need to Know about Alocasia

2024 Goals for My Houseplants and Garden

I killed a bunch of plants this year, here's what happened: How to Do a Plant Audit

Being Organic Before Organic Was Cool: The Story of Espoma Organic

4 Things You Need to Know about Winter and Houseplants

9 Jobs in Horticulture

How Much Lights Do My Houseplants Need?

5 Houseplant Crafts that Make Amazing DIY Holiday Gifts

How to Put Your Garden to Bed for Winter

How to Grow Citrus Indoors

Plant Magic: How to Be a Green Witch

DIY Houseplant First Aid Kit

Rooted in Generosity: Inspiring Harmony Through Wind Chimes and Why You Need Them in Your Garden

The History of Italian Gardens and Italian Citrus

Houseplant Styling Tips, How to Be A Professional Houseplant Stylist and All Things Maryah Greene

How to Identify Houseplant Disease

How to Bring Your Plants Indoors for the Winter

How to Can and Ferment Vegetables and Fruits from Your Garden