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

Jun 11, 2024 · 1 hr 11 min
Small Space Cut Flower Gardening for Beginners
Some of my happiest childhood memories are of my mom's garden bursting with homegrown flower bouquets. Whenever we had visitors, she'd snip whatever was in bloom, bundle it up with herbs from her kitchen garden, wrap it in a wet paper towel and tinfoil, and gift it to our guests. I just thought it was the simplest, kindest way to grow joy for herself and for her friends—and that's the beauty of growing cut flowers.Speaking of beauty, I couldn’t get enough of this episode’s guest and her amazing
Jun 4, 2024 · 1 hr 6 min
How to Move with Houseplants
Moving is such a pain in the neck. Packing boxes, saying goodbye to familiar surroundings, and navigating new neighborhoods—it's enough to make anyone break a sweat. But you know what can be worse than that, plant friends? Moving with houseplants!If you know, you know, and if you haven't moved with your houseplant collection yet, consider yourself lucky. Our guest today just moved across countries and into a different garden zone. We've both moved multiple times in the last few years, dragging o
May 28, 2024 · 1 hr 2 min
Bird-Friendly Gardening
While we are stewards of the land, we are also stewards of the native animals that call it home. And birds, with their declining population, need our help to keep them flying high in our shared environment. Our responsibility is to protect their home, provide them with food, and minimize the threats they face.When I realized there was someone else who shares my deep passion for birds AND gardens, and that she wrote a whole book on making bird-friendly gardens, I knew I needed to meet and befrien
May 21, 2024 · 54 min
Hydrangea Care
Hydrangeas are beautiful flowers, and they represent a wide range of emotions in different cultures. Yes, they can be tricky to grow, but they are relatively low-maintenance with the right care! In this episode, you will learn everything you need to know about hydrangeas from Ryan McEnaney aka @ryanplantsplants, your new best plant friend. I bumped into him in Seattle during the Northwestern Flower Show a few weeks back. We grabbed dinner and it was crazy how much we clicked!Ryan is a fifth-gene
May 14, 2024 · 34 min
How to Water Your Houseplants: Everything You Need to Know About Watering
Did you know that watering is one of the most common causes of houseplant death? You saw a gorgeous new plant baby from a store, and then you brought it home full of excitement and good intentions. In fact, you wanted to do your best, so you read the watering instructions in the packet and tried to follow them as closely as possible… And then tragedy happens. The once vibrant leaves start to wilt, turn yellow, or fall off entirely.It’s a rookie mistake! But I’m here to share my hard-earned water
May 7, 2024 · 52 min
How to Use Nature to Improve Your Mindset
How can you use plants to promote more mindful thinking? In this episode, I had the most amazing chat with my longtime plant friend Brittany Gowan (@brittanygowan). Brittany and I go way back to our NYC plant mom days when we used to have plant swaps and brunches together. It is pretty wild how plants can bring people together like that.Brittany is one of a kind—she blends her skills in psychology and coaching with her deep love of nature. On the show, we discussed how plants can reduce stress,
Apr 30, 2024 · 1 hr 21 min
How to Care for A Lot of Plants (AKA Have a Large Plant Collection)
If you have 250 plants in your home, what would you do? That seems like WAY too many plants to care for, right? But for Samantha Hermann, better known as @houseplusplant on Instagram, this is her second nature. She’s my newest plant friend, and I’m so excited to have a casual conversation with her on this episode (let me know if you want more episodes like this). Samantha has been successfully keeping that many plants alive and happy for years, and I’m sure it’s a lot of work. But she’s here to
Apr 23, 2024 · 50 min
Eco Anxiety
Have you ever felt a sense of worry, fear, or anger when you think about climate change and the state of our planet? If so, you may be experiencing what's called "eco-anxiety." As plant lovers who are so connected to nature through our gardens and houseplants, it makes total sense that eco-anxiety could affect us. We care deeply about the Earth because we are part of it. So, let us spend some time with my dearest friend and resident green witch, Rachael Cohen, to better understand this concept.I
Apr 16, 2024 · 1 hr 9 min
Composting Basics
You may have heard that compost is the key to a healthy garden, and feeding the soil is more important than feeding your plants. And if you don't garden, you've probably heard about composting as an eco-friendly way to live more sustainably and support the planet. That is why I dedicate an entire episode explaining what composting is and how it works.My guest, Michelle Balz, is a true composting guru who has written, not one, but two incredible books solely focused on this amazing soil amendment
Apr 9, 2024 · 38 min
Everything You Need to Know About Philodendron
If you're a houseplant lover like me, chances are you already have a philodendron or two in your collection. These awesome tropical plants are some of the most popular and beloved houseplants for good reason—they come in tons of different shapes, colors and sizes, and they're relatively easy to care for too! In this episode, I'm going to give you the full rundown of everything you need to know about growing these amazing plants at home. We'll cover the basics of their natural habitat and key car
Apr 2, 2024 · 37 min
How She Grew The Sill: Plantrepreneur Eliza Blank
If you interact with the houseplant community online at all, you've definitely felt the impact of The Sill on our plant niche. I honestly can't believe that it took me a whopping 230 episodes to finally have Eliza Blank, founder of The Sill, grace the Growing Joy with Plants podcast! Her female founder story of recognizing a need for a houseplant brand and building it into a million-dollar company would make you feel empowered, as it did me.In case you didn’t know, The Sill was one of the OG pla
Mar 26, 2024 · 57 min
Climate Proof Your Garden
Climate change is real, plant friends—and it’s impacting our world too fast! Because of that, it’s becoming extremely important for us plant parents/gardeners to adapt our practices to ensure our gardens can withstand the challenges that lie ahead. In fact, it’s already impacting our gardens in SO many ways—from unpredictable weather to increased pest infestations. So in this episode, I invited a new plant friend, Kim Stoddart, who is a passionate gardener, climate advocate, and author of "The C
Mar 19, 2024 · 1 hr 12 min
Why You Should Care About the Spring Equinox
What are your plans this Spring Equinox? Spring equinox is like a special day when light and dark are balanced just right. As it draws closer, it comes with a reminder that nature has its own patterns that repeat over and over, and this particular event shows us that winter is ending and spring is starting… bringing new life and growth. Tuning into the Earth's frequencies during this season can help us grow and feel refreshed too. In this episode, I’m so happy to welcome back our residential gre
Mar 12, 2024 · 37 min
Everything You Need to Know About Calathea
Calatheas have a bit of a reputation among plant parents for being dramatic "divas." And I'm not going to lie—they can be particular about their care. But don't let that scare you off! If you try to understand their preferences, you can totally grow lush, vibrant prayer plants at home. That’s what we’re going to talk about in this episode!In this episode, we learn:[01:44] Understanding calathea (now also called Goeppertia)[02:21] Why calathea isn’t for everyone (so set your expectations)[05:46]
Mar 5, 2024 · 52 min
Homesteading Basics
Is homesteading your ultimate dream? Because mine too, plant friends! Like most gardeners, I've always dreamed of someday creating a homestead and being more self-sufficient. I very much enjoy growing my own fruits, veggies, and herbs, but starting homesteading seemed a little scary. That’s why I was so excited to speak with gardening influencer Kevin Espiritu of Epic Gardening, who has spent the last few years turning his suburban property into an enviable homestead. Kevin shared his advice for
Feb 27, 2024 · 41 min
How to Repot Houseplants
Do you know that repotting and potting up mean different things? As our houseplants grow happily under our care, eventually they will outgrow their current pots. Determining whether your plant needs to simply have its soil refreshed (repotting) or be shifted to a larger container (potting up) can be challenging for new plant parents. In this episode, I will walk you through when to pot up versus repot, proper techniques for both, tips to avoid issues, and how to turn repotting into an uplifting
Feb 20, 2024 · 55 min
Indoor Plant Projects for Stress Relief
Do you feel a little sad or bored being stuck inside this winter (at least those in the northern hemisphere)? I hope the winter months haven’t got you down too much because I know we’re all feeling a bit cooped up lately. That’s why I brought on a new plant friend, Perla Sofía Curbelo-Santiago, a gardening expert and horticultural therapist, to share some of her favorite simple DIY indoor plant projects to spark joy during these months. Note that these are all featured in her new book ¡Verdura!
Feb 13, 2024 · 32 min
Everything You Need to Know About Ficus Care
I am completely obsessed with ficus! Over the last few months, I've been slowly collecting different ficus varieties and learning how to help them thrive. There's just something about the colorful leaves, sculptural shapes, and tree-like growth that makes me love this plant genus. I love my ficus collection and feel like this genus has been overlooked, with the fiddle leaf fig (Ficus lyrata) getting most of the hype. But there are so many gorgeous, easy-to-grow ficus species that make excellent
Feb 6, 2024 · 58 min
Cultivating Intuition with Nature
How can we use plants to connect with intuitive energy? If you're anything like me, simply being around plants makes you feel happier, calmer, and more like your true self. I've always felt plants have some extra special magic that goes beyond their pretty leaves. That's why I was so excited to welcome back our resident “green witch" Rachael from Our Infinite Nature (formerly Infinite Succulent—yes, she just rebranded!) on the podcast this week to talk about how plant care can open up our intuit
Jan 30, 2024 · 57 min
Humidity and Houseplants
Do I really need a humidifier? Why do my plants get crispy leaves when I crank the heat? When it comes to houseplant care, humidity is right up there with water and light as one of the most important factors. I’ve spent years stressing about humidity levels. Fortunately, I invited my dear plant friend and humidity expert, Leslie Halleck, for another session of Grow Better. Understanding the science behind humidity has helped me stop freaking out and keep my plant collection happy.In this episode

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

Small Space Cut Flower Gardening for Beginners

How to Move with Houseplants

Bird-Friendly Gardening

Hydrangea Care

How to Water Your Houseplants: Everything You Need to Know About Watering

How to Use Nature to Improve Your Mindset

How to Care for A Lot of Plants (AKA Have a Large Plant Collection)

Eco Anxiety

Composting Basics

Everything You Need to Know About Philodendron

How She Grew The Sill: Plantrepreneur Eliza Blank

Climate Proof Your Garden

Why You Should Care About the Spring Equinox

Everything You Need to Know About Calathea

Homesteading Basics

How to Repot Houseplants

Indoor Plant Projects for Stress Relief

Everything You Need to Know About Ficus Care

Cultivating Intuition with Nature

Humidity and Houseplants