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

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

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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:
Website
Instagram
YouTube
Hundred Tomatoes


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

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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:
Growing Joy episodes:322: From Plant Care to Nature Therapy: A Solo Heart to Heart
310: Digital Detox: What 3 Days in Nature Taught Me (and How You Can Recreate It at Home)
192: How to Overcome Burnout Through The Healing Power of Nature

2015 Study: 40-Second Green Roof Views Sustain Attention
Subscribe to my Substack

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.

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:
Channy Gray Home
Elevated Gardening
New York Botanical Garden
Desert Botanical Garden
Marriott Hotel Phoenix
Desert Landscaping School of Desert Botanical Garden

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:
Website
Instagram
Facebook
Twitter
Tiktok
Linkedin


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.

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.