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

If you knew where most grocery store lettuce comes from and what it goes through before it lands in that plastic box, you’d never look at bagged salad the same way again.

In this Best of Growing Joy episode, I’m sharing a practical, beginner-friendly guide on how to grow lettuce from seed so you can harvest fresh, crunchy salad greens right outside your door with my friend and garden coach, Nicole Burke of Gardener. We talk about simple ways to grow lettuce in raised beds, containers, grow bags, and even tiny balconies, so you can enjoy homegrown salads on repeat all season long!

Nicole breaks down the different types of lettuce and salad greens, when to direct sow seeds versus starting them indoors, and the watering routine that actually keeps those shallow roots happy. We also chat about easy organic pest strategies, smart spacing, and how to harvest lettuce so it keeps growing back, giving you that dreamy cut-and-come-again salad garden.

By the end of this episode, you’ll feel confident starting lettuce from seed and excited to swap those plastic boxes for vibrant, living greens just a few steps from your kitchen!

 

In this episode, we learn:

[00:03] Maria shares indoor hydroponic lettuce growth and outdoor lettuce garden prep.

[06:02] Why lettuce is ideal for first-time food-growing houseplant parents.

[06:53] What is Gardenary all about?

[08:23] How Nicole makes beautiful raised-bed gardens

[14:19] Where are 98% of the United States lettuces grown?

[17:01] What materials are needed for lettuce?

[20:47] Where can you find a wide array of quality lettuce seeds and seed mixes?

[23:27] Where to get a potting mix, soil, fertilizer, or compost for your garden beds/containers?

[25:15] What lettuce does Nicole recommend for beginners?

[24:34] Lettuce Category #1: Loose leaf

[29:15] Lettuce Category #2: Head lettuce

[31:09] Is Nicole indoor-starting or direct-sowing lettuce?

[32:32] How do you calculate when it's time to start direct sowing?

[35:55] What is the process of growing lettuce from seed?

[36:14] Process #1: If you have limited space

[40:40] Where to find a nutrition program for weight management, more energy, and clear skin?

[42:55] Process #2: If you live in an apartment

[46:01] What are Nicole’s tips for harvesting?

[47:53] What mistakes do people commonly make in growing lettuce?

[49:58] How to eat Swiss chard

[52:23] Have you heard of Nicole’s newest book Kitchen Garden Revival?

[57:45] Where can you follow Nicole?

 

Mentioned in our conversation:

Growing Joy Episode 120 Designing and Planning My Garden // Coaching With Nicole of Gardenary

Ivette Soler’s book The Edible Front Yard: The Mow-Less, Grow-More Plan for a Beautiful, Bountiful Garden

Hydroponic planter

Nicole Burke’s book Kitchen Garden Revival

Nicole’s Burke’s book Leaves, Roots & Fruit

Rocky Top Mix Salad Blend

Territorial Seed Company Spring Mixes

Martha Stewart's book Vegetables: Inspired Recipes and Tips for Choosing, Cooking, and Enjoying the Freshest Seasonal Flavors: A Cookbook

10 Years, 4 Cities, 8 Gardens-Nicole Burke's Kitchen Garden Journey

 

Craving fresher, crunchier salads straight from your garden?

Check out the full show notes and blog for my favorite beginner lettuce varieties, seed-starting tips, and easy harvest tricks!

 

Follow Nicole

Website

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

YouTube

 

 

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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Why are monarch butterflies so special? If you follow me on Instagram, you already know my answer. The monarch butterfly has completely taken over my heart. I literally dressed up as one for Halloween this year, and I have zero regrets! Ever since my husband and I moved to Florida, I started planting milkweed just to watch them hatch in my own yard. And wow. Seeing their life cycle happen right in front of me made me think deeply about gardening. It also made me realize I had a lot to learn. So I called up my favorite wildlife nerd, David Mizejewski, and we spent a whole podcast episode just geeking out about monarch butterflies together! Let's dive in!

 

In this episode, we learn:

[03:57] Meet David Mizejewski, a naturalist, NWF, and a fellow monarch nerd!

[04:36] Why monarch butterflies hold a special emotional place for me

[06:06] What are the benefits of monarchs?

[08:49] Are monarchs really disappearing?

[10:53] Why the endangered/threatened designation is so confusing

[12:52] What would a "threatened" listing actually do for monarchs?

[15:28] Manukora

[17:13] How microplastics affect the environment

[18:25] Why are monarchs disappearing?

[19:20] The monarch lifecycle

[22:19] Why monarchs are specialists

[29:48] How gardeners can actually help monarch butterflies

[31:33] Native milkweed varieties worth knowing

[35:12] How to source pesticide-free native plants

[36:45] What are neonicotinoids?

[37:37] Which milkweed to avoid (aka the tropical milkweed problem)

[42:39] How to visually identify tropical milkweed

[45:05] Why you shouldn’t hand-rear monarchs!

[48:25] How the monarch migration actually works

[52:03] What to do instead of hand-rearing!

[53:43] Why parasitic wasps killing caterpillars is natural

[57:46] Where to find native plants by zip code

[59:46] How to certify your monarch garden with NWF

[01:01:19] My plans for my new home, my HOA, and my neighborhood kids!

[01:02:35] NWF's "cues of care" strategy

[01:04:37] Where to find David and all NWF resources

 

Mentioned in our conversation:

National Wildlife Federation

Native Plants Finder

Garden for Wildlife

Native Plant Finder by Zip Code

Certified Wildlife Habitat

 

If you want to help the monarch population,

check out the full show notes and blog for David's expert advice!

 

Follow David:

Website
Instagram
YouTube
Facebook
TikTok
LinkedIn

 

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

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Did you know your “regular” herb garden can double as a medicinal herb garden, and that the mint you grab for mojitos can actually calm your nerves and your digestion? I used to think herbalism meant mysterious tincture bottles and complicated formulas… until I started turning the basil, mint, and lemon balm I grow into simple herbal teas I actually drink every night.

In this Best of Growing Joy episode, I’m revisiting a conversation with Juliet from the Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine, botanist, herbalist, and author of The Healing Garden. If you’re a gardener, tea lover, or herbalism beginner who wants to learn how to grow and use medicinal herbs you already have, this episode is for you!

You’ll learn which common herbs (like mint, basil, rosemary, lemon balm, and calendula) are most powerful to start with, how to harvest and dry them for tea, and why plant energetics (matching herbs to your unique body) matters more than any trendy supplement. By the end, you’ll know exactly how to make your own herbal tea from garden herbs instead of reaching for another tea bag.

 

In this episode, we learn:

[04:58] What led Juliet Blankenspoor to become interested in herbalism

[08:52] What makes plants medicinal, and have they been proven by doctors?

[11:51] Energetics of plants and how to complement their energies with people's

[15:49] How do you determine your own energy constitution?

[16:45] Who is Wim Hoff and what are the possible benefits of cold showers?

[19:16] What's the best way to get started with this completely new field of medicinal benefits?

[22:22] Where to get the best seeds for your spring garden

[23:38] The right choice for safe indoor and outdoor gardening products

[27:03] What are the properties of Mint?

[28:30] Some of the commonly used herbs that we might not be aware of

[30:01] What tonic means in the context of herbal medicine

[32:36] What are the medicinal properties of chives?

[33:58] How we can prepare tea from fresh and dried herbs

[38:16] Is there any medicinal value to the mint stem?

[39:43] What other herbs can you grow to make your own tea?

[44:13] Your next favorite kitchen appliance!

[47:19] What are some of the most versatile medicinal plants Juliet recommends exploring that aren't found in a traditional culinary garden?

[48:19] What plants should you add to your culinary garden for medical benefits?

[52:38] Juliet Blankespoor’s favorite herbs that you can add to your cooking recipes

[57:39] What can you learn from the book ‘The Healing Garden: Cultivating and Handcrafting Herbal Remedies'?

 

Mentioned in our conversation:

The Healing Garden: Cultivating and Handcrafting Herbal Remedies, book by Juliet Blankespoor

Tea strainers

Wim Hof Method

FREE 2-week trial to the Garden Party!

 

Curious what else your herb garden might be hiding?

Check out the full show notes and blog for beginner-friendly herbalism tips and recipes!

 

Follow Juliet

Website

Instagram

Facebook

Healing Garden Gateway, Juliet's personal website

 

 

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.

I’ve always wanted to make gardening a lifelong hobby because I plan to have dirt under my nails well into my 80s or 90s, but I never really thought through HOW to make that happen. Because as much as we love our plants, gardening as you age is not about doing the same thing forever. I see it with my mom who’s an incredible gardener. She has that true plant parent energy, but even she has to change how she gardens. So what if the secret to longevity is just learning how to garden differently? To help me with that topic is Rhonda Fleming Hayes. She’s the author of Garden for Life and has been gardening across more climates, zones, and life changes than most of us can imagine. And in this episode, she teaches us gardening tips for seniors and how to adapt your garden as you age so gardening stays joyful!

 

In this episode, we learn:

[02:56] Meet Rhonda Fleming Hayes, author of Garden for Life!

[03:25] What do we call “senior gardeners” without promoting ageism?

[04:21] Why 55 is the turning point for when/how much you garden!

[05:56] How has Rhonda's gardening experience been?

[08:09] How Rhonda’s relationship with her garden has changed as she’s gotten older

[09:42] What are the mistakes senior gardeners make?

[12:04] Gardening as something that should change with you!

[13:03] Why continuing to garden matters as you age

[15:09] Concrete Botany by Joey Santore

[16:14] My summer with Melody + how companionable garden buddies help each other!

[18:49] How to evaluate your garden for safety/accessibility?

[21:00] Tools that make gardening sustainable over time

[23:06] How to start gardening over again when moving to a new space

[25:59] Why you need to create "way stations" to sit and enjoy your garden

[27:52] How to overcome the “ego blow” of hiring professional garden help

[31:01] What does Rhonda's own Minnesota garden look like?

[33:40] What getting help actually looks like in practice

[34:39] Inspiring real-life gardener stories from her book, Garden for Life

[36:27] Where to find Rhonda and her book online

 

Mentioned in our conversation:

Rhonda’s books:

Garden for Life: Strategies for Easier, Greener, More Joyful Gardening as We Age

Pollinator Friendly Gardening: Gardening for Bees, Butterflies, and Other Pollinators

 

For Rhonda's complete senior gardening tips

check out the full show notes and blog here!

 

Follow Rhonda:

Instagram
BlueSky

The Garden Buzz Facebook

The Garden Buzz X

 

Thank you to our episode sponsor:

Quarto: Concrete Botany by Joey Santore

Grab Concrete Botany at quarto.com and wherever books are sold.

 

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.

Did you know mushrooms aren’t actually plants, but a completely different kingdom that plays a huge role in soil health, plant health, and the success of your indoor and outdoor garden?

This is the third episode in our Mushroom Mini Series, and this week we’re having a high-level conversation all about what mushrooms are, how fungi and mycelium work, and why they matter so much for plant parents and anyone interested in holistic plant care.

Louis from North Spore joins me and my husband Billy for a really fun conversation about the underground “wood wide web,” how mushrooms support your garden ecosystem, and why understanding fungi can completely change the way you think about gardening, mushrooms in soil, and growing mushrooms at home.

I hope this conversation helps you better understand the hidden life in your soil and inspires you to look at mushrooms, plant care, and your garden in a whole new way.

 

In this episode, we learn:

[05:42] What is it like being a mushroom farmer?

[06:40] Multiple harvests from the grow kits through proper moisture management

[08:51] Debunking magic mushroom misconceptions

[2:44] Billy and Maria’s positive experiences with Lion's mane mushroom

[14:34] How do you grow mushrooms indoors?

[14:44] #1 Spray & Grow Kits (The perfect beginner species!)

[18:02] #2 Fruiting Blocks

[19:17] Where can you get premium quality growlights?

[21:05] Where can you find delightful wind chimes that make for a perfect gift choice?

[22:23] #3 Martha Tents (aka North Spore’s Boom Room)

[25:36] How do you avoid mold with a Martha tent?

[28:18] What's the ideal humidity level on the humidistat for the fruiting blocks?

[30:39] What comprises a fruiting block and what goes into making it?

[32:17] How do you distinguish spawns versus spores?

[37:13] How do you pasteurize something?

[37:58] What would be three great beginner mushrooms to start in a grow tent?

[40:09] Economics of mushroom cultivation

[42:26] Can a Martha tent enable a wider range of mushroom growth compared to a mono tub?

[43:21] #3 Mono tub

[50:22] What are the two substrates of Nameko mushrooms?

[54:23] Who is North Spore?

 

Mentioned in our conversation:

How to Make a Martha Tent Mushroom Fruiting Chamber

‘BoomRoom’ Automated Mushroom Martha Tent Grow Kit

How to Make a Monotub: The Complete Monotub Tek Guide

Using a Spray & Grow Kit

Fruiting Block Kits

Spray & Grow Kits

Monotub Kits

Monotub Set Up & Grow Guide

How to Grow Mushrooms in Buckets & Containers

 

Feeling a little more mushroom curious after this episode?

Check out the full show notes and blog for fungi basics and growing tips!

 

Follow North Spore

Louis' LinkedIn

Website

Instagram

YouTube

Facebook

TikTok

 

 

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.