Cultivating Curiosity with Plants with Tyler Thrasher

Plant friends, we are diving deep about how and why plants are such a fantastic tool for cultivating curiosity. Beyond making my home look beautiful, the greatest gift plants have given me is reinvigorating my connection with the natural world, and my inner student and child. As kids, we are blessed with this childlike wonder that gets so easy to lose touch with as we grow older, and plants bring that back to us. Our guest, Tyler Thrasher, is just the kind of person to learn how to cultivate curiosity with plants, as he is one of the most innovate, unique plant people hanging out on the internet. So get ready to not just care for your plants today, but to cultivate your own curiosity within you!

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In this episode we learn:

• [01:21] Exciting Growing Joy announcements!
• [03:55] How Tyler became the plant parent he is today
• [06:16] What was Tyler’s experience exploring his interest in nature as he was growing up?
• [07:44] How plants teach us about growth and resilience
• [09:42] Do you need a degree to study plants?
• [12:43] How plants reignite our curiosity about the world around us
• [16:13] How do you cultivate your curiosity even during the bad times?
• [19:57] Why human curiosity is evolution speaking
• [23:54] How Tyler’s greenhouse has changed over the years
• [27:17] What does Tyler’s collection look like at present?
• [28:24] Safe and quality indoor and outdoor gardening products
• [29:48] How to grow your food year-round!
• [32:14] What is a sport in plants?
• [33:24] Developing The Sport Hunting Guide and making variegated plants more accessible
• [38:19] What are different ways to rediscover your passion and love for plants?
• [41:24] What steps did Tyler take in exploring his curiosity about his first hybrid?
• [44:35] How many hybrids does Tyler have today?
• [46:31] How did Tyler learn how to crystallize flowers? How did he explore this curiosity?
• [48:17] What does Tyler’s lab setup look like? 
• [49:02] How long does it take to crystallize something? 
• [51:32] What does Tyler’s learning process look like? What resources does he use to explore his curiosities?
• [56:00] What’s next for Tyler and Moonbeam Flora?
• [58:18] Tyler on being a human dad and a plant parent, and raising a kid around plants
• [01:01:28] Where to find Tyler online

Mentioned in our conversation:

• Braiding Sweetgrass, book by Robin Wall Kimmerer
• Tyler Thrasher’s Sport Hunting Guide
• Moonbeam Flora
• Monstera Sports

Thank you to our episode sponsors:

Territorial Seed Company

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Espoma Organic

Espoma Organic is dedicated to making safe indoor and outdoor gardening products for people, pets, and the planet. They have an amazing variety of high-quality, organic potting mixes, garden soil, fertilizers, and pest control products that are organic and eco-friendly. To learn more about their pet safe indoor and outdoor gardening products, visit espoma.com to find your local Espoma dealer or check my Amazon storefront.

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