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

I’m  so thrilled to invite my Soil Science teacher Dr. Anna Paltseva to join us today for a nerdy conversation about soil science and drainage. I took her Soil Science 101 class virtually with the NYBG this year and learned so much. I look at soil and the earth differently after this course. What we learned is way too much to cover in one episode, so today Dr Paltseva and I hone in on drainage for houseplants: why it’s important, the science behind it and how we can achieve it for our houseplants.  I think one of my top 5 proudest moments over the 95 episode span of BAGR is the "lightbulb moment" we have in this conversation while discussing capillary action. But I’ll let you hear it in your own time in the midst of the episode. If you want more: I made a super nerdy youtube video companion to this episode. I show you some visuals to further explain what we discussed in our interview and show you the experiments I did for my presentation on drainage. Speaking of the NYBG, they have created an incredible virtual resource for you in this moment of social distancing: the NYBG At Home center. Since the Garden’s gates are temporarily closed, they’ve opened their virtual gates to you! They’ve compiled videos, plant guides, virtual events for your free entertainment and education and my favorite aspect of the NYBG at Home is their online courses! Plant Friends… these courses aren’t free, but they are so worth it. I got so much out of my soil science class, I will never pot a plant the same again, and this intro to plant science class is transforming the way I look at my balcony garden and plants. Check everything they have to offer at https://www.nybg.org/nybg-at-home/     In this episode we learn: Anna's childhood that inspired her to become a Soil Scientist Why fresh produce literally tastes better in Italy (hint... it has to do with the soil) What is the difference between soil and dirt Differences between outdoor and indoor soil Why indoor houseplant soil needs to be aerated The purpose of aeration Ways to help your soil that has become "hydrophobic" The "recipe" for soil How Sand, Silt and Clay drain at different rates and how that affects your soil What is "capillary action" and why bottom watering is best What is adhesion and cohesion in relation to capillary action Can you overwater a plant using the bottom watering method? What is the Perched Water Table How Maria has changed her plant care practices after learning about the Perched Water Table How do plants absorb minerals through roots and soil What are macro and micro nutrients What nutrients are important for our plants   Mentioned in the episode: Bloom and Grow Youtube Show on Drainage   Thank you to this week's episode sponsor: Espoma Organics: for responsibly made, fabulous indoor and outdoor organic soils, fertilizers, pest control sprays and more visit espoma.com to find your local dealer or check out my amazon storefront of my favorite Espoma products here.   Follow Dr Anya Paltseva Instagram: @soil_expert Website: https://www.annapaltseva.com/publications Youtube: Anna Paltseva   Follow The New York Botanical Garden: IG: www.instagram.com/nybg Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NYBotanicalGarden/ www.nybg.org Follow Maria and Bloom and Grow Radio: Take the Plant Parent Personality Test!:  Unlock your Plant Parent Potential by taking the test below and get curated recommendations for plants, projects and resources inspired by your lifestyle. Support Bloom and Grow Radio by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon! Instagram and Facebook: @BloomandGrowRadio Subscribe to the Bloom and Grow Youtube Show! /Bloomandgrowradio Website: www.bloomandgrowradio.com Join the (free) Garden Club: www.bloomandgrowradio.com/garden-club Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On the heels of the #amplifymelanatedvoices initiative, we take pause to reflect on the national and international conversation happening around the Black Lives Matter movement. We hear excerpts from two episodes with two beautiful Black Plant People, Christopher from PlantKween and Colah from Black in the Garden, share inspiring stories about how the Plant Community rallied to raise money and support the Black Lives Matters Movement, hear what Maria and Bloom and Grow's commitments are and end with a special poem and time for reflection.  Featured  Voices, Resources and Inspirational Stories of the Plant Community Stepping Up to Support Black Lives Matter Follow Christopher AKA PlantKween on Instagram: @plantkween Follow Colah and Black in the Garden: on Instagram @blackinthegarden  and subscribe on iTunes: Black in the Garden Podcast Ross Gay: A Small Needful Fact  https://www.rossgay.net/about Summer Rayne Oakes #PlantOneForward resource for Black Owned Plant Shops - this can be added to, so many sure your or your favorite black owned plant shops are on this list!  Betsy Begonia's US Black Owned Plant Related Businesses List - you can also email her to add others onto the list  Permacrafters created a list of 50 Black Voices in the Green Space to follow under the following categories: Herbalism, Environmental Justice, Climate Activism, Outdoors, Ecology, Vegan, Sustainable Living, Farming and Food Justice,  Sustainable Fashion, Filmmaking and more  #plantingforprogress was an initiative launched Agatha Isabel or @plant.ma on IG,  to support BLM, and has been extended to also focus on the local NYC community of Black, Latinx, POC, LGBTQ+ including @theforesightproject @audrelordeproject @innocenceproject.   It started when Agatha auctioned off a Philodendron Pink Princess she had for Black Lives Matter and ACLU Nationwide on her personal account. Upon hearing this, local plant shop Nelly's Flowers and Plants (@nellysflowershop) donated 12 plants to her cause, which she then rallied some of her plant friends to auction off on their accounts (@plantblerd @thehoodbotanist @siloliage @plantmepaul @welcometothejunglehome @felinejungle @thejungleupstairs @plant.ma ). This auctioning went throughout the week and has now raised over SIX times the original amount of her PPP and that number is still growing! This seed of an idea that Agatha had to raise money on her personal account turned into an incredible cross account, cross plant community supported movement that has raised an amazing amount of money for 3 national organizations and 3 local NYC community organizations. And it's not stopping here, follow @plantingforprogress on instagram to follow more auctions, as new people are donating plants to be auctioned everyday. They are planning on having monthly auctions of rare collector plants for good causes, so give them a follow if you're interested.   Rachel Cargle and her free 30 day #dothework course   What is Bloom and Grow Doing: - Doing the work: continuing to learn about the system injustice against black people in the country and using our privilege to help this cause.  - Donated to Black Lives Matter, Color of Change, The New Georgia Project, Showing Up for Racial Justice and Teens for Food Justice and continuing to seek out organizations that support ending racial injustice and food insecurity  - Finding diverse voices to interview for the podcast - Vote   This is a movement not a moment.    Follow Christopher AKA PlantKween Instagram: @plantkween   Follow Colah and Black in the Garden: iTunes: Black in the Garden Podcast IG: @blackinthegarden    Follow Maria and Bloom and Grow Radio: Support Bloom and Grow Radio by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon! Instagram and Facebook: @BloomandGrowRadio Subscribe to the Bloom and Grow Youtube Show! /Bloomandgrowradio Website: www.bloomandgrowradio.com Join the (free) Garden Club: www.bloomandgrowradio.com/garden-club Music used is entitled "Fresh Fallen Snow" - composed by Chris Haugen and is the property of Youtube Music Library Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

So thrilled to be welcoming Becca de la Plants and  SO MANY of our favorite plant-tubers to the show today on an epic cross media collaboration! I have become very curious about the Plant-tube, the Planty corner of Youtube, and decided to do a deep dive by reaching out to YOUR favorite plant-tubers to get answers to my questions! This is a two part episode hosted on the Bloom and Grow Radio Podcast and Youtube Show. Todays podcast episode has special guest Becca de la Plants for a conversation on all things youtube: history, the differences in the plant-tube sect of the youtube space, maintaining a channel, growing one, monetization and etiquette. THEN we have a beautiful montage of 11 plant-tubers sharing why they love their channels and the plant-tube community and why (you'll be surprised at how varied their answers are!). THEN on the Bloom and Grow Youtube Channel, we have a video with all 13 of us sharing How to Sow, Grow and Nourish a Plant-tube Channel with tips for creating your OWN channel if you are curious. These plant-tubers are sweet, passionate people and I feel lucky to have gotten to know them over the course of this collaboration. Make sure to head to their channels and subscribe and give them some love! In this Episode We Learn: Becca's journey to becoming Becca De Le Plants Youtube Vs Planttube Why Plant-tube might have the most haters How Plant-tube fits into the world of Youtube Etiquette for watching and engaging with plant-tube videos How plant-tubers make money (if they do) How to connect with local plant people in your community #indoorjungledirectory A compilation of our favorite Plant-tubers sharing their favorite part about having a Plant-tube channel (dont forget to listen to this part, it will give you all the feels!)   Make sure to check out the video companion to this episode: How to Sow, Grow and Nourish a Plant-tube Channel!   Follow Our Plant-tube Collaborators! Becca from De Le Plants Planty Youtube Lifestyle Youtube and Instagram   Betsy from Betsy Begonia - Youtube and Instagram Harli G  from Harli G  Youtube and Instagram Gerard from Gerard's Horticulture Culture Youtube and Instagram Rachel from Heart Shaped Leaves  Youtube and Instagram and PODCAST! Adam from Knot Dude Youtube and Instagram Sharina Tallada Youtube and Instagram Nick Pileggi Youtube and Instagram Nicole from My Clean Leaves Youtube and Instagram Pam from Pam's Pretty Plants Youtube and Instagram Christian from Crazy Plant Guy Youtube and Instagram and TikTok! Darryl from House Plant Journal Youtube and Instagram     Follow Maria and Bloom and Grow Radio: Take the Plant Parent Personality Test!:  Unlock your Plant Parent Potential by taking the test below and get curated recommendations for plants, projects and resources inspired by your lifestyle. Support Bloom and Grow Radio by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon! Instagram and Facebook: @BloomandGrowRadio Subscribe to the Bloom and Grow Youtube Show! /Bloomandgrowradio Website: www.bloomandgrowradio.com Join the (free) Garden Club: www.bloomandgrowradio.com/garden-club Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today we welcome back Marc Hachadourian from the New York Botanical Garden to the show! You might remember Marc from Episode 50: Maranta, Calathea and Stromanthe 101 where he gave so many amazing tips and tricks for caring for this finicky but beautiful group of plants. Now he is back for an in depth review of the world of Begonias! He gives us the history of these plants and tips and guidelines to keep these gorgeous creatures thriving in our homes. As you’ll learn in the episode, I’ve always been a bit scared of Begonias, but after this episode, I’ve found myself cruising online plant shops for an Angel Wing Begonia… I found a Red Ruby Begonia which I’ve ordered off of amazon and will do an unboxing of when it arrives, but if you have the inside scoop on where I can get an Angel Wing Begonia… let me know on the post for the podcast episode on IG! Marc Hachadourian is the Director of Glasshouse Horticulture and Senior Curator of Orchids at the New York Botanical Garden. His amazing plant brain, friendly personality and passion for plants is kind of legendary in the plant space and I’m so excited to bring him back for another show. I could seriously talk to Marc all day. And I’m so thankful to the New York Botanical Garden for lending him to us for this episode. Speaking of the NYBG, they have created an incredible virtual resource for you in this moment of social distancing: the NYBG At Home center. Since the Garden’s gates are temporarily closed, they’ve opened their virtual gates to you! They’ve compiled videos, plant guides, virtual events- like you can take a virtual tour of the Orchid Show or the Magnolias in Bloom and my favorite aspect of the NYBG at Home is their online courses! I just finished Soil Science 101 with them and I’m currently taking Intro to Plant Science with them. Plant Friends… these courses aren’t free, but they are so worth it. I got so much out of my soil science class, I will never pot a plant the same again, and this intro to plant science class is transforming the way I look at my balcony garden and plants. I’m like trying to lecture Billy about monocots vs dicots and plant adaptions and he is looking at me like a crazy person. But if you aren’t interested in getting science-y they also have Botanical Watercolor, Botanical Embroidery and currently have a series called “All About Containers” if you are interested in growing edibles in containers this season. Check everything they have to offer at https://www.nybg.org/nybg-at-home/ In this episode we learn: Marc's love of Begonias The Begonia's  (and other plant) that was featured in American Gothic  The wide variety of Begonias available to plant parents Marc's famous Houseplant Hospital and Humidity Hacks General care guidelines for light, soil and watering of Begonias Where Begonias grow in the natural world Mentioned in today's episode: Maria's favorite soil company, Espoma Organics Leslie Hallecks book on Propagation: Plant Parenting     Thank you to this week's episode sponsors: Modern Sprout: for more information on Modern Sprout's amazing *NEW* line of indoor grow lights and adorable and innovative hydroponic grow kits, seed starter kits, seed pops, planty accessories and more visit www.modernsprout.com and use code "15BLOOM" at checkout for 15% off.   Espoma Organics: for responsibly made, fabulous indoor and outdoor organic soils, fertilizers, pest control sprays and more visit espoma.com to find your local dealer or check out my amazon storefront of my favorite Espoma products here.   Follow The New York Botanical Garden: IG: www.instagram.com/nybg Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NYBotanicalGarden/ www.nybg.org Follow Maria and Bloom and Grow Radio: Take the Plant Parent Personality Test!:  Unlock your Plant Parent Potential by taking the test below and get curated recommendations for plants, projects and resources inspired by your lifestyle. Support Bloom and Grow Radio by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon! Instagram and Facebook: @BloomandGrowRadio Subscribe to the Bloom and Grow Youtube Show! /Bloomandgrowradio Website: www.bloomandgrowradio.com Join the (free) Garden Club: www.bloomandgrowradio.com/garden-club Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

So excited to welcome my MOM back to Bloom and Grow Radio today! It feels very fitting to have her joining us so close to Mother's Day! You might remember her from Episode 20: Talking Tomatoes when she gave us her Italian secrets to tomato gardening, and now she's back to talk about what she's learned with 5 years of edible landscaping under her belt (and a lifetime of general gardening experience). She shares her top 10 tips for Edible Landscaping and Gardening with our audience today and has a LOT to share. In this episode we learn: My Mom's history as a plant lady Her garden growing up with my Italian Grandparents Her tip for how to memorize your houseplant names Her process for evaluating her new house and figuring out how to start a garden on new land How she chooses plants for her garden How she grew the "Failla Farm" section by section over 5 years Mom's top 10 tips for edible landscaping and beginning gardeners! Read the top 10 tips on the blog! https://bloomandgrowradio.com/momtips/ Check out the Youtube Tour of my Moms Garden!  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

I’m so excited to finally welcome Jane Perrone of On the Ledge Podcast to the show. Jane and I have both been podcasting for almost three years now and, if we do say so ourselves, are the OG houseplant centered podcast on the airwaves. It’s only taken three years and a pandemic to make our schedules clear enough to pull our heads out of the production of our own shows to finally visit each other shows, so we thought it would be fun to interview each other on our shows in the same week. So if you are interested in hearing Jane interview me you can check out her channel, and if you are a new listener of Jane’s coming here to hear her interview, welcome! In this episode we learn: If Jane Perrone and I view each other as competition How we feel about being the OG houseplant podcasters How Jane's family has reacted to her plant collection One particular topic that Jane wants to set the record straight about How both Jane and Maria have developed their knowledge of plant care Jane's favorite houseplant of the moment What Jane's house plant set up is in her home How many plants and grow lights Jane currently has in her home What the rarest plant Jane has is Why the term "plant parent" can be tricky for some people   Check out my Modern Sprout Growbar and Growhouse installation on this weeks Youtube Show video Thank you to this week's episode sponsor: Modern Sprout! For more information on Modern Sprout's amazing *NEW* line of smart indoor grow lights and adorable and innovative hydroponic grow kits, seed starter kits, seed pops, planty accessories and more visit www.modernsprout.com and use code "15BLOOM" at checkout for 15% off. *discount code not available for Mother's Day Bundles*     Have you taken the Bloom and Grow Plant Parent Personality Test yet? Take the 2 minute test to learn your Plant Parent Personality and what plants, projects and podcast episodes are perfectly suited to your lifestyle!   Follow Jane: Instagram @j.l.perrone Twitter @janeperrone Main podcast link janeperrone.com Facebook group Houseplant Fans of On The Ledge https://www.facebook.com/groups/houseplantfans/     Follow Maria and Bloom and Grow Radio: Take the Plant Parent Personality Test!:  Unlock your Plant Parent Potential by taking the test below and get curated recommendations for plants, projects and resources inspired by your lifestyle. Support Bloom and Grow Radio by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon! Instagram and Facebook: @BloomandGrowRadio Subscribe to the Bloom and Grow Youtube Show! /Bloomandgrowradio Website: www.bloomandgrowradio.com Join the (free) Garden Club: www.bloomandgrowradio.com/garden-club Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

So excited to welcome Toby Adams, the Director of the Edible Academy for the New York Botanical Garden onto the show to talk all things vegetable gardening! The NYBG Edible Academy is a state-of-the-art educational facility featuring hands-on activities and innovative programs that help children, families, teachers, and the general public learn about growing and preparing vegetables, fruit, and herbs while encouraging a lifelong interest in gardening, nutrition awareness, and environmental stewardship. Toby has worked at the NYBG for almost 20 years, and has a passion for helping people understand how to grow food- as you’ll see in our interview. We don't talk a lot of about herbs because I've already done an Herb Garden 101 episode with a horticulturalist from NYBG on another episode! If you are interested in growing herbs check out Episode 22: Windowsill Herb Gardening 101 I’ve been taking a lot of online courses in this time of isolation and spending a lot of time focusing on what I will grow on my tiny balcony garden this spring and summer. The New York Botanical Garden has an unbelievable array of online courses and even have a Horticulture Certificate degree you can complete! I've taken several NYBG courses and am totally hooked! The first course I took was Fundamentals of Gardening and I’m currently enrolled in the virtual Soil Science 101 class. Plant friends… I am loving these classes so much, as I’m finding they are teaching me the underlying reasons behind so many basic plant care techniques I know. Learn with me! I’ll be taking Intro to Plant Science with the NYBG  starting April 23rd and I’d love for you to join me! I cannot WAIT to dive into the scientific processes our plants go through that I don’t quite understand and would love to have you in class with me! In case this episode gets you excited and you want to learn more about vegetable gardening, they also have four virtual courses focusing on vegetable gardening coming up! Rooftop Gardening (Starts April 22) Mastering the Art of Tomato Gardening (April 23) Vegetable Gardening Saturday (April 25) Super Small Space Veggie Gardening (Starts April 28) In this episode we learn: Maria's overview of the main takeaways she took from her Fundamentals of Gardening Class Annual vs Perennial Compost vs Mulch Basic Garden Design Strategies What is the Edible Academy at NYBG and how is it reconnect kids with food What are the Fundamentals of Vegetable Gardening Understanding what you want to grow Understanding what you CAN grow Understanding your growing conditions The pluses and minuses to container gardening vs bed gardening Best soil to use for vegetables and herbs How to assess your garden sunlight General fertilizing guidelines Easy to grow Spring edibles: Lettuce, Radishes, Sugar Snap Peas Easy to grow Summer edibles: tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, cucumbers, beans What not to grow (and why) Why everyone should try vegetable gardening this year Mentioned in the episode: Take the Plant Parent Personality Test!:  Unlock your Plant Parent Potential by taking the test below and get curated recommendations for plants, projects and resources inspired by your lifestyle. NYBG Online Courses Intro to Plant Science (Starts April 23 and I'll be taking it!) Rooftop Gardening (Starts April 22) Mastering the Art of Tomato Gardening (April 23) Vegetable Gardening Saturday (April 25) Super Small Space Veggie Gardening (Starts April 28) All of NYBG's virtual content, including a link to online classes, can be accessed through NYBG at Home USDA Hardiness Zones: enter your zip code in the map here to find yours! Soil Testing: find your local cooperative agent for testing guidelines Thank you to this week's episode sponsors! For more information on Modern Sprout's amazing *NEW* line of indoor grow lights and adorable and innovative hydroponic grow kits, seed starter kits, seed pops, planty accessories and more visit www.modernsprout.com and use code "15BLOOM" at checkout for 15% off.  For responsibly made, fabulous indoor and outdoor organic soils, fertilizers, pest control sprays and more visit espoma.com to find your local dealer or check out my amazon storefront of my favorite Espoma products here. Follow The New York Botanical Garden: IG: www.instagram.com/nybg Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NYBotanicalGarden/ www.nybg.org Follow Maria and Bloom and Grow Radio: Take the Plant Parent Personality Test!:  Unlock your Plant Parent Potential by taking the test below and get curated recommendations for plants, projects and resources inspired by your lifestyle. Support Bloom and Grow Radio by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon! Instagram and Facebook: @BloomandGrowRadio Subscribe to the Bloom and Grow Youtube Show! /Bloomandgrowradio Website: www.bloomandgrowradio.com Join the (free) Garden Club: www.bloomandgrowradio.com/garden-club   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today's episode is simply me sharing things that are inspiring me in this weird time for our country. There is so much to be scared of, but so much to be thankful for and inspired by. A lot of people are feeling helpless and alone, and this is a list of ways that you can help those in need and yourself in the Age of Corona! Resources Mentioned in Today's Episode: #PlantOneForward Initiative Summer Rayne Oakes' #plantoneforward initiative: Summer Rayne is encouraging everyone in our community to support local growers and plant shops by sending one plants to one person who could use cheering up in this moment: a loved one, a plant friend, or maybe even someone you've lost touch with. If you can afford to, this is a great way to help our beloved plant shops (and the growers that supply them) stay in business. I sent a thank you plant from @plantsbypost From Summer Raynes' Blog post: "If even 100 of us do so, we’ll positively affect the lives of 300 people (you, the person who owns the shop, and the person you give the plant to); 300 becomes 900; 900 becomes 2,700; 2,700 becomes 8,100; 8,100 becomes 24,300; and so on and so forth. It’s simple acts such as these that not only help our communities—but also help us stay connected to one another. " Click here for SRO's blog with all of the plant shops mentioned To buy something for yourself AND sending a plant to your friend visit Steves Leaves to take advantage of their #plantoneforwardbonus. Purchase a plant (or more) and then add the item Promo to their cart (it can be found by searching promo on the site). Use promo code #PLANTONEFORWARD to send an airplant to a friend at a separate address when you place your order. You will need to put the name and address of who you are sending the air plant to into the comments section of the order so we can mail it to the other person. Victory Garden Movement or Cooperative Gardens Commission Click here to read the NY Times article about it! The Victory Garden movement was a result of World War 1, when people were encouraged to grow as much food at home as possible to become self- sufficient. It was so successful that it was predicted that up to 40 % of the countries vegetables were grown in community, home and school gardens. In 2020 as a response to the Covid Pandemic, the Experimental Farm Network is swiftly pulling together the Cooperative Gardens Commission (renamed after they decided to move away from the Corona Victory Garden Network). The commission is pledging to helping connect experienced gardeners with supplies to help their communities grow their own food. You can visit www.coogardens.org to pledge supplies or volunteer time to help the movement. In their own words: "In response to this crisis, Experimental Farm Network (EFN) is urging all people who can to establish "Cooperative Gardens" to grow as much food this year as they possibly can. We hope this effort will help people across the country (and potentially in other countries as well) to provide themselves and their communities with healthy fresh food, reduce our reliance on the faltering industrial food system (which is terrible for the environment and human health even when fully functioning), and make it easier for folks to stay in their communities and avoid further transmission of the virus. We hope people in cities will take over defunct community gardens and vacant lots and fill them with life once more. We hope people in towns and suburbs who normally work hard to keep their lawns green will instead rip up grass and plant vegetable gardens. And we hope rural farmers who normally grow big fields of commodity crops — folks who know how to farm and have a great capacity to produce lots of food — will set aside at least a portion of their land and labor to grow fruits and vegetables for their neighbors and for those in need in nearby communities (especially in cities, where people are likely to suffer greatly in the event of major supply chain disruptions). This is a time for social solidarity on a scale not seen since wartime — though such solidarity would inarguably be welcome in peacetime too, given how many people already lack food sovereignty, particularly in historically oppressed communities. During World War I, a National War Garden Commission was established by concerned individuals outside of government before the US even entered the war. Girl Scouts tended a quarter-acre garden in Boston Common. The Army's Camp Dix here in New Jersey hosted a 400-acre "war garden" tended by soldiers (with 140 acres of potatoes alone). Schools and Universities grew food on their campuses. And people of all ages came to consider gardening to be their civic duty. We must do the same today. Please fill out this survey if you have food production resources to share (seeds, tools, land, volunteer labor, soil/compost, tillage equipment, knowledge, etc), or are interested in starting a farm or garden in your community, particularly if you don't have access to all of the resources you need. We are working around the clock with a growing coalition of individuals and organizations able to help and will do our best to match those in need with those who have (likely through a different platform than this one, which we will ask you to migrate over to at some point very soon). If you would like to donate funds to support our organizing efforts, please visit www.ExperimentalFarmNetwork.org and click the "Donate" button at the bottom of the page." GrowIt! 1000 Plant Giveaway GrowIt! is giving away 1000 free plants through April 19th. You enter by participating in the "Spring is NOT cancelled giveaway" conversation on the GrowIt! App- if you get selected then GrowIt! will ship a houseplant to your door via a small business OR give you a giftcard to a local garden center.Visit our Giveaway FAQ for details. Little Prince Growers: Garden Center 911 https://littleprinceplants.com/garden-center-911/   Little Prince is a grower in Oregon who is helping garden centers and nurseries who are in need. They are a grower that ships directly from their growhouse, so they are set up for success in this time- but garden centers with no online sales capacity are struggling. So they are telling garden centers and shops who can't sell, that if they direct their customers to the Little Prince site and make sales through them, Little Prince will send them 20% of the sale to help them stay afloat. It's a really creative way for a grower with the ability to sell, help generate even a small amount of revenue for shops that cannot. If you know a shop or nursery who could benefit from this, visit the Garden Center 911 Page at Little Prince Nursery. Also, if you are just curious to see their awesome array of succulents, airplants, houseplants and more, you can use the Bloom and Grow Radio Affiliate link here. Educational Offerings Now is the time to take time to advance your learning! I am on an online course spree! I'm currently taking the online Soil Science 101 class at NYBG, BSchool by Marie Forleo, Joe Lampl's Organic Vegetable Gardening course AND I've got a botanical watercolor class tonight I'm taking with friends! I'm hooked! I know there finances might be tighter for some of us in these periods- so I have offerings listed in every price range (including free) for you to check out. FREE If you're looking for free gardening tips- there are limitless options of different channels! As I prep for my spring garden, lately I've been watching: Joe Gardener Youtube Channel Epic Gardening Youtube Channel Garden Answer Youtube Channel Homestead Brooklyn Youtube Channel But comment below on the blog if you have channels you want to suggest! The New York Botanical Garden has created the New York Botanical Garden At Home Hub for a one stop visit where you can find virtual tours of the garden, plant guides, videos, recipes for kids, blogs  links to their online courses and so much more! PAID NYBG has put many of their courses online! I've taken Fundamentals of Gardening and Soil Science 101 and loved it! I'll be enrolling in the Plant Science 101 Course starting April 23rd, incase anyone wants to join me! If you are interested in growing herbs and vegetables they have the following classes coming up: Rooftop Gardening (Starts April 22) Mastering the Art of Tomato Gardening (April 23) Vegetable Gardening Saturday (April 25) Super Small Space Veggie Gardening (Starts April 28) Click Here to check them out Craft Jam has all sorts of fun botanically inspired classes like botanical watercolor and embroidery (I'm taking the Floral Watercolor on April 2nd and Modern Calligraphy on April 4th!) Leslie Halleck has discounted her Garden Consultations and Business Consultations for people wanting to design their first gardens or help their planty businesses pivot in these times. For rates and more info click here Rooney Bloom (from our two part Cannabis Series) launched his online shop where he sells plants and consulting services. But for the month of April he is doing a 4 part educational series for kids on learning how to grow plants from seed. This could be a very fun activity for those of you with kids at home! http://www.rooneybloom.com/products/online-education Local NYC Offerings Farm One is the hydroponic farm in NYC that is run by our Hydroponics 101 guest, Rob. The farm grows rare herbs and flowers and sells them to high end restaurants across NY. Because of the restaurant closures, they've found themselves with a farm full of product and no one to sell it to...so they are offering it to folks to use in their home quarantine cooking creations. :) They will also going to be releasing herb mixes to follow along with video content, like cocktail classes and have a recorded a tasting tour of the farm and will be offering a pack of the herbs covered in that tour so people can taste along at home. Check out their herbs delivered to your door and tours and other offerings at https://store.farm.one​. You can also buy a gift card to use once the farm reopens for a tour! NYC based Advertising Agency CSM, launched #ExperienceGood a campaign to collectively celebrate the ideas and people adapting to the sudden shift in what live experiences mean in the midst of this unprecedented crisis. If you are a business owner trying to pivot and need to feel uplifted  and inspired, head to the experiencegood.co to find some inspo! On a Larger Scale GiveDirectly is the leading global NGO specialized in delivering digital cash transfers. They've worked in challenging contexts across 8 countries, from Houston after Harvey to the most remote parts of Uganda, and now they have turned their attention to those in need in the US in response to Covid. They are helping Americans who are on SNAP (or foodstamps) to get financial relieve into households in need. (quoted from April 2nd edition of Washington Post's Power UP Newsletter) “We are working specifically with people on food assistance,” Michael Faye, the president and co-founder of GiveDirectly, told Power Up. “80 percent of these people will have lost work or received a reduction in wages … The urgency of the crisis cannot be understated. The difference between getting someone a check — or buying a load of groceries now versus waiting a month or so is pretty meaningful.” The nonprofit has already committed to doling out $10 million for cash transfers of $1,000 to 9,000 American families. They've also rolled out their #PassTheCheck pledge. The group is encouraging Americans “about to receive government checks even though they might not need it,” to donate their check — or a portion of it — to help a low-income family. “To the extent that you are in a fortunate position, we are asking you to give [your check] to someone in more need,” Faye told us. “Do the math. If 1 percent of the population doesn't need their check and donates it — that's $3.5 billion dollars.” If you are in a position to give or #PassTheCheck learn more at givedirectly.org In Summary People all over the country are doing amazing things to help those in need in this time of crisis in which none of us could have prepared for. It is scary, it is unnerving, and it is at times, beautiful. The pandemic is horrible and wreaking havoc on our economic and healthcare systems, but silver linings will come out of this. People are quarantining sometimes not to help themselves, but to help others not get sick. Neighbors are offering to do grocery runs for those unable to go outside in these conditions. Old friends are connecting over zoom. Families and couples are reconnecting in quarantine in deeper ways. This period of isolation is causing all of us to slow down for a minute and be present. Just like plant care. How lucky are we to have plantcare as a hobby in this time! So how can you help? Maybe you are in a position to donate which is amazing. But there are so many ways to help that aren't even financial. Check in on a friend who you know is alone in quarantine. Share an uplifting story.  Back a birthday cake for your friend who's birthday party got cancelled because of social distancing and drop it off on her doorstep. Prepare some cuttings of your plants to send to people you want to feel loved! Or just take some time for yourself to go ham on youtube videos and gardening books to increase your plantcare knowledge. If you have the means, support a local plant shop by buying a plant for yourself or a friend. Donate to an organization that is meaningful or send money to a friend or family member in need. Or maybe buy some educational books or courses for yourself to pass the time. Whatever you choose to do, be kind to yourself and be kind to others, and Keep Blooming and Keep Growing. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

My Fiance, Billy, joins me today to give you the inside scoop on what the last year has looked like for us. As most of you know I left home for an entire year to travel with Cats the Musical, and Billy was left to care for all of our 150 plants all by himself. This was a HUGE undertaking for him, as I was the "primary caretaker" for our plants when we lived together, so we break down exactly how both of us went into this new phase of life and lessons learned along the way. Thank you to Billy, my partner in plants and partner in life, who greets every challenge with an open heart and open mind. I'm so thankful to have you to grow through life with. In this episode we learn: Billy's reaction to me leaving him with our 150 plants for tour for a year Billy's journey warming to my passion for plants when it began An overview of our "plant pause" How Billy managed caring for our 150 plants on his own while I toured the country with Cats Maria's strategies for helping Billy learn how to care for their plants Mentioned in the episode: Billy's first episode on BAGR: Tips for Living with a Crazy Plant Person Thank you Plants by Post for sponsoring today's episode! Plants by Post is a family-owned nursery located in Northern California cutting out the middleman and delivering beautiful and healthy  indoor and outdoor annuals and perennials directly to your doorstep, nationwide. I have used them several times and have been blown away by the quality of their plants, intention behind their shipping and love how environmentally friendly they are! Spring is here, Plant Friends! Time to stock up! Head to plantsbypost.com and use code BLOOM20 for 20% off your order!     Follow Billy Instagram: @atadashbilly   Follow Maria and Bloom and Grow Radio: Support Bloom and Grow Radio by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon! Instagram and Facebook: @BloomandGrowRadio Subscribe to the Bloom and Grow Youtube Show! /Bloomandgrowradio Website: www.bloomandgrowradio.com Join the (free) Garden Club: www.bloomandgrowradio.com/garden-club Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Brittany Gowan, the plant lady behind @ihavethisthingwithurbanjungles on IG and the Pause with Plants Podcast has been a #plantfriendIRL for a while now and a lovely lady. She has been practicing and teaching her Pause with Plants Method and we thought today would be the perfect time to discuss how to use plants to reduce stress. There has never been a better time than to have houseplants and practice houseplant care than now, when many of us are confined to our homes in the midst of this pandemic! It's important to understand tools and techniques for us to use our houseplants to reduce our stress. I've never been more thankful for my houseplants than the last 8 days of quarantine! This talk with Brittany inspired my to do a planty workout you can find on my IGTV. I hope it inspires you to bring a little calm into your "work from home" days!    In this episode we learn: How Brittany became the plant lady she is now and why she started Pause with Plants How to incorporate plants into your mental wellness routine How to use plants in your morning routine The importance of breath while practicing mindful awareness How to use plants in your meditation The importance of routine while working from home Techniques to incorporate more calm and recenter yourself The "Pause with Plants" Method: connect, move and meditate with plants   Mentioned in this episode: Brittany's comprehensive guide to how to Pause with Plants   If you've got time to spare and want to boost your plant care education try these episodes of the Bloom and Grow Radio Podcast: Episode 03: How NOT to kill your succulents! Episode 02: Top 5 Houseplants for Beginners Episode 18: Prepping your Plants for Spring Episode 19: Terrarium 101 Episode 20: Talking Tomatoes  Episodes 46/47: Understanding Natural Light Episode 71: Low Light Plants  Episode 74: Grow Lights 101 Also scroll the podcast feed to find 101 episodes on: orchids, airplants, fiddle leaf figs, monstera, peperomia, african violets, prayer plants, windowsill herb gardening, container gardening and more!   Thank you Plants by Post for sponsoring today's episode! Plants by Post is a family-owned nursery located in Northern California cutting out the middleman and delivering beautiful and healthy  indoor and outdoor annuals and perennials directly to your doorstep, nationwide. I have used them several times and have been blown away by the quality of their plants, intention behind their shipping and love how environmentally friendly they are! Spring is here, Plant Friends! Time to stock up! Head to plantsbypost.com and use code BLOOM20 for 20% off your order!   Follow Brittany and Pause with Plants: Pause with Plants Podcast PausewithPlants.com @PausewithPlants @ihavethisthingwithurbanjungles brittany@brittanygowan.com   Follow Maria and Bloom and Grow Radio: Support Bloom and Grow Radio by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon! Instagram and Facebook: @BloomandGrowRadio Subscribe to the Bloom and Grow Youtube Show! /Bloomandgrowradio Website: www.bloomandgrowradio.com Join the (free) Garden Club: www.bloomandgrowradio.com/garden-club Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.