Houseplants are celebrated for their amazing foliage, but I think we overlook an another amazing ability, a specific subcategory our favorite indoor plants have—the ability to bloom! Some people say we are intrinsically connected to flowers because way back when, they signified fruit. Personally, I just think they are joyful as hell with their bright colors and let's be frank, we all need a little more joy and color in our lives. To give us a better grasp of this beautiful subcategory, I've invited back Lisa of The Houseplant Guru to talk about the must-knows of houseplants that bloom, and how reconnecting with this group of plants can help us reconnect to generations we might never know.

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Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness (and Plants) by Maria Failla, Illustrated by Samantha Leung

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In this episode we learn:

• [01:13] Maria’s garden updates
• [02:34] Welcome, new Garden Party and Garden Society members!
• [04:15] Introducing Lisa, a beloved Bloom and Grow Radio guest
• [06:38] African violets and their underrated beauty
• [08:27] What are the differences in plant care between foliage houseplants and blooming houseplants?
• [13:25] How long should grow lights stay on for flowering houseplants?
• [14:13] How does photoperiod affect the bloom cycle of a plant?
• [15:42] Can you put orchids under grow lights?
• [16:59] Do blooming houseplants need fertilizer?
• [20:24] What to do when your orchids don’t bloom
• [21:52] The perfect and most sleek grow lights for year-round indoor lighting
• [23:24] Where to get an easy-to-use and most varied selection of fertilizers and tones
• [25:10] How to get orchids to re-bloom
• [26:26] Maria and Lisa share their thoughts about collecting plants and moving homes
• [29:51] Best blooming houseplants for beginners
• [30:59] Why do you need to turn your holiday cactus all year round?
• [31:53] What is the trick for beautiful and healthy African violets?
• [33:36] Best blooming houseplants for beginners (continued)
• [36:17] Best blooming houseplants for intermediates
• [38:38] Are Gerbera daisies appropriate houseplants?
• [39:37] How to make blooms last longer
• [40:37] Should you fertilize your plant while it is in bloom?
• [41:04] Lisa’s favorite blooming houseplants
• [41:44] Where to get Lisa’s latest book!
• [43:27] Maria’s personal story on how blooming plants connected generations of their family
• [48:17] Closing remarks

Mentioned in our conversation:

• BAGR episode 133: How To Manage Deer, Squirrels, Chipmunks, Moles, Voles And Other Animals In Your Garden With Brie The Plant Lady
• BAGR episode 30: Orchid 101 With Chris
• BAGR episode 84 : African Violets 101 With Lisa
• Pre-order Lisa’s book “Bloom: The secrets of growing flowering houseplants year-round”

Thank you to our episode sponsors:

Soltech Solutions

Soltech Solutions makes the grow lights you’ve heard me talk about for years: whether you are looking for a pendant light, track lighting, or a simple bulb to screw into any standard light fixture, Soltech has got you covered. They offer quality products with great customer service, free shipping, and a 5-year warranty. Keep the sun shining and the plants green inside your home with Soltech Solutions. Check them out at soltechsolutions.com and get 15% off with code bloom15.

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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