Whether you've been around the block of plant parenthood a few times or you're just beginning your journey, you’ve likely seen some version of what I like to call “planty fake news” or plant care myths: allegedly fool-proof hacks that seem too good to be true, old wives' tales that have been translated one too many times, or plant care claims that just seem super confusing.  When I started my journey from plant killer to plant lady, I fell prey to a lot of these myths, and this podcast is a testament to all of the trends and trials of my plant parenthood journey. I’m lucky to have a plant friend in Horticulturist Leslie Halleck to turn to when I now see something suspect on the internet. I'm lucky to be able to text her and ask “does this 10 plank care hack video even make sense?”, so I thought I’d bring our internal text thread to the podcast  and “bust” several plant care hacks and myths we’ve both seen circulating. Also, exciting news, Leslie and I have been keeping a secret from you for what feels like a year. Tune in to find out what it is!

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The Bloom and Grow Garden Society is your one stop shop for plant parenthood growth. When you join you'll gain full access to the Garden Party Community Platform and App PLUS monthly plant care lectures with Horticulturist in Residence Leslie Halleck, monthly office hours with Leslie to troubleshoot your personal plant care issues and monthly Growing Joy Calls with Maria to develop our community of Society Members and explore the plant/person connection.

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In this episode we learn:

• [03:13] Maria and Leslie reveal their BIG secret!
• [04:38] The goals behind Garden Society
• [06:02] Why the community is called Garden Society
• [10:04] Maria gets real about plant hacks
• [10:44] Plant Care Myth #1: Houseplants clean your air
• [12:37] NASA’s study on air-purifying plants
• [15:34] Where does the oxygen we consume most come from?
• [18:33] How many plants per square foot do you need for better air quality at home?
• [21:03] Do plants emit pollutants in the air?
• [22:19] How plants get rid of VOCs or volatile organic compounds
• [23:50] The psychological value of plants in our homes
• [24:13] The positive effects of plants on our physical state
• [25:12] Plant knowledge is power!
• [26:28] Plant Care Myth #2: You must repot your plant every 1-2 years
• [28:07] The truth about repotting plants
• [30:00] The whys and whens of bumping up a plant
• [31:40] When is a soil refresh necessary versus repotting?
• [34:15] Repotting due to root decay or root overgrowth
• [37:05] The best organic gardening products for all types of plant parents
• [38:26] Maria’s favorite grow lights and planty accessories
• [41:53] How seasons can affect your repotting schedule
• [46:40] Plant Care Myth #3: Misting your plants increases humidity and is good for them
• [51:09] What is the right way to mist your plants? When do you mist your plants?
• [54:30] When shouldn’t you mist your plants?
• [58:14] How to increase the humidity around your plants
• [01:04:28] What you get when you join the Bloom and Grow Garden Society!
• [01:05:56] The first topic for Nodes of Knowledge
• [01:07:44] Monthly AHAs or Ask Horticulturist Anything
• [01:10:48] Growing Joy Calls with Maria
• [01:12:03] Your exclusive discount for Garden Society!

Mentioned in our conversation:

• Moisture Meter and Hygrometer Review YouTube video
• Join the Bloom and Grow Garden Society and take advantage of the Founding Member discounts!

Thank you to our episode sponsors:

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.

Modern Sprout

Modern Sprout is on a mission to connect people and plants with their amazing assortment of smart app-enabled grow lights, indoor grow kits and candle kits, and amazing planty accessories that are highly giftable. They have something for everyone, whether it's an ultra beginner gardener or a plant enthusiast just looking to up their plant parenthood game, so head to modsprout.com and use code BLOOM21 at checkout for 15% off.

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