Bloom And Grow Radio

Plantrepreneurship, or entrepreneurship in the plant space, feels like it’s at an all-time high these days. With the massive shifts our society has gone through, people are feeling more drawn to plants and so many businesses are popping up designed to serve our plant community, and many members of our community are looking to transition into the world of plants professionally! I’ve noticed more and more plant consultants popping up on my social media feeds, and when I was thinking of an inspiring plantrepreneur to bring on this show, Celebrity Plant Stylist Reagan Kastner came to mind. I’ve had my eye on Reagan since she took #planttok or planty TikTok by storm earlier in 2020. Reagan is a serial entrepreneur with a really interesting career path and has used social media to her advantage to grow her planty business as a planty stylist and consultant. Listen to her plantrepreneurship journey below! Join the Bloom and Grow Garden Society!The Bloom and Grow Garden Society is your one stop shop for plant parenth

This special mini episode of the podcast is just a little one on one with you and me: where I’m going to peel back the curtain and give you the inside scoop on why I created the Garden Society and how you, my community of listeners, where my muse. We will also dive into all the delicious goodies that are part of it’s membership and later on in the episode, I invite the Garden Society’s Horticulturist in Residence, and beloved guest of BAGR, Leslie Halleck on to talk about her reason for joining me and what she’s excited to bring to our community of Garden Society members.Plant friends, the Bloom & Grow Garden Society has been almost a year in the making. After reviewing your 2020 listener surveys, I heard that you wanted 1) a safe space for our community to grow together (The Garden Party Platform was the answer for that!) and 2) more deeper dives and opportunities to continue to dive deeper into plant parenthood. I started to think about how I, your plant friend next store, could create that for us. And

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 f

I'm so excited to geek out on my favorite planty products with you, plant friends! The holiday season is just around the corner, and what perfect way to show your appreciation and love for the plant parents in your life (or for yourself) than to give them great planty gifts? The holiday season is also a great way to maybe invite our non-planty friends to try growing! I've got an amazing list of plant accessories, plant gift sets, books, and more—with exclusive coupon codes to support our beloved sponsors and the Bloom and Grow Radio podcast. Happy listening!So you know, I have an affiliate or sponsor relationship with some of the companies mentioned below. Others I have no relationship with and just love to their stuff. Regardless of my affiliation, every item on this list is something I've used, loved, or have been recommended by trusted plant friends. PS: if you're a fan of the show, supporting BAGR sponsors with our provided sponsor codes and links is a great way to support the podcast!Join

I admit it, plant friends; I was totally unaware of a total subsect of the plant community: the planted aquarium world. There is a whole corner of the plant world dedicated to elevating our common fishtanks to living, growing underwater worlds that look like art. Aquatic gardeners are using aquatic plants to aquascape insanely beautiful aquariums. It is biophilia in the highest sense because you have so many aspects of the natural world indoors, and you even get to keep cute fishies! I had many of you request this episode but, to be frank, I've only health with above-ground houseplants so I was totally out of my depths. I figured I’d turn to Karen, an avid aquatic gardener who has written a step-by-step tutorial on how to assemble planted aquariums for a chat about the basics of aquatic plants. Get ready to dive into the wild world of aquatic plants and gardening!Join the Bloom and Grow Garden Party!Join us in the plantiest and kindest corner of the internet: our private community platform and app with de

Plant friends, I've been sharing with you my overwhelm, burnout, and general processing of everything that's happening in our world right now. It’s been so nice to connect with so many of you who share similar feelings. I'm also grateful to have had my plant collection to turn to and use as a tool for wellness in these trying times. Several of you had recommended Lessons from Plants by Beronda Montgomery and from page one, I felt like I had met a Plant Soul Sister in this author. Her book seemed to be the answer to my prayers about the struggles of understanding the science behind these phenomena I witness and take meaning from. Beronda has the scientific understanding to deep dive into lessons we can take away from plants. She joins me in this episode to share lessons we can learn from plants for specific scenarios many of us went through in 2021. Let's dive in!Join the Bloom and Grow Garden Party!Join us in the plantiest and kindest corner of the internet: our private community platform and

2020 had us all looking at our homes and asking ourselves if our current lifestyles were truly working for us or if it was time for a change. Billy and I desired more space, more nature, and a new opportunity to grow, which is why we moved upstate. An interesting question rose up when we moved and stared at our new surroundings and new gardening zone with a bit of overwhelm: now what? I've heard this question from so many members of our community who also made a big move, purchased a new home, and are looking at their new landscapes with wide eyes and lots of questions.In this episode, I invited Stephen Orr, editor of one of my favorite magazines and a gardener going through this process himself, to join me for a conversation about his journey to rejuvenating and experimenting with his new garden, or gardens, in his new home in Cape Cod. Can't wait to learn with you!Join the Bloom and Grow Garden Party!Join us in the plantiest and kindest corner of the internet: our private community platform and app

Honestly, I've been feeling so overwhelmed and uninterested in curating my thoughts and feelings about plants and plant parenthood. It’s been a hell of a year and although I’m all about keeping it positive, I’m also all about keeping it real. And lately, social media has made it hard to share authentically. That's why when Christy, a Garden Party founding member, started this plant parent confessional in the Garden Party platform, members had space to post about things they do that wouldn’t pass the Instagram cut: plant fails and “bad” plant parent practices. So, this episode is community-based, from Garden Party members who called in and submitted their confessionals. I'm sharing them with you in hopes to just normalize the messiness of plant parenthood and tell you that no matter where you are on your plant parent journey, you’re welcome here :)Join the Bloom and Grow Garden Party!Join us in the plantiest and kindest corner of the internet: our private community platform and app with dedicated c

Not only is growing your own food a fabulous hobby and a way to reconnect with the food chain, the earth, and yourself, it’s also a way to serve our bodies in a deeper way by feeding them with fresh, organic produce. Not to mention, a freshly picked cherry tomato or piece of lettuce tastes infinitely more delicious than a store-bought one. I’ve really enjoyed diving deep into gardening through the My First Garden Series on this podcast, and as a way to celebrate all our hard work, I've invited someone to help us make the best out of our harvest! Dr. John la Puma is a trained chef and doctor who has committed his life to culinary medicine and eco medicine. In this episode, we talk about the nutritional value of the foods we are growing, and some fun ways to prepare our harvest (we are both Italian-American and have lots of fun recipes we riff on throughout the episode!). Let's get cooking!Join the Bloom and Grow Garden Party!Join us in the plantiest and kindest corner of the internet: our private commu

Plant Routines: the crucial part of every plant parent's plant care practice that ensures that our plants (and our minds) are happy and healthy. Going from plant killer to plant lady, I found that I became as attached to my plant care routine, as I was to my plants. The act of disconnecting with a screen to reconnect with these plants and nature, is also a way to clear space to reconnect with yourself. I have learned that a plant care routine practice is so much deeper than just a soil moisture check: they let us check in with our plants, and more importantly, with ourselves. Plant care is truly self care. Everyone’s plant care routines are different, like unique snowflakes, so I brought together a fantastic group of plant friends to have a new format of podcast episode call the "Plant Friend Hang" to dive deeper on this topic. Come and meet them!Join the Bloom and Grow Garden Party!Join us in the plantiest and kindest corner of the internet: our private community platform and app with dedicated c

The first time I heard about wet stick propagation, I had no idea it even existed! That's why when I got an offer from a listener, Joey (@joey_de_la_plants), for a variegated Monstera 'Albo' wetstick (and I knew I wanted that plant but I had no idea what “wetstick” meant), I went down a research rabbit hole to know more about the process of rooting it. For the last 5 months, my node has not only rooted, but started growing!. So when I connected with Payton from Bloom Daddy Plants—who actively uses this method all the time to run his shop—I knew we had a super fun episode on our hands. And boy, did we go overboard with the cross-platform collaboration surrounding this episode! Tune in to learn all about node propagation, and join the Philodendron "Pink Princess" Wetstick Giveaway on Instagramfor the chance to win your own Philodendron 'Pink Princess' wet stick to try this method yourself!!Join the Bloom and Grow Garden PartyJoin us in the plantiest and kindest corner of the internet

When I first got into gardening, I got very fixated on the food I could grow for myself, but what I’m realizing is growing flowers can be as appealing as growing food — and flowers, being the pollinator magnets they are, are crucial to a healthy garden and a healthy mind. I’ve been so curious about cut flower gardening and connected with this episode's guest on Clubhouse, and started picking her brain about what cut flowers I should try as an ultra beginner. Brooklyn's passion for plants, her sensitivity, and her knowledge are things I've been wanting to share with this community! We also share heartwarming stories about our mothers and the lessons they taught us. I hope this episode brings you joy, just like flowers do!Join the Bloom and Grow Garden PartyJoin us in the plantiest and kindest corner of the internet: our private community platform and app with dedicated conversation topics, quarterly meet ups, regional groups and the ability to find plant friends near you and so much more!Join the G

#plantsmakepeoplehappy, this hashtag has almost 8 million posts so far and there’s a reason for it. It’s just true. Plants, nature, and the act of witnessing life itself make people happy, more connected, and more empowered. The plant/person connection is hard to explain, yet everyone knows it. We all feel this connection to our plant collection. Our hearts swell with new growth, and sometimes even grieve losses. Over the last year and a half, I’ve dove rather deeply into exploring this plant-person connection, reading several incredibly inspiring books one being written by our special guest today. Dr Sue Stuart Smith took me on a journey of this plant/person connection and made me feel so seen. I knew I just had to have her on the show, so find a cozy spot and let's dive in!Join the Bloom and Grow Garden Party Founding Plant Friend discounts running through July 1st! Then prices go up!Become a Founding Plant Friend!Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast,so you don't miss the amazing episodes we

In this mini episode, I share the why behind the creation of the Garden Party Community Platform & App and give you all the details of what’s inside! Become a Founding Plant Friend of the Garden Party (Offer expires July 1st- you can get a whole years membership for the amount of one 8 inch plant!) https://community.bloomandgrowradio.com/Check our a tour on the Youtube Channel!Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

This isn't a story about gardening, plant friends. This is an episode on plant friendship. Melody is a local gardener who lives 15 minutes from me and has one of the most unbelievable gardens I’ve ever seen! Her backyard is a whimsical garden oasis, with a gazebo, greenhouse, and a different flower or bloom everywhere you look. In this episode, I share the story of how I met Melody and Melody gives us a deeper understanding of soil, how it's alive, and how to make it the best soil for growing. Hear all of Melody's great tips on keeping your soil rich and how plants teach us the importance of coexistence. Listen to our gardening story below!Get on the waitlist for the Bloom and Grow Garden Party LaunchBe the first to gain access and founding member discounts through joining our waitlistSnag your spot on the waitlist hereDon't forget to subscribe to the podcast,so you don't miss the amazing episodes we have coming up!In this episode we learn:[03:39] The changes to Maria’s gardening plans and

When I look at a large gorgeous palm, outside or indoors, I immediately get tropical vibes from their huge leaves, the way they sway in the wind, and the way the leaves cascade over their delicate stems. They just have a certain something that creates an instant jungle vibe. However, palms are also notoriously tricky plants to successfully care for! Lucky for us, Chris of NYC Plant Doctor comes to the rescue with expert advice and knowledge on how to properly care for our palms, and how not to kill them as I did with my fan palm. Enjoy!Get on the waitlist for the Bloom and Grow Garden Party LaunchBe the first to gain access and founding member discounts through joining our waitlistSnag your spot on the waitlist hereDon't forget to subscribe to the podcast,so you don't miss the amazing episodes we have coming up!In this episode we learn:[00:04:16] Chris shares his insane window setup in his new New York apartment![00:06:38] Some interesting trivia about the Arecaceae family[00:08:04] The most common pa

Plant friends, I’ve been fortunate enough to take a lot of deeper dives in the science of plant care since quarantine happened and my outlook on plant care and the hobby of keeping plants has dramatically shifted in the last year and a half. I find myself turning away from blogs and towards textbooks and have a new deep appreciation for the horticulturalists on this show who can truly dive deeper with us and explain the why behind the how of all the practices we are told to do on care cards and social media posts. The combination of over 120 episode interviews, and now all these hours in the courses, has been enlightening and I wanted to come clean about these shifts I’m making in my personal collection and plant care practices. Thank you for learning alongside me and I hope this episode helps you keep blooming and keep growing through your plant parenthood journey!Get on the waitlist for the Bloom and Grow Garden Party LaunchBe the first to gain access and founding member discounts through joining our waitli

When I polled our listener community about your top requests for outdoor garden-related episodes, the number one request surprised me: it wasn’t managing fertilizer, succession planting, or garden design. It was how to manage pesky animals getting into your gardens! Today, I have the answer to your prayers: Brie from briegrows.com walks us through such a comprehensive list of practices and solutions for managing pests and other critters in the garden. This conversation really helps us rethink the way we approach animals in the garden and I’m excited for you to learn from Brie as I did!Get on the waitlist for the Bloom and Grow Garden Party LaunchBe the first to gain access and founding member discounts through joining our waitlistSnag your spot on the waitlist hereDon't forget to subscribe to the podcast,so you don't miss the amazing episodes we have coming up!In this episode we learn:[00:06:05] How Brie became Brie The Plant Lady[00:08:59] Brie shares her greatest achievement in plant propagation[00:

Did you know that some of our favorite houseplants are actually toxic to pets? I was able to interview Anastasia from Leaf & Paw about Pets and Plants and how to be both a pet parent and a plant parent. Anastasia has a blog dedicated to her passion for collecting plants while caring for her two cats and a hedgehog. In this episode, she walks us through what we need to know about toxicity, how to style with pets in mind, and the top 10 best and worst plants for our pets. Let's dive in!Get on the waitlist for the Bloom and Grow Garden Party LaunchBe the first to gain access and founding member discounts through joining our waitlistSnag your spot on the waitlist hereDon't forget to subscribe to the podcast,so you don't miss the amazing episodes we have coming up!In this episode we learn:[03:41] What this episode has in store for you, plant friend![05:13] How Anastasia became both a plant parent and a pet parent, and how Leaf and Paw came to be[07:19] Why it’s important to know how to have plants

New Trend Alert! Tiny Plants are the curious collector's dream, and an awesome option for plant parents who are working with limited space OR are obsessed with teensy tiny adorable things like me. Leslie Halleck, one of the favorite recurring guests for Bloom and Grow Radio, joins us again to talk about her obsession with Tiny Plants, tips for caring for them, and a matchmaking session where she pairs the perfect tiny plant for each plant parent personality. Get ready to learn about teensy, tiny adorableness!Pre-Order Leslie's new book: Tiny PlantsGet on the waitlist for the Bloom and Grow Garden Party LaunchBe the first to gain access and founding member discounts through joining our waitlistSnag your spot on the waitlist here  Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast,so you don't miss the amazing episodes we have coming up!In this episode we learn:[05:29] Leslie shares how she spots plant trends and what the trend of small plants has changed in people’s lives[08:25] How Leslie got into the t