The Houseplant Coach

Have you seen those trendy companies that sell pseudo-fancy soil for aroids, but the only thing in it is big chunks? Here's why to avoid this!

Learn about causes of different types of leaf yellowing, soil mushrooms vs slime mold, and then it's a long discussion about different kinds of intentional community building, “independence as trauma response” that we all carry, and ideas about building interconnected communities right where we are ❤️

Have you ever listened to a podcast and learned about some previously-unheard-of way you've been harming your plants, then said “wait, is this really true? That's odd…”? Well, here's an example of that - and the solution (guess what - the solution is a team of nerds who are strangers to each other because that's the power of the internet and the plant community!). Talking about pH Up/Down products and how they DON'T harm your plants when used correctly ❤️

Bad propagation advice, soil sale, business tips, and stay tuned for an incoming orchid podcast with Raffaele of Ohio Tropics!

The forsythias are rooted and ready to give away! Here's more info on attempting to create economic disruption armed with only rooting hormone and pruning shears

Skip to minute 38 to get straight to houseplant content. This episode covers using sauerkraut to break down glyphosate, eating “weeds,” moss pole info, and the sale on tropical climber soil (up to 40% off! Ends 3/8/25).

Time to prune the plants in your yard (or trim that crazy hoya that went nuts after repotting in Oh Happy Dirt)? Pot up the cuttings and share the love! Big box stores have shown us that they don't care about individuals, so it's time to move our spending to home nurseries (and give away cuttings for free, too)!

Today's episode: things we need to consider when repotting - specifically when changing soil texture or pot size. I go into acclimation and a few other things. Also! If you use logs in your garden, drill some holes for bees!

Want to keep a plant cute and smöl indefinitely? This episode is on choosing the right plant, pruning techniques, and care tips for keeping your plant adorable :)

Here's some new info about the bug poo I sell at ohhappyplants.shop, and a bit of discussion about reasons for rules and why we should disregard them (or follow them, if we choose to).

It's time to build your community, folks! And if you're as awkward as my AuDHD ass, you need a good excuse to throw a get-together - so why not throw a repotting party! Get together, strengthen your community, build connections you can lean on through hard times, and get that social accountability for repotting at the same time!

Quick reminder to check for spider mites - ‘tis the season! Also, free quart sale is over when January ends - get yours at https://OhHappyPlants.shop

There's a pile of soil in my yard that's 6' tall and 20' wide! This episode is about what I'm doing with it - increasing biodiversity, feeding local insects (responsibly, without increasing neighbors' use of herbicides by letting weeds run rampant), and the January FREE DIRT sale!

Maranta and ctenanthe propagation, how to term when roots have grown, and FREE SOIL through January 2025!

We're talking resolutions today - specifically those that support self kindness rather than capitalistic “you're not enough” culture. Also, I do a little walkthrough of my home and changes I'll be making with my plants to support easy care in the new year. And be sure to take a look at the thumbnail photo for this episode - note the difference in leaf size on the Calathea orbifolia!

Info on the aphid life cycle, killing them, and new projects :) (The log pile is a new project!)

This episode is an audio “peek” into my house right now - early warning signs of spider mites, crazy etiolation from ignoring a Monstera esqueleto, air layering shenanigans, and hoyas going completely nuts after their re-pot :)

Okay everyone, I just finished a certification in tissue culture! I learned SO MUCH but most of it was related to lab practices and not actually usable at the consumer level, but I got some extremely good insights and will be putting the info together in a course or booklet, plus putting together more podcast episodes on the acclimation process for TC plants. Hold tight for more info soon!

This is just me encouraging you to do whatever the f*ck you want with your plants

Here's an episode about watering/plant care tips for when your executive disfunction is a brick on your chest that prevents you from doing anything, plus (second half) what I've figured out about grief resiliency and things you can do *now* to prevent yourself from falling into a black hole of despair when a loved one dies.

Quick episode describing how I'd stack moss poles because you KNOW your plants are going to outgrow them :)

Just a little chat about the humidity-fungus connection, plus info on lighting, hoya growth, and bug poo :)

I need help! If you've ever been to OhHappyPlants.shop and couldn't figure out what soil to choose for your plant, and thought “if it was just organized THIS WAY it would be so much easier” - I want your thoughts!!!

Okay y'all, I finally repotted my avocado tree. I've been scared of this for a really (REALLY) long time because the root systems can be super delicate and the tree is really special to me. But: SUCCESS! Here's what I did (plus 80 million tangents, complete with zombie stories).

Did you know that imidacloprid systemic granules are neonicotonoids and totally bad for bees? Let's talk about using them thoughtfully, plus letting go of our houseplant-parent egos and giving ourselves EASE instead ❤️

Some tips for packing and getting info from other countries' import agencies.

How does watering Oh Happy Dirt differ from watering standard potting soils? Learn more in this episode!

Sale announcement for followers only! Plus tips on choosing a moss pole and caring for it properly, and repotting tips :)

I'm launching a new style of info-sharing soon, and I need help! Listen in for more, and for a few product announcements :)

Here's one on seasonal considerations when making houseplant purchases!

I get this question a lot, so here's the answer! :)

Skip to 16:30 for the actual science, but start at the beginning for cute stories about my kid :) The main takeaway here is that fertilizing your plants is good for YOUR mental health (and their health too!). Publication referenced is posted at https://members.ohhappyplants.... - member site is free!!!

The mechanics of sunlight direction :)

Go to 27:30 to skip story time! But also: thank you for the privilege of nerding out for your benefit

Hey! Get fertilizing! The light is back, now is TIME! Plus: 2-gallon soil bags on sale - 30% off and TODAY IS THE LAST DAY! Sale ends 4/15/24 at like 11:30pm PST. Also the last like 5-10min is a grief update; may be useful if you lose a spouse in the future, I don't know

Here are some watering tips, tricks for putting in non-draining containers (gasp!), and some updates :)

I got a question from a podcast listener today about peat - does it retain water or repel it? Here's more info!

Learn to spot spider mites in a few more ways :)

A stick! This one is about pruning ficus trees - specifically, how to tell when your twigs are dead, and how far back to prune them :)

Answer: It depends! Let's dig in :)

Here's a tiny fraction of the info available about why I use mycorrhizal inoculant in soil!

Here's some info on a rust infection on a cute little cactus :)

Just an announcement - DrySoils are on sale for 40% off through the end of the month! (January 20th 2024, starting at 3pm PST, through January 31st).

Just a quick one :)

Here's your annual floppy sansevieria rant. If your sansevieria isn't happy to see you, here are some key ways to perk it up ;)

Hey folks! Tl; dr: Oh Happy Plants will have sales in January and (probably) March. I've decided to skip the sale this month so you can focus your energy on holidays. If you want OHP products for a gift, ask for a gift card! Then use it on the January sale to get that discount ❤️ This episode is a little bit about plants, with lots of updates and ranting about how I want everyone to own a small business if they want that. And also: I love you. Huge gratitude for supporting me through the hardest year of my life ❤️

Poinsettias - originally known to the Aztecs as Cuetlaxochitl (language: Nahuatl) - are tricky little b@stards. Get to know them a little better and learn some tricks in this episode!

Skip to the ~27 minute mark if you want plant content only (and stop at ~75ish) :)

Got soil mites? You might, if you've purchased a plant in the last few months! Take a breath - they're beneficial! But if you don't want them in your house, they're easy to get rid of. And yes, I'm trying to find the source; they've shown up in plants from three local plant shops so far and I'm working on finding the growers who is selling the plants :)

Are they aerial roots or an attempt at global domination? Here's a discussion of what aerial roots are for, when they show up, and a touch of complete silliness (or twelve).