Ep. 135 - Spring Strategies Grab Bag

Chill 'n Chat

We have plenty of plant thoughts and goals on our minds as we sit down for our Spring-themed Chill 'n Chat!

Should you put our houseplants outdoors during the warm months? As seasonal selections improve at plant stores, what are our current strategies to avoid plant burnout or over-collecting? Do you have to get a former goal plant if it’s cheaper now? And the real bombshell – is Stephen finally ready for a Pothos? Brace yourselves!

Mentioned in this episode:

• how we avoid over-shopping and over-collecting when so many amazing plants are available for sale at this time of year, including many wishlist plants that are now becoming widely available

• what are we doing to avoid hobby burnout, and prioritize what will bring us more joy this year and into the future

• the ins and outs out rotating plants outdoors seasonally - benefits, things to look out for, when we do it, which plants get this treatment, and why

• when we do decide to get new plants, what are the things we’re focused on? Quarantining? Getting to know a plant before we repot?

• our plant goals and plans for 2022, and what we’re excited for this year

And lastly,

• We’re excited to team up with Soltech Solutions! Use code PLANTDADDYPODCAST at checkout to save 15%

• Listen to Plant Daddy Podcast ad-free as an Official Patron! You’ll also have exclusive access our periodic episode After Shows, where we stick around for some of the questions and conversation that didn’t fit in the episode.

  And a special thank you to our new Patrons for the month of April! We’ll give a shoutout to our newest members at the start of each Chill ‘n Chat (unless you let us know that you’d like to remain anonymous!) If you are interested in supporting us that way, just go to Patreon to join.

  As always, we thank you for listening and supporting the show any way you choose, and thanks to everyone who encouraged us to get on Patreon!

Stephen definitely found it amusing how many new plants Matthew has added to his collection in the last few months, given how much he was talking about feeling the pressure of too many plants last year - but he is rebuilding and refocusing his collection a bit, so he didn’t give Matthew too hard a time.

Here are some of those plants Matthew has recently collected!

Cover image: Asparagus ferns that Matthew was inspired to try after we discussed them in Ep. 127 - Asparagus macowanii (Ming Fern), Asparagus setaceus (Common Asparagus Fern), Asparagus densiflorus (Foxtail Fern)

1. African Violet ‘Chanticleer’

2. Epipremnum pinnatum (Baltic Blue Pothos)

3. Dracaena goldieana (Zebra Striped Dragon Tree)

4. Doryopteris pedata (Digit Fern)

5. Hoya cumingiana (Bush Hoya)

6. Hoya curtisii, compared with String of Hearts

7. Alocasia cucullata (Buddha’s Hand, Chinese Taro, Hooded Dwarf Elephant Ear)

8. Gasteria (Ox Tongue) and Aloe striata (Coral Aloe) - inspired by when we discussed Aloe vera in Ep. 132!