Call the Plant Bus Lady

In episode four of Call the Plant Bus Lady , I visit Kristi to help fix the support holding up her three-year-old Swiss cheese plant ( Monstera deliciosa ). When she originally bought it on the Plant Bus, it looked like a bushy little plant that fit in the cupholder of her car. It had no fenestrations (a.k.a. holes in the leaves) and was showing no signs of the monster vine it was going to become. Oh, how plants change! Like many home growers who buy a small plant that grows into a large problem, Kristi is uncomfortable with taking action without some support herself. Good thing she knows the plant bus lady! Listen in as we give her Swiss cheese plant a much needed lift and discuss the importance of understanding how a plant grows in its natural habitat to achieve that goal. Bonus Content Click here to watch: Kristi’s Gardening Story More Resources from Renata’s Garden Episode Credits Special thanks to Shelby Varner for her assistance in podcast episode production, editing and co-hosting, and for dealing with my crazy personality for the last eight months. Also, special thanks to Kristi for sharing her plant problems and home with us. Like the podcast? Please share with friends and family! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit renatasgarden.substack.com/subscribe

In episode three of Call the Plant Bus Lady , I visit Chele, a retired florist and nature lover, to advise on her newly reconstructed landscape beds. The goal? A full on prairie-scape! Tired of dragging hoses around her yard and watering a landscape that was overgrown and picked out by a past property owner, Chele wants plants that will grow in her native soil and climate, encouraging a local habitat. She called the right lady! Listen in while I bring Chele a load of natives from my greenhouse (planted in the middle of the prairie itself), and retrain her mindset from deadheading and watering quaffed ornamentals from the garden center to establishing and containing wild natives from the prairie. As more and more homeowners look to add ecological value to their properties, this visit is not one you’ll want to miss. Bonus Content Click here to watch: Choosing Native Plants for Chele’s Yard More Resources from Renata’s Garden Episode Credits Special thanks to Shelby Varner for her assistance in podcast episode production, editing and co-hosting, and for dealing with my crazy personality for the last eight months. Also, special thanks to Chele for sharing her plant problems and home with us. Like the podcast? Please share with friends and family! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit renatasgarden.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of Call the Plant Bus Lady , Alex finds herself wanting to dip her toes into a new area of horticulture—growing her own food. All new gardeners have to dive in somewhere, whether that starting point is in the house with a pothos vine, the front porch with a chrysanthemum, or the backyard with a tomato plant. Horticulture is a wide world, and that is why it is the oldest hobby. There is no end to the challenges and rewards you may unearth. While Alex has only ever been successful with plants in the house, her interest was piqued when she discovered there might be a happy medium between houseplant culture and growing a full-fledged in-ground vegetable patch. Enter the container garden! Listen in on my house call with Alex to learn how you can grow your own food right on your front porch, back deck or patio. Bonus Content Click here to watch: Potting Up Alex’s Salad Bowl More Resources from Renata’s Garden Episode Credits Special thanks to Shelby Varner for her assistance in podcast episode production, editing and co-hosting, and for dealing with my crazy personality for the last eight months. Also, special thanks to Alex for sharing her plant problems and home with us. Like the podcast? Please share with friends and family! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit renatasgarden.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of Call the Plant Bus Lady , ride along to Staci’s house where I provide some solutions for her ailing arrowhead vine ( Syngonium podophyllum ) and nerve plant ( Fittonia albivenus ). Both plants are struggling, but like many home growers, Staci doesn’t know what changes she should make to encourage an uptick in growth. Tune in to learn a professional horticulturist’s advice on repotting, fertilizing and supporting your house plants. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit renatasgarden.substack.com/subscribe

Listen to “Call the Plant Bus Lady” on Apple, Spotify or YouTube starting July 8! Ride along with the Plant Bus Lady as I visit gardeners at home, discuss their plant struggles and projects, and help them unearth their inner green thumb. You might just discover yours! Each episode will focus in on one gardener’s dilemma, be it houseplant, garden plant or native plant related. Subscribe to be informed when new episodes come out. And, share with all your plant friends! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit renatasgarden.substack.com/subscribe