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Listen to This Before You Buy a Greenhouse!

Listen to This Before You Buy a Greenhouse!

Author: Maria Failla- Happy Plant Lady and Author of Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness September 8, 2026 Duration: 1:00:59
Growing Joy with Plants - Wellness Rooted in Nature, Houseplants, Gardening and Plant Care
LeisureEducationGardenHealthHealth & FitnessHome

Have you fallen down the greenhouse rabbit hole yet, plant friends? If you've had plants for more than a year, you're probably like me, who's started Googling "how to put a greenhouse in my backyard" already. And I learned that a greenhouse isn't a big plant shelf but a structure, and it's probably the largest single purchase you'll make as a plant parent. I'm in Zone 10b in Florida and I still haven't built mine. So I asked Leslie Halleck, a favorite podcast guest, a long-time friend, and someone who has a master's in greenhouse production and a new book called Home Greenhouse Revival, what to figure out first. And I think she also holds the guest record for most appearances on the show! Let's dive in!

 

In this episode, we learn:

  • [02:06] Meet Leslie Halleck
  • [02:33] Moving her whole life and business from Texas to Oregon
  • [03:29] Why the Pacific Northwest is a ‘horticultural mecca’ for gardeners
  • [04:42] Lelie’s new 6-acre property (what she calls folia forest farm)
  • [06:49] What does her "pocket farming" look like?
  • [09:03] Why are greenhouses trending?
  • [12:51] What is the biggest greenhouse mistake?
  • [14:13] Why cooling a greenhouse is so much harder than heating one
  • [15:29] Manukora Honey
  • [17:47] Hoop house vs. glass house
  • [18:47] What are the elements that make up a greenhouse?
  • [21:21] Greenhouse framing materials and glazing!
  • [22:43] Is there a beginner-friendly greenhouse?
  • [25:04] What Leslie thinks about thrifted/DIY vintage window greenhouses
  • [27:41] How to pick the right greenhouse size?
  • [29:48] Greenhouses as the expensive part of a cheap hobby
  • [30:33] Using multiple greenhouses to zone temperature and humidity
  • [32:47] What about a half-empty greenhouse?
  • [33:26] What is AOI (angle of incidence)? How roof pitch and sun angle affect how much light gets in
  • [35:49] Inside the plant profiles (PPFD, DLI, photoperiod, fertilizer PPM, and VPD)
  • [39:21] How does pest management in a greenhouse work?
  • [43:33] Leslie's dream greenhouse for her new property (and why she's leaning Venlo)
  • [48:23] How greenhouse pricing and options have changed and where to find good manufacturers
  • [50:26] Why you want someone local who knows your climate and orientation
  • [51:29] Starting small without setting yourself up to fail (and reviving a greenhouse that already flopped)
  • [54:10] Where to find Leslie, the book, her gardener's round tables, and her UCLA courses!

 

Mentioned in our conversation:

 

For Leslie's expert greenhouse advice,

check out the full show notes and blog here!

 

Follow Leslie:

Website
Shop
Facebook
X
Pinterest
YouTube
Instagram

 

Thank you to our episode sponsor:

Manukora

Go to manukora.com/bloom to get up to 31% off the starter kit that includes their 850+ Manukora honey jar, 5 honey travel sticks, a wooden spoon, and a guidebook, PLUS $25 worth of free gifts! 

 

Follow Maria and Growing Joy:

Order my book: Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness (and Plants) by Maria Failla, Illustrated by Samantha Leung

Take the Plant Parent Personality Quiz (Get the perfect plants, projects and educational resources for YOUR Lifestyle)

Support Growing Joy with Maria by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon!

Instagram: @growingjoywithmaria

Tiktok: @growingjoywithmaria

Subscribe to the Growing Joy YouTube channel! /growingjoywithmaria

Website: www.growingjoywithmaria.com

Pinterest: @growingjoywithmaria


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There’s a quiet, accessible kind of wellness waiting for you on a windowsill or in a patch of soil. Growing Joy with Plants explores that very idea, moving beyond basic tips to examine how our relationship with the natural world directly nurtures our mental and emotional health. Hosted by Maria Failla, a self-proclaimed Happy Plant Lady and author of "Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness," this podcast feels like a warm conversation with a knowledgeable friend. Maria guides you through the practicalities of keeping your houseplants alive and thriving, but the discussion always circles back to the deeper connection-how the simple acts of watering, repotting, or simply observing growth can become anchors of calm in a hectic day. Each episode digs into how gardening and engaging with nature, even in small urban spaces, offer tangible tools to manage feelings of anxiety and overwhelm. This isn't about achieving a perfect indoor jungle; it's about finding moments of peace and genuine happiness through the process of care. The underlying message throughout the podcast is a powerful and gentle reminder: tending to your plants is fundamentally an act of tending to yourself. You’ll come away with not just better plant care knowledge, but a refreshed perspective on cultivating joy in your daily routine, learning that the serenity you might seek on vacation can be rooted right in your own home.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

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Growing Joy with Plants - Wellness Rooted in Nature, Houseplants, Gardening and Plant Care
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