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Why Killing Houseplants Doesn’t Make You a Bad Plant Parent: Best of Growing Joy Replay

Why Killing Houseplants Doesn’t Make You a Bad Plant Parent: Best of Growing Joy Replay

Author: Maria Failla- Happy Plant Lady and Author of Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness August 6, 2026 Duration: 48:20
Growing Joy with Plants - Wellness Rooted in Nature, Houseplants, Gardening and Plant Care
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When it comes to killing plants, it's not a matter of if... it's a matter of when.

And killing a plant doesn't mean you're bad at plants. It just means you're a plant parent. But so many of us carry real shame around plant death. One loss, and we decide we're a plant killer and quit for good.

In this Best of Growing Joy series episode, I'm bringing back my conversation with Cassidy from Succulents and Sunshine about the guilt that comes with plant death, especially with succulents. They get sold as easy care plants. They're not.

We get into why even plant experts lose plants, how to know when to treat versus when to toss, and why your plant number shifts with the seasons of your life.

In this episode, we learn:

  • [00:00] Does being a plant parent mean you’re also a plant killer?
  • [05:24] Who is Cassidy and how she became the plant parent she is today
  • [06:00] What is Succulents and Sunshine about?
  • [10:55] Cassidy's take on how plant parents handle plant death
  • [12:45] Trying to keep an echeveria succulent alive
  • [14:36] When to toss vs. treat your plants [it's simple!]
  • [16:24] The importance of a plant care routine
  • [18:34] Why it’s important to know your plant number
  • [19:27] Emotional attachment to our plants [feat. Maria's lime tree story]
  • [22:20] Maria's experience with generational plant gifts
  • [25:45] What Cassidy learned from every plant failure
  • [25:52] Tip #1 Be more attentive to your plants
  • [26:18] Tip #2 Different plants require different care
  • [27:41] Tip #3 Don't be too hard on yourself; plants die in the wild too
  • [28:43] Where to get plant seeds that are guaranteed to last longer
  • [30:40] Get quality grow lights that will last and look stunning next to your plants
  • [32:31] Why most of the plants we have aren’t designed to live in our homes.
  • [34:39] Why Haworthia is most suitable as your indoor succulent
  • [36:37] Should you try to grow the same plant again or let it go completely?
  • [41:20] What are some ways to reduce your plant collection?
  • [44:13] Learning to let go of dying plants
  • [48:32] The mental cost of holding onto something that no longer serves you
  • [51:23] What are the two options when you kill a plant?

 

Mentioned in our conversation:

 

Have you ever killed a plant that someone special gave you?

Check out the full show notes and blog for a gentler way to think about losing your heirloom plants!

 

Follow Cassidy:

Website

Instagram

Facebook

YouTube

 

 

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

Join the Bloom and Grow Garden Party Community Platform & App AKA the plantiest and kindest corner of the internet! Get your FREE 2-week trial here!

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

Support Bloom and Grow Radio 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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