Houseplant Maintenance

Houseplant Maintenance

Author: Golden Acre Home and Garden March 26, 2023 Duration: 55:55

Do your houseplants deserve a little spa day? In Canada, we experience pretty dramatic seasonal shifts. While we do love our gardens, you can only really enjoy it for a portion of the year. Houseplants can be enjoyed yearround, but they do require a bit of maintenance to keep them living their best life. Colin and Brandi discuss seasonal maintenance in today's episode!

************************* 

In this weeks episode....

  • 00:00 | Introduction
  • 02:14 | Should I move my houseplants seasonally?
  • 04:30 | Houseplant adversity  
  • 08:30 | Things to watch for before moving your plants.   
  • 10:30 | Choosing a designated houseplant maintenance day  
  • 12:30 | What happens if you can't move your plants?
  • 13:52 | Challenge: Change your house lights to grow lights!
  • 14:40 | Transplanting/ Repotting Houseplants - Foliage & Flowering
  • 22:00 | Propagation - medium, methods and more.
  • 26:20 | What did Colin gift Brandi? 
  • 32:50 | Houseplant soil - mixes & Colin's blend 
  • 33:30 | The benefits of worm castings 
  • 34:20 | What do worms like to eat?
  • 35:00 | Types of houseplant soil
  • 36:20 | 'Super Soil' by Bluesky Organics #NotSponsored
  • 40:50 | Fertilizing - when and with what
  • 43:05 | My flowering plant isn't flowering :(
  • 44:56 | Watering tip: Try using rain water
  • 48:00 | Wrap up
  • 36:40 | Question of the Week
  • 40:15 | Next Week....  

************************* 

COLIN'S SOIL RECIPE

  • 3 parts potting soil
  • 1 part charcoal
  • 1 part worm casting

CACTUS SOIL BLEND

  • 3 Parts Dry Sand
  • 2 Parts Perlite
  • 2 Parts Heavy Garden Soil 
  • 1 Part Worm Castings

GAKidsTV Cactus Soil Episode: LINK

Avelida Worm Castings 

Bluesky Organics 'Super Soil'

************************* 

WATERING LINKS

Does Rainwater Contain Nitrogen?

Green Calgary - Water conservation and rain barrels

************************* 

QUESTION OF THE WEEK 

Our question of the week comes from Harry over on Instagram who asks "How do I grow hemp outside in my garden?"

Do you have a question or a comment for the Helpful Gardeners?

  • Send us an anonymous voice note HERE
  • send us an email social@goldenacre.ca
  • or find our question of the week every Tuesday on our Instagram

 

NEXT WEEK 

We're  

Turn in Sunday's 8AM MST for more fun with the helpful gardeners!


Ever find yourself staring at a wilting houseplant or a patch of backyard dirt, unsure where to even begin? That's the exact spot where The Helpful Gardeners finds its footing. This isn't a lecture from a distant expert; it's a conversation between two people who genuinely love turning spaces into places. Colin brings his certification and decades of hands-in-the-dirt knowledge from working in all sorts of climates, while Brandi comes at it with a beginner's curiosity and the willingness to ask the questions you might be thinking yourself. Each episode of this podcast from Golden Acre Home and Garden feels like pulling up a chair in a friendly, sunlit shed. You'll hear practical, real-world advice on everything from landscaping fundamentals and seasonal garden tasks to keeping your indoor jungle thriving. They tackle specific problems, share successes and failures, and break down complex topics into manageable steps. Released three times a week, this regular dose of guidance aims to build your confidence, whether you're cultivating a windowsill herb garden or planning a major backyard overhaul. Tune in for the kind of relatable, grounded chat that makes the whole process feel less like a chore and more like a rewarding discovery.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 189

The Helpful Gardeners
Podcast Episodes
Lessons in a 'Great Depression Garden' [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:39
Ever feel like your grocery bill is personally attacking you? It turns out the secret to beating food inflation might actually be buried in 1929. This week, we’re exploring a living history project in Ontario. We’re talk…
To Seed or Not to Seed [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:46
Let’s be real: you’re scrolling through a seed catalog on a Tuesday night, and suddenly you’ve ordered fifteen varieties of heirloom tomatoes and enough peppers to start your own hot sauce empire. But now that the packet…
Celebrating Lunar New Year 2026 with Lucky Bamboo! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:02
Get ready to gallop into an auspicious 2026, the Year of the Fire Horse! This year, we're shining a spotlight on a plant that’s synonymous with good fortune, resilience, and beauty: Lucky Bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana).Bey…
The 5 Love Languages - Plant Edition! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:30
You know the "5 Love Languages," right? Words of Affirmation, Acts of Service, Receiving Gifts, Quality Time, and Physical Touch. Well, we've gone ahead and given them a green thumb makeover! Here are some ways you can s…
Identifying Naked Trees In the Winter [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:32
Winter gardening can feel a bit like looking at a black-and-white photo—lots of texture, but the obvious clues are gone. If you’ve ever walked past a bare tree in the winter and wondered if it’s an Elm or an Ash, you’re…
More Than Medals: The Floral Soul of Milano Cortina 2026 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:14
When we think of the Winter Olympics, we usually picture ice, powder, and the adrenaline of the downhill. But for the 2026 Milano Cortina Games, Italy is bringing something a bit more delicate—and a lot more meaningful—t…
If You Build It, They Will "Chicka-Dee-Dee-Dee" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:27
While our gardens might be tucked under a blanket of snow, our backyards are still buzzing with life (and tiny, hungry tummies!). This week, we’re dedicating our episode to the birds, featuring one of Canada’s most charm…
Can Dog Fur Be Used as Fertilizer? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:37
If you own a Golden Retriever, a Husky, or basically any creature that sheds its weight in fluff every week, you’ve probably looked at that mountain of fur in your vacuum and thought: “There has to be a better use for th…
Is it Spring Yet? Winter's Effect on Gardens in Canada [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:39
Is Mother Nature a little... chaotic this year? While some of us are literally digging our way out of front doors, others are wondering if spring decided to show up three months early. This week on the podcast, we’re bre…
The Trend You Didn't See Coming: Cabbage Crush! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:57
Take a wild guess at what vegetable is trending in 2026. If you're in the planning stage of your garden, you won't believe which leafy green is taking centre stage and the trendy ways you can use it. Even Burberry is uti…