Who says you need acres of land to grow fresh veggies? Maria, from Growing Joy with Maria, proves you can cultivate an entire salad—including tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, lettuce, and even edible flowers—all in a single pot! Her compact, balcony-friendly approach uses Espoma Organic products to ensure vibrant growth and delicious harvests.
Maria’s Top Tips & Espoma Essentials:
1) Use Quality Soil: Maria fills her container with an organic potting soil mix like Espoma Organic Potting Mix, creating a loose, nutrient-rich environment perfect for thriving plants.
2) Kickstart Healthy Roots: She incorporates an organic starter fertilizer like our Espoma Organic Bio-tone Starter Plus directly into the soil to enhance root growth and minimize transplant shock, thanks to a rich blend of natural and organic ingredients plus it’s enhanced with beneficial microbes, humates, and mycorrhizae.
3) Continuous Feeding: Maria ensures her plants have steady nutrition throughout the growing season by using Espoma Organic Garden-tonethe ultimate organic fertilizer formulated for feeding all your favorite herbs and vegetables!
4) Companion Planting: Adding edible flowers like violas, snapdragons, and sweet alyssum attracts beneficial pollinators, ensuring a beautiful and productive container.
5) Choose the Right Container: A large, self-watering pot with a trellis allows her microdwarf veggies to flourish vertically, maximizing space.
Try Maria’s easy, organic method to transform your balcony into a lush, productive garden space with Espoma Organic!
https://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Thumbnail-1.jpg7201280Matt Dauphinaishttps://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/espoma-logo340w-1.pngMatt Dauphinais2025-05-16 16:21:462025-06-05 16:43:25VIDEO: How to 🌱 Grow a Whole Salad 🥗 in One Pot! 🪴 | Growing Joy with Maria
Ever notice how a moment spent tending your plants feels like a mindful pause in a busy day? You’re not just watering—you’re nurturing calm, presence, and connection. We believe that caring for your green companions is one of the most natural forms of self-care. And just like you thrive on nourishing food, your plants thrive when you feed them regularly with Espoma Organic fertilizer —gentle, effective, and safe for people, pets, and the planet.
The Science Behind the Serene
Sharper Mind + Better Mood Studies show that being around plants can boost memory and attention by about 20%, while reducing background noise and enhancing productivity and creativity—especially in home or little work-from-home nooks.
Soil for the Soul That earthy scent? It comes from microbes like Mycobacterium vaccae (lovingly nicknamed “outdoorphins”), and they don’t just feed your plants—they may help boost your mood and immunity, too.
Self-Care That Doesn’t Feel Selfish
Pulling weeds, misting leaves, or simply observing new growth—these are gentle rituals that anchor us in the now. As one soothing tip from our brand partner, Maria Failla of Growing Joy with Maria, reminds us:
“Use watering or caring for them as an excuse to get up from your computer and take some ‘me-time’—because plant care is self-care.”
Pair that with feeding your plants Espoma Organicfertilizer, and you’re nourishing life in every sense.
Indoor Joy: Caring for Your Plants with a Gentle Boost
Your indoor plants do more than brighten a room—they improve your air, calm your mind, and remind you to slow down. To keep them thriving year-round, a little extra nourishment goes a long way.
That’s where Espoma Organic Indoor! liquid fertilizer comes in. This gentle, balanced formula is made from natural ingredients and feeds instantly, giving your leafy friends the nutrients they need for lush growth and vibrant color—even in the lower light of winter months.
Self-Care Tip: Pair your plant feeding with your own wellness ritual. Set a reminder every 2–4 weeks to water and feed your plants, then take a few minutes to enjoy a cup of tea nearby. Watch how your plants respond over time—you’ll notice deeper greens, healthier new leaves, and a little spark of joy in your day.
Festive Downtime: Holiday-Ready Green Retreats
During the busy holiday season, a mini Christmas cypress or Norfolk Island Pine—with its fresh sap-like scent—can be both a peaceful décor choice and a mindful project. Pot it up in our Espoma Organic Potting Mix, give it a slow sip of water, and feed it with an organic fertilizer like Indoor! for lasting joy. It’s a gift that grows for you, not just from you.
Fresh Ways to Deepen Plant-Based Self-Care
Micro-Meditation Moments Set a daily two-minute ritual—touch the soil, check a leaf, breathe deeply. Call it a “plant-powered reset.”
Create a Kitchen Corner of Calm A small shelf of herbs like basil, lavender, or even mint provides an aromatic escape and practical joy when cooking. Watering and feeding them with organic fertilizer like Indoor! can become a lovely action in your daily rhythm.
Mindful Mondays with Biophilia Start your week by simply sitting with your plants—observing new buds, leaf shapes, and subtle color shifts. This biophilic practice connects you to growth and groundedness.
Let Your Care Shine Through
Plant care is not just about pretty greenery—it’s caring for yourself, too. You pause, breathe, tune in, and the soil responds. Whether it’s a festive tree, a potted herb, or a tranquil succulent, your green space is your sanctuary. And with a little love, light, and organic fertilizer, your plants—and your spirit—can truly thrive.
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https://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/IMG_3162.jpeg33686000espomahttps://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/espoma-logo340w-1.pngespoma2019-12-11 11:54:012025-08-13 14:53:41Plant Care Is Self-Care: Nurture Yourself as You Nurture Your Plants
Spring has sprung and it’s time to get outside and plant up some early spring containers. A trip to the local garden center will surely inspire you. Plant big pots of brightly colored bulbs and annuals to liven up entryways, patios and balconies. Laura from Garden Answer shows you just how easy it is to do in the video below.
Laura fills her containers with tulips and violas, true harbingers of spring. Alternatively, you could also use daffodils and other cold hardy annuals like Iceland poppies or nemesia. In cold climates, it’s important to select plans that are hardy enough to withstand a cold snap.
These early spring containers will flower for a month or so, bridging the gap from early spring to the frost-free date. When it’s time to plant summer containers, replant the tulips out into the garden where they’ll bloom again next spring. The violas may also be moved to a lightly shaded area of the garden.
Four Easy Steps to Early Spring Containers
Prep Containers. Fill containers three-quarters full with good, quality potting soil like Espoma’s Potting Mix and prepare to plant bulbs at the depth they were in the nursery pot.
Add Nutrients. Add Bulb-tone fertilizer to the soil, following package directions.
Get ready to plant. Gently remove the plants from their pots and loosen roots. Add plants.
Finish it up. Backfill containers with more potting soil and water deeply.
Enjoy flowers for even longer by choosing tulips or daffodils that are not yet in full bloom. When finished blooming, just remove the flower stem. The leaves will still provide a vertical accent and the bulbs need the foliage to replenish themselves.
Taking time to deadhead the violas will extend their bloom time. If temperatures are cool, you may only need to water containers once a week.
Check out these videos from Garden Answer about tulips and early spring planting.
https://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Thumbnail.jpg10801920espomahttps://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/espoma-logo340w-1.pngespoma2019-03-19 14:13:302024-03-13 15:58:00VIDEO: Spring Flowers Melt the Winter Blues with Garden Answer!
Laura from Garden Answer shows you how to care for African violets. Once you get in a regular routine of taking care of African violets, you’ll find they grow very easily. All of their basic needs need to be met though, or they won’t bloom. Give them the right temperature, light and a good feeding, and you’ll be blooming in no time!
https://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/African-Violet-thumbnail.jpg10801920espomahttps://www.espoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/espoma-logo340w-1.pngespoma2016-12-01 09:30:462019-05-07 10:04:196 Tips For Caring for African Violets
