Are you a fan of cactus flowers… but not cactus spines? This week the Plant Daddies cover Echinopsis subdenudata, the Domino Cactus, an easy-to-care-for favorite that's often easy to find, too! It's great for newer plant parents, but does this species offer anything for seasoned growers? Will we make sense of the taxonomy here? Then someone utters the sentence "I don't know flower talk." Want to listen ad-free? Head over to Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/plantdaddypodcast...
Nov 09, 2021•36 min
Are you considering a splurge Hoya? If so, the Plant Daddies believe Hoya callistophylla should be on your short list. Are the rumors about straightforward care for this species true? And where are the cuttings Matthew promised Stephen? After we share other, similar Hoyas in the Finlaysonii complex worth considering, will this episode get an explicit rating? At this point, no one should be surprised! Want to listen ad-free? Head over to Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/plantdaddypodcast...
Nov 02, 2021•53 min
For this month's Chill 'n Chat, we dish about plant pots! (See what I did there? Thank you.) We'll cover our dos and don'ts, how these fit into the broader care equation, and our tips for converting mugs and thrift store finds into vessels your plants will thrive in. Which kinds do we find most difficult? And what are our strangest pots? In a shocking twist, we even throw in some aesthetic opinions. Want to listen ad-free? Head over to Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/plantdaddypodcast...
Oct 19, 2021•50 min
The Spider Plant finally gets some love! We share our experiences, care tips, opinions (of course) and even a few stories about this hardy favorite. How can you keep them bright and green? Have we ever killed one? And could this plant be poised for a resurgence in popularity? Just hear Stephen out. Also, if you’ve mastered these, we’ll share a related species that might tempt you. Want to listen ad-free? Head over to Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/plantdaddypodcast...
Oct 06, 2021•36 min
After some Stephen-centric plant updates, the Plant Daddies cover a surprisingly rewarding houseplant that you may be able to propagate after you make that fruit salad. The pineapple, Ananas comosus, is in bloom for Matthew, who details his care experiences - good and bad - and the long road ahead to that sweet snack. Is this the best tropical fruit to grow at home? Does Stephen know what one looks like? Want to listen ad-free? Head over to Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/plantdaddypodcast...
Sep 29, 2021•45 min
Not long ago, the Plant Daddies discussed how many houseplants is too many, and if memory serves, they felt like they had enough... so what happened last weekend? A plant sale to benefit a couple of their favorite local plant organizations! They each pick a new plant to share, discuss their geeky research so far, and use each other as additional resources - but who's growing the caudiciform Gesneriad, and who picked up an uncommon flowering shrub? Then, it's time for a listener question about ae...
Sep 22, 2021•56 min
This week the Plant Daddies cover Scindapsus pictus and treubii, ubiquitous trailing tropicals with variety and hardiness that may surprise you. Are these truly alternatives for the classic Golden Pothos? And why are these considered "a Pothos" …and why is a Pothos called a Pothos anyway? Matthew's mic breaks, so it sounds like he's calling from an airplane. And it's been a while since Stephen hasn't grown a plant we're discussing, so he leans in. Want to listen ad-free? Head over to Patreon! ht...
Sep 15, 2021•47 min
Can't stop buying plants? Or have you ever felt so overwhelmed you've considered leaving the hobby altogether? The month's Chill and Chat is near and dear to our hearts, and we have a feeling it may speak to some of you as well. Do you have too many plants? Do we?! How does it feel, and how should we think about this? While there's no one-size-fits-all answer, the Plant Daddies offer some stories that may tell you the signs and suggest some next steps toward feeling better.
Sep 07, 2021•45 min
This week we cover what may be one of the original strange houseplants, Bowiea, which has been described as "possessing little beauty" while also being "certainly one of the most curious plants." So guess which one of us is more excited? Kidding - we're both here for this one! We clear up the vague care guidance found online, detail our growing experiences, and even talk styling choices. How flaky does Stephen like it? And since this is a bit of a oddity, Matthew goes wild sharing botanical fact...
Aug 24, 2021•42 min
This week we talk Ficus elastica. If there's so much to love about the hardy, beautiful, low-light-tolerant Indian Rubber Fig, then why is this one just in the friend zone for the Plant Daddies? We also cover ideal care and our recommendations for pruning and shaping your plant as it grows. Then we give you multiple pronunciations of "Banyan!" And why does Stephen sound like he's calling in from a quiet library?
Aug 17, 2021•35 min
This Chill and Chat is about houseplants that don't simply grow larger - they undergo dramatic metamorphoses. Monstera deliciosa is a familiar example, Nepenthes do this when they're thriving, and the Blue Star Fern even has some surprises up its rhizome. How long until splits and fenestration develop in Monsteras? Stephen presses Matthew for answers, but has he ever experienced upper Nepenthes pitchers on his own plants? Then the Plant Daddies answer a listener question about propagating cacti.
Aug 10, 2021•42 min
In the first Plant Profile of Season 3, the Plant Daddies cover String of Turtles. Should you treat this like String of Hearts or String of Pearls? Is this their favorite of the "strings of things"? And how can you promote lush vining? In a Plant Daddy Podcast first, Stephen asks for a picture of Matthew's plant to judge! And please act surprised when Stephen reveals he's growing a hard-to-find alternative.
Aug 03, 2021•34 min
We're back and excited! To kick off Season 3, we're returning to Hoyas, and diving deeper into these plants both of us are so enthused about. With so many varieties new to cultivation, how are we researching their care? What unusual and unexpected ones have caught out attention? What about mounting them? Where is this craze going?? And did you know that they are people who don’t like Hoyas?! (No, it isn't Stephen this time!)
Jul 27, 2021•38 min
Hey! We missed you! We're not back from break quite yet, but we thought we'd share this fun, brief chat (mostly about Hoyas) with Jane Perrone of On the Ledge Podcast that took place a few months ago as we set up to our record about Thalassa Cruso for Episode 95.
Jul 20, 2021•10 min
The Plant Daddies brave a historic Pacific Northwest heatwave to bring you our final episode of Season 2! In this Chill and Chat, we give some plant updates (mostly about Hoyas, who are we kidding?), share our heatwave plant care strategies, and talk about an interesting recent study suggesting Staghorn Ferns may be eusocial. Stephen can't resist mentioning Ant Plants, and Matthew is already planning a fern colony in his stairwell. We'll see everyone in a few weeks!
Jun 29, 2021•47 min
We made it! And you made it! For our 100th episode, the Plant Daddies serve a variety show of sorts - with listener questions, our most (and least) improved plant skills since beginning the show, and even we have learned from each other. How do you make that grocery store Phalaenopsis orchid bloom again? How should you move with plants? How have our collections changed in the last two years? Does Stephen still think his plants are the coolest? Does Matthew like Hoyas yet? (eye rolls)
Jun 22, 2021•54 min
Looking for a consistently-flowering houseplant for that warm, sunny spot where more delicate plants may not thrive? Euphorbia milii is one Matthew has kept for years and Stephen feels may be having a moment. Is care the same as other succulent Euphorbias? How much should you worry about the sap toxicity and thorns? This might be another plant the Plant Daddies agree on.
Jun 08, 2021•40 min
It’s Chill and Chat time again, and the Plant Daddies cover a grab bag of planty topics on their minds. Is Matthew changing his mind about terra cotta pots? Stephen finds a chart for profitable propagation... supposedly. And is this the first time we talk about growing things from seed?
Jun 01, 2021•53 min
We don't mean to be cocky, but this may be our most titillating episode yet. See what we did there? Thank you. We tackle not one but two of the most popular novelty cacti, the so-called 'Boob Cactus' and the 'Penis Cactus.' Something… for almost everybody? Anyway, how easy are these to care for? And why do they look this way in the first place? Can the Plant Daddies resist the cheap jokes? And if we could only choose one, which would we recommend?
May 27, 2021•35 min
In an extraordinary twist, we found a very common houseplant that Stephen has far more experience with than Matthew! The Madagascar Dragon Tree, Dracaena marginata - Stephen's oldest plant - may seem ubiquitous and ordinary, but he thinks these remarkably hardy plants can become surprisingly elegant when they mature. Will Matthew agree? Will Stephen charge Matthew for this therapy session?
May 18, 2021•43 min
We're delighted to have Jane Perrone back on the show to talk about the under-appreciated houseplant icon, Thalassa Cruso. Who was she? How does the advice in her book Making Things Grow hold up decades later? And why isn't she better known today? To our surprise, we found some currently trendy techniques and plants in her 1968 book. Did Thalassa finally teach Stephen how to care for a Rex Begonia? Oh, and Jane is writing a book, too! We demand details.
May 11, 2021•42 min
This week we cover the Cobra Lily, Darlingtonia californica, a local native carnivorous plant that we both love - even if we didn't when we first saw them. They can be tricky to grow in regions with warmer temperatures, so we explain some approaches, including zeer pots, ice cubes, and cisterns? Even if you don’t plan to get this plant, tune in for the interesting ways people try to keep these thriving! And to hear Matthew try to record after 10pm!
May 05, 2021•45 min
In this month's Chill and Chat, the Plant Daddies go deep with two updates on plants featured in former episodes - Stephania erecta, the charismatic caudex plant from Episode 13, and the Fiddle Leaf Fig from Episode 39. Are they alive? Yes! But has everything gone as planned for these plants? Not quite, but there isn't any bad news! Matthew makes the biggest cut he's ever made, and Stephen "sets himself free."
Apr 28, 2021•26 min
The Plant Daddies tackle a long-cherished classic plant for fragrant flower-lovers, Gardenia jasminoides. But as Mother's Day nears and these start to appear on shelves as potted ornamentals, we question: is this even a houseplant? Matthew's passion for Gardenias is extensive, and he shares his favorite varieties. But does everyone love fragrant plants? Stephen reveals some surprising statistics. And we have a question for the people of LA.
Apr 20, 2021•46 min
Looking for a hassle-free plant that will appeal to both succulent and foliage plant sensibilities? Then you should check out Silver Squill, a unique, bulbous plant that we say we don't think about often, but then admit that we low-key love. How much light do these actually need? And are these best in sparse or dense displays? Are the Plant Daddies going to agree again this week? And don't miss the info about a special (free!) Carnivorous Plant event at the end of show!
Apr 13, 2021•38 min
This week the Plant Daddies Chill 'n Chat about their favorite planty tools, including their favorites for watering, tamping, brushing, and… wait, plucking? If we both prefer simple tools, does that make us simple? Can Stephen get Matthew to admit how many spray bottles he owns? And Matthew is surprised to learn that apparently Tori Birch makes plant care supplies? We've never had this chat before, and it shows.
Mar 30, 2021•44 min
This week the Plant Daddies talk Philodendron 'Florida Ghost'. Why cover such an expensive, still-not-that-common plant? Because among 'It Plants', it's been one of the best performing, most satisfying splurge purchases in Matthew's memory. Stephen calls out the particularly bad online care articles and shares a possible origin story for this cultivar, and Matthew apparently just thinks you should strongly consider this one.
Mar 23, 2021•36 min
This week the Plant Daddies discuss Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, a surprisingly reliable flowering tropical for a sunny spot indoors - not just outside. Stephen's familiar with these plants, but most of his experience comes from… a video game? How should you fertilize for optimum flowering? And there are cultivars with brown flowers? Matthew takes us on a long walk through pruning, to an extent that many houseplant parents may not have needed to go before.
Mar 16, 2021•36 min
We finally did it! This week the Plant Daddies sit down and talk all things Hoyas. We take a customary deep dive on care, some recommended species, scientific goodies, and stories of our own experiences in growing these popular fragrant flowering plants with amazing and diverse foliage… which we BOTH love. Is it weird when we agree? And how does the nectar taste?
Mar 09, 2021•42 min
This month's Chill 'n Chat starts with plant updates and springtime plant care advice and ends with… well, all sorts of things. What will happen to our plants collections when quarantine ends and we return to work? Will Stephen have to adjust his soil recipes when he moves to a new apartment? Is massaging flytraps a fun couple's activity? And how delicious is Sansevieria nectar?
Mar 02, 2021•44 min
