August 19, 2025
Fungus Gnats, Failing Fiddle Leaf Figs & The Gap of Death: Fix Your Top 3 Plant Problems
Growing Joy with Plants - Wellness Rooted in Nature, Houseplants, Gardening and Plant CareAbout this episode
If you’ve ever watched your fiddle leaf fig drop all its leaves, battled fungus gnats that fly into your ear, or poured water on your plant only to watch it run straight through the pot without soaking in, this is your wake-up call. I called in the big guns for this one with my plant friend Mandi from Happy Happy Houseplant . Between our two communities, these are the plant problems we get asked about the most, and she’s got science-backed fixes for each of them. We’re going to be talking about failing fiddle leaf figs, fungus gnats that refuse to leave, and that dreaded “gap of death” in your soil. So let's get to it! Get my new Houseplant SOS course here! In this episode, we learn: [02:26] Get to know my “Plant SOS” mini-course! [05:29] How Happy Happy Houseplant began [09:51] How did Mandi grow a million-follower plant brand on IG? [15:16] Wind River Chimes [17:03] The Ultimate Guide to Houseplant Propagation [27:35] Problem #1: Why people kill their fiddle leaf figs [28:24] The #1 factor in fiddle leaf success [31:08] How to trigger growth for fiddle leaf figs [34:32] Fertilizing and leaf cleaning tips for fiddle leaf figs [36:50] Problem #2: The gap of death (hydrophobic soil) [37:30] Hydration Renew product for soil rehydration [39:23] Large plant repotting challenges [43:39] Problem #3: Fungus gnats [44:12] How fungus gnats show up [46:06] How do you treat fungus gnats? [46:45] What are death drops? [47:12] Does cinnamon work for fungus gnats? [54:43] What’s the biggest surprise in Mandi’s plant journey? [56:30] Who does Mandi look up to in the plant space? [59:59] Where to find Happy Happy Houseplant and their products? Mentioned in our conversation: Plant SOS: The Houseplant First Aid & Pest Survival Guide Vintage Revivals Fungus Gnat Death Drops Hydration Renew Soil Refresh Killer Smiles Plant Food Melani Sanders (@justbeingmelani) Dana Carpenter (@fancyplantsclub) Chantel Gray (@channygrayhome) Diatomaceous Earth: Uses, Benefits, and Safety DMV Beneficials Taffy Shop Growing Joy 289: How to Propagate Plants in Fluval Stratum with Lindsay Sisti Having a hard time getting rid of those fungus gnats? Check out the full show notes and blog here for Mandi's tips! Thank you to our episode sponsors: Wind River Chimes Visit windriverchimes.com and use code GROWINGJOY to receive free engraving on your chosen wind chimes. Quarto: The Ultimate Guide to Houseplant Propagation by Lindsay Sisti Grab your copy of The Ultimate Guide to Houseplant Propagation at quarto.com and wherever books are sold. 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 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.