SoCal Soul

⚠️ FERTILIZER! ⚠️

That's right, the F word that intimidates and confuses so many, myself included when I first entered the plant world. BUT what a difference it can make when you have a quality product and know how to use it.

Many have told me in person about their great results but when I read this message from Stephanie about the dramatic change in her Green Flame Fern after using We The Wild Grow Concentrate I had to share. 🥰

🌿 We use it at the shop, and I see it's benefits daily, but when others give it a try and see incredible results too, that's the best! We genuinely want your plants to thrive so here's the scoop on our favorite fertilizer:

🪴 Can't burn or overdose plants

🪴 Use on all potted plants, all year round

🪴 Certified organic

🪴 Made in the USA

🪴 Made by earthworms, not with nasty chemicals

8 fl oz (236mL): makes up to 62 gallons.

20 groups of beneficial microbes and over 4 million microorganisms per teaspoon give your plants the biodiversity they crave.

1. Shake well and add ¼ tsp per quart (32oz) of water to your container.
2. Add water (for best results: remove chlorine by resting tap water for 30 minutes before adding).
3. Water plant soil until liquid drains from the pot.
4. Repeat every other watering.

🌸 Friday fun coming your way this week!

A great activity to enjoy with friends & family, including kids 10+ as we pot up adorable succulents in a variety of beautiful pots, topping them off with various pebbles and plant picks for a truly unique arrangement.

Happy 🙂 summertime memories guaranteed!

➡️ Register at www.SoCal-Soul.com ⬅️

Bored kids at home❓ Need a family friendly escape❓ We've got you covered❗️

☀️ Summer days can be tough to constantly fill with activities but not when you're pit stop includes a plant shop! Kids are always welcome!

Take a breather mama, you deserve it! 💚 Stop in and let the kiddos color, explore the large selection of plants - we encourage hands on exploration (so many colors, textures, and sizes!), choose a free cutting from our prop wall, play tic-tac-toe or checkers, color a terracotta pot and plant up fun in the potting bar or head out back to explore the garden!

Mark your calendars: We're open TH-SUN 10am - 6pm & SUN 11am - 4pm.

Did I also mention at any given time we may or may not have adorable dogs to enjoy? Shout out to 3-month-old Harvey for making a back-to-back appearance at the shop with his sweet puppy vibes. 😍

We have the BEST plant loving customers! ❤️

Thank you to two of these lovely souls for bringing their 1979 VW Bus "Ruby" ☮️ to see us on Sunday and say hello to their four-legged friends as well.

In our excitement a small impromptu photo shoot ensued. 😄 We also found them the perfect matching VW bus planter and a pet friendly Peperomia "Green Bean" to pot up.

🤙 It was a win for everyone! Someday I'll have one of these babies!

🌵🌵 If you've gotta spend time with pricks, these are the ones you want! 🌵🌵

Shout out to the Henry Shaw Cactus & Succulent Society for hosting their annual cactus & succulent event this weekend in St. Louis. First time going but I'll definitely be back next year and will share those dates with you guys!

There were tables full of rare finds from the society members personal collections with origins from all over the world to enjoy in addition to opportunities to shop. I was in awe at the variety - nature is so cool! 😍🤩🧡

☮️🩵🙂 Plant therapy is alive and well at the shop! Grab your morning drink of choice and feel the stress melt away as you wander through our rows of green friends. 🪴

Remember, not all who wander are lost. 💕

Reality can be overrated... feel free to ignore it for a while, it's Saturday after all and a beautiful day! 😄

😳 The densest roots I've ever encountered❗️

While holding this Philodendron Xanadu I instantly knew something was up. There was no give to the nursery pot, it felt like a brick. I literally cut her out of the pot, only to discover roots so rock hard I could have stood on them with no give. Yikes!

⚠️Time for a repot, challenge accepted!

We soaked the entire root ball in a bucket of water for hours hoping to loosen them up. NOTHING. Still rock hard. Damn! Maddy then spent serious time working to manually untangle them. As you can see many small fibrous roots were lost in the process, but the main ones remained and looked great.

Fresh pot and soil and this fantastic foliage friend was back in action! 😍🪴

☀️ Hello sunshine! ☀️

These showstoppers provide an instant statement to any space. Masterpieces of nature, and we're thrilled to bring them to you!

🧡🩷🩵 Hello Summer Tanks! 🩵🩷🧡

These ladies' racerback tanks have been my favorite, and I can't wait for you to enjoy them too!

👉 Same Bella Canvas brand as our SoCal t-shirts so you get all that soft light weight comfort without sacrificing quality. They come in four colors and two different style backs, traditional racer and gathered.

Snag yours and rock it on a walk, by the pool, hanging out on a Friday night, wherever & whenever!

Check out these amazing terrariums from Tuesdays workshop! Great vibe and a great group. My favorite part is watching everyone relax into ihe process and open their imaginations. The results are incredible!

A rainy Tuesday morning didn’t stop this group from having a fabulous private succulent workshop!

It was a honor to provide the backdrop for these fabulous real estate agents and one lovely mortgage lender as she hosted a thank you breakfast with a bonus hands on component.

In my younger days I worked at a real estate office in town, so much respect to the agents who make house buying and selling dreams come true for so many, you guys work hard!

Looking for closing gift ideas? We have you covered! From cards to classic potted plants making those new spaces truly feel like home for your clients. A gift they’ll remember as it grows with them. 💚

This past weekend Waldo was on the MOVE! 👣

Thank you to all the families who came through on the hunt for our little buddy. No matter your age it's always a good time searching for his famous red & white stripe sweater amongst lush green foliage. 🌿

⭐ And if you find him, you get to hide him for the next seekers! Where will he end up this week? Come by to find out and get one shop closer to prize drawings Afterwords Books! The search runs the whole month of July so plenty of time to join the adventure!

⭐️ Mid-week fun awaits you! If you were wondering if you'd have time here's your sign, come join us tomorrow evening, and find out what all the buzz is about! ⭐️

Outside snacks and drinks are welcome. Great for ages 13+.

Register at www.SoCal-Soul.com.

🌈 HAPPY MACRAME MONDAY! 🌈

As promised our macrame plant holder collection is fully stocked thanks to The SHINE Effect. Katie is a local STL native who makes every piece by hand so if you're a fan of local women owned small businesses - and I know you are! - you'll ❤️ these colorful creations.

Seriously one of the best ways to showcase your favorite plants at home or work without taking up counter space. Also, a beautiful way to keep your pets and kids from tampering with your prized foliage.

➡️ How to re-pot a 12 FOOT LONG POTHOS!

1. Recognize your plant pal has outgrown its pot, soil nutrients are depleted, and the wooden stake isn't doing much to support the tangle of growth.

2. Who you gonna call? 📞 GHOSTB... no, no... wrong issue - SOCAL SOUL!

3. Have a fabulous plant lover like Maddy here spend some serious time untangling the newly 📏 measured 12 feet of growth.

4. Tickle those roots! 🖐Use your fingers to untangle and loosen up the root ball to get an idea of what size pot is needed and check root health overall. We went from a 6" to an 8" and could have even done a 10" in this scenario.

5. Pruning time! ✂️ Chop Chop! Take a deep breath, this can be scary but its healthy for your plant. After talking to the plant owner, we agreed to keep 2' and cut off the remaining 10' into sections for her to propagate & create new plants.

6. 🌱 Add fresh soil or in our case our house soil-less mix of coco-coir, perlite, vermiculite, worm castings & orchid bark.

7. Tuck some already attached vines/ nodes into the topsoil to encourage new growth and a thick full layer of leaves. 🌿The remaining portions were gently reattached to the wooden stake.

8. 💦 Water, fertilize & spray down the leaves with neem oil leaf care spray for a preventative pest measure and shine!

9. ENJOY! 😍

YOU GUYS!!! The surprise hit of the summer workshop series is Macrame! 🥳

The rainbow 🌈 options of beads and rope were inspiring as we checked out the examples of finished pieces on display.

I figured this would be fun and was excited to participate but as I started, I was all left hands and struggling. However, Katie of The SHINE Effect is amazing (& patient) and what an incredible group of ladies we had! Soon we were all laughing, some inappropriate humor ensued (my people! 😂) and we were off & macram-aing (not a word but is now...).

I'm happy to report we all completed our projects, and they turned out beautifully!

Fun fact: your white rope will turn purple quickly when it falls into your cup of 🍷 wine...

▶️ Cheers to another fun event, we'll do it again Tuesday August 13th at 6pm. See you then!

Because no one else I know will appreciate this but you guys... the JOY of not one, but TWO 🌿🌿new leaves coming in on this Bird of Paradise! 🥰

By the way, this spectacular big girl is looking for a forever home. She comes in a 10" nursery pot and is actually FOUR plants in one pot, standing 5' tall, hell of a deal for only $91.99. This is the WOW factor awaiting your living room, sunroom, porch or patio! 🤩

She likes dining out, gardening, and traveling, oh wait, that's me... 😅

Homegirl here likes...
☀️ Light - Bright indirect.
💧 Water - When top 2" are dry.
🌱 Soil - Well draining all-purpose houseplant mix. Place in a pot with drainage holes.
🔥 Temp. & Humidity - 65-85 degrees and high humidity. Mist often.
⚠️ Fertilizer - During April thru October. Use a general houseplant water soluble fertilizer, mix with water per bottle instructions and use that mixture to water every other week with. Make a fresh batch each time you water.
☠️ Toxic - Yes. Not pet friendly.

Be still my heart. ❤️

Reflecting upon the beauty of nature reminds us to be kind to ourselves and find the beauty in the everyday small things. You deserve a mental break... pause, take a deep breath, and scroll through to see which plant you vibe with.

❓ Are you a punchy Prince of Orange Philodendron? How about a subtle but sweet Pink Princess or a striking Calathea?

🍊 Stop me if you’ve heard this one before… An Orange tree, Areca Palms and a Dracaena walk in to a plant shop…

Spoiler alert, I’m not creative enough to generate a punch line. I’ve been trying. 😆

However, these fabulous plants are ready for summer and would love to walk in to your life!

Areca palms only $9.99 to $15.99 - an affordable way to bring beach vibes to your outdoor space!

🌿 No wonder I love coming to work now! And why I sometimes feel so relaxed I could take a nap on Plantsie Cline the couch. 🌿💤

Fill any space that stresses you out with a couple plants and watch your mood shift instantly. 🙂

Variety is the spice of life and we're feeling extra spicy today! Look at these gorgeous gals. 🤩

Airplants in all sizes have been restocked! 😍

🌷🌻🪻 I love me some plants, but a colorful floral arrangement lights up a space in its own special way. 🪻🌻🌹

Collaborating with Jennifer of Wild Hearts Flower Farm for our kid plant & play event was a joy! 🩷 It's always a good time working with another woman owned small local business who gives back to her community. Flower bars for special events and monthly floral subscriptions are her jam, check her out at Wild Hearts Flower Farm.

https://wildheartsflowerfarm.com/subscriptions

👉 Our highly anticipated Macrame making workshop is THIS Friday! Spots still available, what are you waiting for? Join us!

Perfect for an evening out with friends, your teens, a unique date idea, or a solo creative adventure! I'm looking forward to participating instead of teaching, so come hang out with me! 💚

This is a beginner level class, don't let lack of experience or skills keep you from the fun. Katie of The SHINE Effect will guide you every step of the way.

Outside snacks and drinks are welcome, I'll be enjoying a summer beverage. 🍹 Loose fingers may improve our knot skills... if not we'll end up with cool tiny jump ropes or short dog leashes. 🤣 J/K

Register at www.SoCal-Soul.com

😁🙂😄 More sweet smiles coming your way from our Kids Plant & Play day!

Showing the next generation there's so much to experience in life with nature by your side; hands-on learning and dirt covered fingers are the best! 🖐🌱👍

⭐️ The pure excitement and joy kids possess is infectious! ⭐️

Interacting with our little visitors today as they encountered plants, flowers, sensory play areas and explored the garden was so much fun to be a part of! Thank you to all the families who stopped by today. 🧡🪴😃

ITS KIDS PLANT & PLAY DAY!!! Special Wednesday opening!!

We’re open today from 10am - 1pm, come by any time to play or shop.

All kids stations are free and open to all ages.

Terracotta decorating pots are $1.99 and 2” plants (succulents, cacti and houseplants) to accompany your custom art creation are $3.99.

It’s a beautiful day to get out and EXPLORE!!

Orchid lovers, this one's for you!

We now carry We The Wild's Orchid Care Essential Kits featuring Bloom Concentrate and Protect Spray.

Benefits:
🌸 Use the Bloom Concentrate with every watering for fast growth and more blooms.
🌸 Spray with Protect when plants need some extra love - think dust removal & shine, it also prevents a multitude of problems and pests.
🌸 Watch your orchid thrive as it receives the essential nutrients, enzymes and microbes that they crave.

How to use:
🌸 Bloom Concentrate: Use every time you water by adding ¼ tsp per quart (32 fl oz) of water.
🌸 Protect Spray: Shake well and mist your leaves every 2 weeks, or more often if there's an active issue.

Adventures in Monstera repotting!

This sweet plant came in needing some support, a little clean up, and fresh soil. I got overly excited to start and forgot to take a before photo… shop owner fail.

But as you can see she was healthy overall which made our job easy. After utilizing one of our fantastic bendable moss poles for support, tending to her roots, fresh house made soilless mix and a few trims she was ready for the final touches of leaf shine and fertilizer. 🪴

✅ Pro-tip: Best thing you can do for your Monstera is give it support and train it to climb early on.

This is one plant you don’t need to rotate. Attach the back of the stems to a pole or trellis for support and keep it facing one direction so its leaves will all grow forward in the same direction towards your light source. ☀️ This mimics its natural growth pattern in the wild as they climb trees and encourages bigger and more perforated leaves.