Plant Care, Self-Care & Community | Veronica Leon from Verde Tribe

Fernanda: Hi friends, welcome back to connectedness. I'm Fernanda, your host and founder of Filled Cups. This is the space where we explore what it means to grow, connect, and to trust ourselves and to show up authentically with each other. Today's conversation is all about growth, literally and emotionally. I'm joined by Veronica Leon, founder of Verde Tribe, a self-described house plant coach.

Veronica helps people care for their plants with confidence. But what I love the most about her work is that it goes so much deeper than plant care. Through Ver Verde tribe, Veronica has created a space where plants become a tool for mindfulness, wellness, creativity, and connection. Her journey begins her journey began with memories of watching her grandmother care for plants with so much love and intention growing up in Ecuador. And those early experiences eventually inspired her to build a business rooted in helping people feel more grounded and connected through greenery.

We are going to talk about personal growth, caring for living things, creating community, and how slowing down to take care of a plant can actually teach us a lot about caring for ourselves too. and we are going to talk about one of the most fun community events ever, plant bingo. Veronica, welcome to connectedness.

Veronica: Thank you. Thank you for having me. It has been a dream to be here. Definitely. I I love you, Fernanda. So, thank you.

Fernanda: I love you too. It's my pleasure. I would love to start at the beginning. Can you share about your story about your grandmother and how that's where your love for plants came from? Like what do you remember the most about that time?

Veronica: I remember it's crazy how I stumble upon like plants. Obviously I grew up in Ecuador and I have always been surrounded by plants. Even they live outdoors, right? But my grandma had a pretty nice collection at home and I would see her with like her little watering can water her plants sticking her finger into the soil, cleaning them up. Um, so it was an actual decoration in a way in the house, but it it felt so homey and so like full of life and and so many beautiful things, right? So those are my memories from my grandma caring for her plants.

And I actually I was not a plant lady. No, I actually No, I think I got my first orchid when I was, you know, whenever you move out of out of your parents house and you get like a little plant. I think that one did okay cuz my grandma would come by and kind of look at it. But it's crazy how time passed. I I went to school in Barcelona. I did my masters there in digital marketing. And while I was there, the first thing that I put in my little dorm was a plant.

I did not know this at the time. I kind of remember that whenever I started doing research for my business, whenever I was thinking I had this idea, but I remember walking around IKEA and you know, you end up in the plant section, you're like, I have to get a plant. And I remember calling my grandma when I got these plants and I'm like, what do I do? So that even that moment when I was put in this little piece and I'm gonna it gets really emotional because it's that little piece of home that you that you put with you. You take with you and that's what plans were for me.

Fernanda: Now you're going to make me cry too empath. And I have a soft spot for grandma stories. So this is I don't know if I can make through this one without crying.

Veronica: We'll make and do our best.

Fernanda: But it's okay because I have cried on this podcast before.

Veronica: Yeah, I have I have cried online before, too. So, we're good.

Fernanda: Oh, okay. So, that was the story of how you became a plant person and moving abroad in Spain, calling your grandma asking how to care for your plant. You described that plant care is something very intentional and grounding. When did you realize that plants were becoming more than just a decor for you?

Veronica: For me I think it's when I started researching about plant care because obviously in school they teach you find a problem and your business would be the solution for that. So looking at things that brought me joy when I because I lived in Spain and I came back to the states. I did not want to work for corporate and that's when I started looking for things that brought me joy.

So plants was one of them and I started reading about the benefits that plants bring into your life. They increase productivity, they increase creativity, they lower stress, they help with anxiety, coping with anxiety. Um, and like seeing a new leaf grow is so rewarding, right? So, it brings you joy. So, I was like, "Oh my god." Like I have felt this before, but I I didn't know it came from the the plants around me, right? Greenery relaxes your eyes. So, that why we love to be outdoors. So, having indoor plants is bringing the outdoors in. So I I think we all of us are able to fe have or feel those benefits from the plants, but we did not know it came from the plants. So that's something that I learned as I was doing the research for my business.

Fernanda: That's amazing. And I'm sorry. I'm going to take a side trip here real quick. super excited about. I sent you this article the other day and I didn't put this in the questions because I forgot about it, but the it was the tomato plant that that they recorded the noise of the plant. Did you see that article? It was it's so amazing. I keep bringing this up that so ever since I read that article, I talk to my plants and I say, "Hey buddy, how are you doing? You get you need some water?" Like do do you talk to your plants also?

Veronica: I do. And it's funny because I did a real I don't know if you saw it, but it was me. Yeah, you have I'll send it to you. Okay. One of my cl I went to a client's house because I do plant maintenance visits, too, right? So, I went and took a look at her plants. I go there bi-weekly. So, the next day, she sends me an email. She's like, "Oh my god, Veronica, the plants are looking so great. They missed you." You know, because I was there after I was gone. They look so happy because they missed you. And I was like I it felt like I went and visit one of my my I don't know client's pets or something like that.

So I did a reel where I am just singing to the plants because in reality they feel that and I do talk to them and if one is dropping leaves I literally touch the leaves and I'm like okay what's going on? You know I'm looking at you and then you send them good vibes. I believe in energy and frequency and all that stuff. So I think they they do they even get happy like I know my plants when I'm here they they feel happy you know like like your own pets they wiggle their tail these will show you growth. This one gave me a flower like most of my plants are flowering. So that's always so rewarding. So yeah that's you want to keep caring for them and watering them and giving them plant food.

Fernanda: That's amazing. Okay. So I have a lot of questions but you said that you didn't want to work corporate and you decided to start to to you you thought back to your class about like how to come up with a business idea like what gave you the courage to start Verde tribe and to stick with it for all these years

Veronica: What gave me the courage for it um it's so funny I have this book here so if If you are an entrepreneur, please read this book is the E-Myth. They call it the entrepreneurial seedure. That's what when you have this idea and you're like, "Okay, yes, I'm going to do this." Right? I think it was me coming back from Spain feeling like all fresh of ideas. You know, you go there and you see art and then you walk so much, you eat great uh food. So I I came back. I started applying for things and I I felt like going back to my old life in a way. It was not a bad life, right? Yeah. It's pretty nice to have a steady job and like a steady paycheck all the time.

But I have always wanted to have my own business since I was since I can remember. I my first business was a I used to make candles. I was 10 and I used to sell them to my family members. My aunt had a little store, so I would put my little candles there. Then I think it was jewelry. So I have been in the entrepreneurial world for a little while. So I think it was that it just that part of me that moved to Spain for for a year, you know, that gives you also the courage that like, oh my god, I did that for myself. I always wanted to study abroad. Yeah. And then coming back, my parents have always been super supportive. So with them by my side, I always feel like I can do anything I I I want in reality.

And living in the States too, I feel like we're so lucky to to have so many tools and access to so many things as entrepreneurs, as as people too that I don't know, it was just something that just fell really deep into my heart. And plans, like I said, have a story in my family with myself. I'm those people that goes outside and like grounds on the grass. I'm a hug. I'm a tree hugger, too. So, it just felt really even my brother, he went to school for horticultural, too. So, I think it's just something that was in me.

Fernanda: Yeah, it's part of your your life. So, you did mention this briefly just a few minutes ago, but I I wanted to spend a bit more time on this. Like you mentioned that plant caring for plants helps people slow down and become more present and also as a way of self-care. How caring for plants impacts your own mental wellness and me personal growth like in a good way. Can you talk a little bit about that?

Veronica: Sure. So I call it, like plants are mirrors of our inner garden. Okay. So plants know oh you would be able to know that something's going on with you with your life by looking at your plants really. So whenever we start neglecting our own plans is when we are neglecting ourselves or we're going through stressful times because we we stop the routine that we do right. So, let's say whenever I'm super stressed, like I don't eat well because I kind of skip meals or I eat something really quick because I'm so busy and I also stop like doing the plant care for my plants like once a week or I forgot when I water them last. So, that's the connection that we have with them that they will able to tell you. They know like I said before you do that you're going through something too.

Fernanda: Okay. So, that's so interesting. I never even thought about that. But it kind of is interesting because it ties into my next question and I'm already assuming that the answer is related, but maybe it's the wrong assumption. Like I mean every now and then when the subject of plants comes up in conversation, it's either plants or dancing. Okay, I'll hear people will either say they'll say, "I suck at taking care of plants. All the plants die. I kill all the plants." Or they'll say, "I can't dance. I have two left feet. I can't dance at all. Not even drunk kind of thing. So like when it comes to when somebody says like they are, you know, they won't get a plant cuz they're afraid they're going to kill it. Are there lessons that you could share with people that about overcoming their fear of taking care of plants?

Veronica: So I yeah I wish well and that I guess that's what my business does in reality right so I teach people how to care for their indoor plants I come into people's homes I do it virtually I love doing workshops too because to me plant caring needs to be easy and simple and it has to make sense right sometimes we get a lot of information online or this apps right like you that you take a picture and they tell you put milk in it put coffee in it which it's things that you shouldn't be doing or sometimes they give you the wrong reading, right? So that's when I go back to plant care is very intuitive as well.

So if we are neglecting ourselves, we neglect our plants. It could also be that we're overwatering, that's given too much love to our plants. Or we're underwatering, we're too busy to water. So in reality when I go into a consultation it's like let's just click a reset button. Let's just forget about all the things that you have not been doing or that you have been doing because people are really hard on their on themselves as well about it. And I want I always try to open a space where it feels safe because also there's a lot of judgment around that right like how can you not know how to care for a plant when in reality it's just the way life goes. you know, I'm here and that's what we we're taking care of those little tips and things so you can have a thriving jungle.

So, one of the things that I would say to the people that think that have a black thumb and that, you know, they're the plant killers is just start small or start with a low maintenance plant. I love zezy plants. These are so resilient. So I put zezy plants on all of my clients houses because if you forget to water this one, it'll be so forgiving. Yeah, because it has bulbs inside of the plant. It holds a lot of water in them. So, it's first number thing number one, look at the lighting in your home. Second, look for a low maintenance plant that will tolerate that kind of lighting, okay? And doesn't need that much care. So, you can start there and seeing like watering, right? Like stick your finger into the soil. Whenever the first two top benches are dry, that's when you water. Okay? I would rather you underwater than overwater because you're able to bring plants back when you underwater. If you overwater, the roots are going to rot and that's the end of it.

So, feeling confident. Obviously, plants are living things, but start small. Pick a plant that is a low maintenance plant. It could be a paos. It could be hoyas are really easy to care for, too. If you have a really low light situation, I would do a zezy a snake plant as well or a paos. I don't know if I can pull it here. So, these are paos. These are vines.

Fernanda: Oh, yes. Yep.

Veronica: Mhm. They're super easy to care for. So, cuz sometimes, unfortunately, you might start with a moront or I have a Morante here. Even though these are kind of easy to care for a little bit, but these need a little bit more humidity and the soil needs to be more moist. So, it's getting to know your plant. That would be the number one thing. Get a low maintenance plan. Get to know your plant, where it comes from. If it's from the desert, it's going to need less watering, but more lighting because they actually live in really bright places, right? in the desert. Tropical plants on the other hand, they cannot tolerate direct sunlight because the leaves the sun will burn the leaves of the plant because tropical plants live whenever they live out in the wild, they they leave underneath trees. So the tree canopy covers them from direct sunlight. So some people are like, "Oh, I want to take my plant outside so it can get a little sun." And then, you know, it starts getting brown spots.

So yes, get to know your plant first. Um and your watering routine cuz lighting is number one. The the one of the most important things. Okay. And then watering it's number two. I rather you underwater than overwater.

Fernanda: Okay. Then um I will have to listen to you because I feel I've been overwatering mine a little bit. I've gr uh I planted all these seedlings this year to try to have tomatoes and peppers and I I check my tomatoes obsessively every day.

Veronica: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. They're like baby they're baby plants.

Fernanda: I'll have to keep that in mind. Your business. It's called ver tribe which for those who don't speak Spanish verde means green. But tribe the word tribe it become it speaks to community and connection. When you came up with this were you thinking of bringing people together through plants?

Veronica: So when I wanted when I started looking at what I what my business could be I always wanted it to have this element of community or like creating a charity with it or something with like the business attached to it. So thinking about how greenery or like plants help you with your like wellness, your your mind, your body, I thought that that's something that the world should know about and also my own community too, right? And if I create this group of people or like if I interact with this group of people, more people will know about this and we all are going to be part of a tribe because I also thought about it as you know I'm from Ecuador so I I'm from the earth kind of thing. I'm I have this indigenous in me too as well that I feel like plants are very healing. So to me it just made sense like verde because it's green and I'm Hispanic. I'm Latina and then like we're a tribe. We're people that I know a lot of crazy plant people that are part of my tribe. Right. So that's what I wanted to kind of say with with the name of the company. Yeah.

Fernanda: I love it. No, I love the name. It's amazing. So we have to talk about plant bingo because sound amazing. Can I haven't had a chance to go to one yet, but it sounds amazing. Can you explain to me and the audience like what is Plant Bingo? How did the idea come about and how and like how how is it going with it? At least from social media, it seems like it's going great, but like how's it going with Plant Bingo? So, what's Plingo?

Veronica: Yeah. So, Plant Bingo is your regular bingo, but instead of you winning random things, you win plants. Okay. So, even the card the plant bingo card, it has little plants on it. So, it would have um like I would call out a zezy plant and then you put the the pebble on the zezy plant. Um so, that's what's fun about it. You get to I even share plant care tips throughout the planting. So, if I pull a snake plant, I would tell you know it's also called u mother-in-law's tongue or I would say how it's called in Spanish. Or I give you tips or people are like, "Oh, I have a fiddly fig that is dying. Like, what do I do with it?" So, it's very interact interactive. It's a lot of fun. People are super happy. It's nice to be able to create community, too, because it's a low stress place. We host it in like local venues, so we're also helping venues during their slow times. People get to meet other plan people. So, it's a lot of fun.

And yeah, it's doing pretty good. So, I I started seeing that California was doing it. Oh. Funny thing cuz I was actually in Brazil during Christmas and New Year's and then I think someone sent me the reel or I saw it somewhere. I was like, "Oh my god, I need to bring this to Charlotte because like I said, I love community and I love doing workshops and anything where I can gather people." So, that's where the idea of Plan Bingo came about and it just has been insane. So, I have been doing one event per month, but for June, I'm going to do two.

Fernanda: And are there the people who show up to Plant Bingo, are they coming with their own plants? Cuz you said you also did plant swaps in the past like or are the the people who come to Plant Bingo, are they plant lovers or are they just there for the novelty? What can you tell from the folks who have.

Veronica: I think both but I think it could also be people that want to be plant people but that they don't know where to start. Okay. Right. So I have done plant swaps in the past. I usually do them for my anniversary whenever cuz Ver the tribe turned seven this year so we'll probably do one next year. Thank you. So the plant swap is yeah people bring little cuttings or plants that they have want to give away to somebody and then we just get together and people just exchange plants or little cuttings for the plant bingo is different. So this is a whole initiative where you pay your ticket and I got the rest of everything else. There is around 10 rounds of plant bingo. So people have different chances to win a plant and then I also send them with a a a little plant. I have these goodie bags and and yeah, it's just a lot of fun. I get them I love karaoke. So if I get on a mic I'm in my zone.

Fernanda: So that's interesting that you say that because I was I also love karaoke and I was just because I host my friend events at Urban District Market in Nota. Chelsea, the lady who organizes events there, she invited me to be a judge for the karaoke at the Japan Fest on Sunday.

Veronica: Oh no.

Fernanda: And I had a great time. I got to help two other judges select the top three singers and it was amazing. But yes, karaoke is the best.

Veronica: Lovely.

Fernanda: Maybe they should do plant karaoke or something or something like that. Yeah. So at the end of plant bingo, everyone whether they won the bingo rounds or not, everyone goes home with at least a little plant like almost like a party favor kind of thing.

Veronica: Yeah.

Fernanda: Oh, how lovely. So what if they show up and they're like, "Oh, I'm I'm a plant killer. I'm, you know, um I don't know about this plant that I'm taking home." Like does the plant come with instructions or

Veronica: Yeah. So I do give you instructions and obviously people can always reach out to me on Instagram. Yeah. To be able to I always get questions about plants and stuff. So, so yeah, people people leave confident after a plant bingo. Yeah. To take care of their plants.

Fernanda: That's awesome. And the next one I think I saw an ad for it on Instagram. It's at Highwire, right?

Veronica: So the next one is Highwire May 31st. So yeah, I created a Plingo list. So people have to get on the list to be able to get the link. I have sold out in less than 24 hours. So that's amazing. If people Yeah. If you really want tickets, I just sent out this morning the save the date for June. Good. So I have an event on June 14th and June 18th.

Fernanda: OK. Wonderful. OK. So people know now that they're listening to this, if they're interested, they can go get on your list. So I I don't know if you have one of these or not, but what do you have any funny plant myths or misconceptions that you hear about plants?

Veronica: A lot of them. But one that has been lately coffee beans. Oh, I mean I get that people want to reuse those. You probably can use those for like whenever you're growing stuff outside, but please don't put sugar. Don't put mayo. Don't use anything from your kitchen on the soil or on your plants because you are going to create an environment of bacteria if you do that on the soil. If you put mayo or olive oil on the leaves of your plants, you're going to clog the pores. Um what else have I heard?

If you pull a plant, like you're repotting a plant. People are so afraid to repot. And they think that by pulling the plant out, like they have to put the plant back in like super fast because it's like fish out of water, right? Like that's okay. No, you you can take the plant out, take a little while to set the table that whatever you're doing, your plant will be fine. OK. what else have I heard? I went blank. But I do hear a a bunch of or like people ask me when they buy a plant, they're like, "Is this going to grow?" Yes, all plants grow. I wish they would be tiny all the time, but no, they they will grow to be a full-on plant. Yeah.

Oh, another one that I called out the other day was orchids. Please do not water your orchids with ice cubes. Even though the instructions come with it and it says just put two ice cubes, your plant is not going to get enough water. I soak them like fill up the entire pot cuz you know it comes in a liner and then the plant soak it, leave it there for 15 minutes, take the plastic one out, let it drain, dump the reuse that water that you're, you know, put it on another plant and then put it back in. Make sure that there's no water staying on the bottom. But that's the way you should water your your orchids. And whenever you see that the actual roots are turning silver, that's when they need water. If they're still green, they don't need water.

Fernanda: Oh wow. OK. You just gave us an orchid master class in like one minute. That's amazing. Yeah. Thank you for that. So, we are getting towards the end. Are there anything before I go into the outro for the episode, are there things that you would like the listeners to know about you or where to find you? We already we talked about Plant Bingo, but just in general for your platforms and things like that, of course.

Veronica: So, yeah, please look me up verdetribe.com. Same thing on social media. I have Instagram, Tik Tok. I share tips on how to care for plants because I feel like plant care should be easy and not overwhelming. So I try to make it as easy as possible. And it's very intuitive, too. So, some people are like, "Should I water my plant or not?" Stick that finger into the soil. If you feel like you should talk to yourself, you're like, "Yeah, I haven't watered you in two weeks." Yes, you need water. If you feel you're hesitant, just don't do it. Right.

What else about Oh, yes. So if you I would love to come to your home if you need help. Usually people just need me once. We can go over your lighting. I go measure lighting. We can talk about how to water, about fertilizer, like all all the the basic things for you to be able to like start caring for for your plants. I do plant styling. So if people don't know what plants to add, I can also measure light and then give you a list of plants. I can help you with sourcing for plant install day. I do plant maintenance. If any of you need plant maintenance at home or at your office space, please let me know. I love to come by.

And another thing about community is like I love doing events. So for Earth Day, I just did one with CPI security and people were drawing on pots and I was teaching them how to repot. So all those things if you guys need me or want me at your place of work I would love to come by. It's this whole thing about mindfulness right but it like helps you come to the present moment and like sitting down drawing and then repotting a plant is just gives you clarity throughout the day. It resets whatever was happening here. It regulates a lot of your like nervous system. So yeah have a plant at home.

Fernanda: loved it. No, this this made me super inspired and I think it's going to make the listeners inspired too. Even if if they don't have plants, they'll probably get a plant. If they do have plants, they'll be able to think about caring for them with a whole new set of skills that you're you you just shared with us. And thank you so much, Veronica. This conversation was such a beautiful reminder that growth often happens in quiet, intentional moments.

I love how your work encourages people to slow down, nurture something living and create more mindfulness and connection in their everyday lives. And I think there's something really powerful about the idea that caring for plants can also help us care for ourselves. Thank you so much for sharing your story and your heart with us today and to everyone listening in this. If this episode inspired you to bring a little more nature presence and care into your life, whether it's through a plant, a moment of stillness, or simply paying attention to the things that help you grow. Until next time, keep showing up authentically, keep trusting yourself, and keep filling your cup. I love that.