The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast

Episode: 1KHO 655: The More Colors the Better
Host: Jenny Urch
Guest: Sandra Mao, author of Vibrant Harvest
Release Date: December 20, 2025
Network: That Sounds Fun Network

Episode Overview

This inspiring episode centers on the joy of gardening as a family, the importance of color and variety in the garden, and the tangible developmental, sensory, and emotional benefits of outdoor, hands-on experiences—especially for children. Jenny Urch speaks with Sandra Mao, gardener, Instagram creator, and author of Vibrant Harvest, about Sandra’s vibrant approach to home gardening, making it accessible and exciting for both experienced gardeners and complete beginners.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Sandra Mao’s Gardening Backstory

• Family & Generational Roots: Sandra grew up gardening with her parents and grandmother, who transformed their limited space into a lush, colorful environment (01:30).
• Color & Creativity: Sandra was always fascinated by bright colors, which inspired her journey into colorful gardening and later into sharing her experience online (01:30 – 03:00).
• COVID Quarantine Pivot: The pandemic inspired Sandra to turn her backyard into an active, engaging space for her kids, which later grew into sharing her colorful harvests with a wider audience (01:30).

2. The Power and Importance of Color in the Garden

• Visual Impact & Mood: Sandra believes color in the garden can have an “immediate impact” on mood and well-being (03:00).

• Book Motivation: Her book was written to show “vegetable garden...doesn’t have to be plain green” and to encourage families, especially children, to discover joy in diverse, colorful harvesting (03:43).

• Variety Beyond the Supermarket: Gardens reveal an array of vegetables—purple carrots, rainbow radishes, multi-colored peas—that are rarely found in grocery stores (05:38, 13:39).

  “The more colors the better. The more colors the better.” – Jenny Urch, reading Sandra’s words (03:37)

3. Making Gardening Accessible and Fun for Children

• Treasure Hunt Experience: Pulling up rainbow carrots or potatoes is described as an exciting treasure hunt for kids, as the color isn’t always known until harvest (08:52–10:29).

• Shape and Imperfection: Odd shapes and “wonky” homegrown veggies are part of the fun, not a problem (10:48).

• Kids & Willingness to Try New Foods: Brightly-colored vegetables make children more likely to taste and enjoy different foods (35:00).

  “I feel like gardening... teach kids, you know, to be patient. Good things take time... And they usually get excited when it’s time to harvest.” – Sandra Mao (34:30)

4. Practical Tips for Gardeners (of All Levels)

• Start With What You Love: Focus initially on vegetables your family enjoys, then branch out to new varieties for fun and color (20:53).

• Beginner-Friendly Flowers: Zinnias, marigolds, and calendula are celebrated as easy wins for novice gardeners—vibrant, hardy, and low-effort (28:00–29:00).

• Dealing with Challenges: It’s normal for plants not to look store-perfect. Tips for thinning carrots, fighting pests, or saving seeds make setbacks less intimidating (10:48, 47:21).

• Seed Sources: Seed collecting is encouraged, but unique varieties can often be found on platforms like Etsy or from companies like Baker Creek (26:12).

• Color Palette Approach: Build your garden plan by picking a color scheme—anything from soft pastels to vibrant hues—to guide your seed and plant selections (36:26).

  “At the end of the day, you just want to grow whatever that makes you happy. Like, for me, I love bright color... during summer, my garden has so many different bright colors.” – Sandra Mao (36:26)

5. Sandra’s Book: Vibrant Harvest

• Structure: Each vegetable profile includes Sandra's favorite varieties, growing tips, beautiful photographs (mostly her own), and problem-solving advice, making it a practical manual (05:57, 12:11).
• Recipes & Preservation: Instructions on how to use and store the harvest (sun-drying, canning, infusing oils, soap making) help families enjoy their garden bounty year-round (25:01, 38:34).
• Pest & Disease Charts: The book contains comprehensive visual guides for common problems in the garden, making troubleshooting more accessible (47:21).

6. Year-Round and Small-Space Gardening

• Sandra’s Environment: Living in climate zone 10B (no frost date) allows Sandra to garden outdoors year-round, though she still prefers to follow seasonal growing patterns for optimal taste and pest management (41:46).
• Containers & Raised Beds: Advice on using open-bottom metal containers for urban or patio gardening, including tips for placement and drainage (48:23).

7. Encouragement for New Gardeners

• Learning Curve: "It will take time for it to be fun"—expect successes and failures, but the rewards make it worthwhile (34:20).

• Not All-Consuming: Once established, a garden requires less daily maintenance than many expect, and can be a “15-minute morning” walk or moment of peace with a cup of coffee (40:12).

  “You spend more time enjoying it.” – Sandra Mao (41:40)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On parenting and building excitement in children:

  “Carrots are like a treasure hunt... [kids] pull up, wow, purple!” – Sandra Mao (08:52)

• On color and variety:

  “Vegetable garden... doesn’t have to be plain green. Your garden can be bursting with colors and there are so many beautiful varieties... ready to be discovered.” – Sandra Mao (03:43)

• On accessibility:

  “If you’re nervous, you can look at your book and say, well, I really want to try and grow green tomatoes, like zebra stripes... And that can entice you to try different things.” – Jenny Urch (37:34)

• Childhood memories:

  “I remember as a kid, I always enjoy gardening with my mom and my grandmother... She would buy me a doll cooking set... I’d harvest some vegetables and my mom just cook it and we actually eat it. That’s one of the best memories.” – Sandra Mao (51:16)

Key Timestamps for Important Segments

• Sandra's gardening backstory: 01:30 – 03:00
• Why color matters / impact on mood: 03:00 – 03:37
• Discussion of favorite crops (rainbow carrots, radishes, potatoes): 08:52 – 13:39
• On discovery and surprise in gardening (imperfect veggies, growing with kids): 10:48 – 11:34
• Flowers (marigold, calendula, zinnia)—easy wins for new gardeners: 21:38 – 29:11
• Seed sourcing and saving tips: 26:09 – 28:00
• Color palette approach to planning: 36:26 – 37:34
• Advice for new gardeners / learning curve: 34:20 – 35:38
• Harvest & preserving, sun-drying process: 38:34 – 40:28
• Time requirements & enjoyment: 40:12 – 41:40
• Year-round gardening & climate zones: 41:41 – 43:08
• Raised beds & urban container gardening tips: 48:23 – 49:40
• Childhood gardening memories: 51:16 – 52:17

Additional Highlights

• Unique Plants Discussed:
  • Rainbow carrots, Easter basket radishes, watermelon radishes, rainbow cauliflower, romanesco, yard-long beans, cucamelons, dragon’s egg cucumbers, red noodle beans.
• Making Use of the Harvest:
  • Sandra discusses infusing calendula oil for soaps and ointments (24:02), integrating garden veggies into family meals, and the satisfaction of sharing homegrown flowers in bouquets.
• Instagram Community & Support:
  • Sandra shares daily “coffee chat” stories showcasing the ups and downs of real-world organic gardening and answers common troubleshooting questions (07:48, 45:30).
• Approachable Inspiration:
  • Both Sandra and Jenny emphasize that you don’t have to be an expert to get started—the joy is in the journey, and colorful gardens make that journey a delight for old and young alike.

Conclusion

This episode is a vibrant celebration of gardening as a colorful, playful, and deeply rewarding family activity. Vibrant Harvest is a resource-rich book to help families cultivate not only a garden full of color and flavor but also a sense of wonder and togetherness. Sandra’s story and tips will inspire beginners to seasoned gardeners alike to get outside, experiment with variety, and reclaim some of the 9.5 million precious minutes of childhood (and adulthood) for joyful connection with nature.

Find Sandra on Instagram: @SandraUrbangarden
Get Vibrant Harvest wherever books are sold.

“Go outside and grow together with your family.” – Sandra Mao (52:32)