The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast 1KHO 655: The More Colors the Better | Sandra Mao, Vibrant Harvest
Dec 20, 2025
Join gardener and author Sandra Mao, known for her vibrant photography and colorful gardening expertise, as she shares a joyful exploration of growing colorful vegetables and flowers. With practical tips for beginners, Sandra discusses how to inspire kids to garden and the magic of rainbow carrots and unconventional produce. She reveals favorite easy-to-grow flowers, shares preserving techniques, and emphasizes the fun of seed saving. Discover how to create a feast for both the eyes and the palate in your own backyard!
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Family Roots Spark A Garden Revival
- Sandra grew up gardening with her parents and grandmother and returned to gardening in earnest during 2020 quarantine.
- She started with container beds for her kids and expanded to half her backyard over time.
Color Changes How We Experience Gardens
- Sandra believes gardens should be a feast for the eyes and color affects mood immediately.
- She wrote Vibrant Harvest to show vegetables need not be plain green and to inspire family gardening.
Rainbow Carrots Become A Treasure Hunt
- Sandra recounts planting rainbow carrots with her children and treating each patch like a treasure hunt.
- Kids loved pulling unexpected colors like purple or yellow and it made them excited to eat carrots.