Trans icon and star of 'Candis Cayne's Secret Garden' shares 10 tips for keeping plants alive and thriving

Are you struggling to keep the plants you bought during Covid lockdowns alive? You're in luck! 'Candis Cayne's Secret Garden' has the answers.

'I like to say its Martha Stewart meets Peewee's Playhouse,' the trans icon tells Daily Mail about her Hulu hit.

After turning her backyard into a thriving plant paradise during the pandemic, Candis got the idea to launch a DIYD (do it yourself darling) gardening show.  

'I talked to my best friend (Danna Davis) and also my writing partner and now production company partner, we have Mary, It's Mary Productions, a trans-focused production company, about it.

'It's a hybrid of reality where I show people how to do things or makeover friends' yards, and then fantasy where we're in a magical garden with mystical characters like Mustafa, a middle eastern merman that lives in my pool. 

'It's a lighthearted show, I wanted to bring a show that's lighthearted and happy.'

'Candis Cayne's Secret Garden' is a gardening show unlike any other

In episode 1 Candis creates a succulent basket for celeb friend Bruce Vilanch, and demonstrates how to craft a delicious Fleur 75 cocktail from scratch.

She starts off the segment saying, 'Here in the secret garden we love a lot of thing. 'We love flowers, we love plants and we love beauty. We also love a great cocktail.

'I like to make specialty cocktails for Flower Hour and I thought it would be a great idea to show you how to make them, too.'

All ten 30minute episodes are available to watch on Hulu. 

'I like to say its Martha Stewart meets Peewee's Playhouse,' the trans icon tells Daily Mai

Covid lockdowns turned buying plants into a hobby for many.

Sales of houseplants boomed as people spent more time indoors and sought creative ways to bring a bit of nature inside.

Candis has always had an affinity for vegetation but it was enhanced during this time. 

'I go to all the botanical gardens in my area, I've always had a thirst for plant life, learning all the names and going to the botanical gardens when I travel anywhere. 

'I don't know what it is I just feel best in nature. 

'I grew up in Maui and in Kula and I was surrounded by plants and flowers so it just seemed natural.

'So when I started my garden during the pandemic it was turning out really good so I thought I should probably do something with this.'

In episode 1 Candis creates a succulent basket for celeb friend Bruce Vilanch, and demonstrates how to craft a delicious cocktail

Candis reveals 10 easy ways to care for your plants: 

1. 'You want to use a loose sandy soil so it has a lot of drainage. I like to use rocks as a ground cover, or mulch that covers the soil, it keeps the water in there, and it will help stimulate the plants. 

2. You don't want to over water outdoor plants, that's a killer. Only in July and August I water twice a week, the rest of the year I don't water at all.

3. Water potted plants because they need more water.

4. Often potted plants don't want to be in direct sunlight because the pot heats up and it can kill the roots, so a dappled light would be great. 

5. All plants need to find the right soil, the right amount of water, and light.'

6. Plants have to be OFF the floor or you'll ruin your wooden floors. It's the condensation -even if water isn't dripping - it's just the wet earth and potting tray against wood floor will ruin the floor.

7. Always get a pot that has legs on it, or at the garden store get a water tray that has legs underneath it.

8. Find the right plants. Philodendron love an indoor setting and only need water once a week in the summer and every other week in the winter. 

9. If you're planting succulents in the ground (depending on which kind) a cactus or a harder plant likes to have more all-day sun, where as softer plants prefer a dappled light, so maybe 4 hours of sun.

 10. Once you have the right formula and the plant starts thriving, you leave it alone and let it do its thing.'

After turning her backyard into a thriving plant paradise during the pandemic, Candis got the idea to launch a DIYD (do it yourself darling) gardening show

'I love Dragcon in the sense that Ru created this festival, this convention that brings the world's queens together to celebrate drag and joy and performance and makeup and its just a really fun place, said Candis

While Candis looks phenomenal on the show, she's very practical when it comes to her gardening outfit.

'It's not fabulous,' she admits.

'I love the juxtaposition of sweaty, dirty, grubby with the hair up and then going inside, taking a shower, putting on makeup and a gown, and going to an event!'

The style icon was dressed to impress at Rupaul's Dragcon this weekend. 

'I love Dragcon in the sense that Ru created this festival, this convention that brings the world's queens together to celebrate drag and joy and performance and makeup and its just a really fun place.

'Especially for me, knowing and being in the scene for so many years, just going and being able to say hi to queens that I haven't seen in a million years or meet all the new girls on all the seasons, so its just a really fun magical place.'

The 10-time Emmy nominated S16 cast of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” reunited for the first time since the record breaking season finale, with a LIVE taping of WOW Presents Plus original series “Bring Back My Girls” hosted by Ts Madison at Dragcon

Down the Pink Carpet showcased almost 200 of the world’s most fabulous drag queens in attendance including Nymphia Wind, Jimbo, Aquaria, Trinity the Tuck, Alaska, Blu Hydrangea, Ra'Jah O'Hara, Marina Summers, Gottmik and more sashaying down the pink carpet in front of thousands of adoring fans

The 10-time Emmy nominated S16 cast of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” reunited for the first time since the record breaking season finale, with a LIVE taping of WOW Presents Plus original series “Bring Back My Girls” hosted by Ts Madison at Dragcon.

Down the Pink Carpet showcased almost 200 of the world’s most fabulous drag queens including Nymphia Wind, Jimbo, Aquaria, Trinity the Tuck, Alaska, Blu Hydrangea, Ra'Jah O'Hara, Marina Summers, Gottmik and more sashay shante-ing in front of thousands of adoring fans.

Across the Dragcon floor in the gigantic LA convention center were fashion and beauty brands including KimChi Chic Beauty, e.l.f. cosmetics, Anastasia Beverly Hills, and Essie exhibiting their very best product.

And for the first time, Candis had a booth.

'Candis Cayne's Secret Garden landed on Hulu and then suddenly it starting having legs, and then we were able to do things like go to Dragcon and get peoples eyes on it,' said Candis.

'It was really fun to not just go and see some girls or be on a panel, but to actually have a booth and meet people and tell them about the show, so it was really cool.'