Houseplants for beginners, or those with brown thumbs.

by Beth

Growing houseplants seems like it should be easy to do. Give it some dirt to grow in, some sunlight, and some water and it should grow... right? It all depends on which plant you start with. Some, like philodendron, pothos, ZZ plants or snake plants are pretty forgiving and can grow just about anywhere. Beyond those however, most houseplants have specific needs in either light, water, temperature, or humidity, and if you aren't aware of your plants needs failure may soon follow. The following books are good for beginners, or for people who have had bad luck in the past.

The new plant parent : develop your green thumb and care for your house-plant family

Darryl Cheng

635.965 /Cheng
Gardening

For indoor gardeners everywhere, Darryl Cheng offers a new way to grow healthy house plants. He teaches the art of understanding a plant’s needs and giving it a home with the right balance of light, water, and nutrients. After reading Cheng, the indoor gardener will be far less the passive follower of rules for the care of each species and much more the confident, active grower, relying on observation and insight. And in the process, the plant owner becomes a plant lover, bonded to these beautiful living things by a simple love and appreciation of nature. The New Plant Parent covers all of the basics of growing house plants, from finding the right light, to everyday care like watering and fertilizing, to containers, to recommended species. Cheng’s friendly tone, personal stories, and accessible photographs fill his book with the same generous spirit that has made @houseplantjournal, his Instagram account, a popular source of advice and inspiration for thousands of indoor gardeners.

How not to kill your houseplant: survival tips for the horticulturally challenged

Veronica Peerless

635.965 /Peerless
Gardening

Can't keep a houseplant alive, no matter how hard you try and how good your intentions are? This is the book for you. You need this book. Give plants a chance. Help your plant live with survival tips and learn the simple ways not to kill your plants.With over 50 different types of popular houseplants, How Not to Kill Your Houseplant summarizes what type of care your plants do (or don't) need. Be on the lookout for warning signs of a sick plant, from brown spots to crispy leaves, and make sure you take the proper action to rescue your plant. Learn the basics of horticulture, from watering your plant to what kind of soil it should be placed in to how much light it needs every day to if a certain type of plant will thrive in your living space. Find out how to keep a cactus alive, where to hang air plants, and how to repot succulents. Full of helpful tips, pictures, and informational panels, How Not to Kill Your Houseplant will turn your home into a beautiful greenhouse of healthy, happy plants.

The complete houseplant survival manual : essential know-how for keeping (not killing!) more than 160 indoor plants

Barbara Pleasant

635.965 /Pleasant
Gardening

It’s a whole new world of houseplants, so make yourself at home in it! If you love the idea of keeping houseplants, but struggle to care for them, you’ll find solace and invaluable advice in this comprehensive guide from expert gardener Barbara Pleasant. Even experienced houseplant enthusiasts will benefit from Pleasant’s expansive knowledge of indoor gardening, which includes personality profiles, growing needs, and troubleshooting tips for 160 blooming and foliage varieties. Create a greener world, one houseplant at a time.

How to houseplant : a beginner's guide to making and keeping plant friends

Heather Rodino.

635.965/Rodino
Gardening

Cultivating houseplants is more popular than ever, and this fun, gifty guide introduces you to one of today's hottest retro activities! Heather Rodino offers a colorfully illustrated overview of caring for your indoor garden, profiling 50 of the most popular houseplants, from succulents to tropical foliage. Her accessible advice, tips, and lists will give novices the confidence they need to begin nurturing their own collection.

Houseplant Handbook: Basic Growing Techniques and a Directory of 300 Everyday Houseplants

David Squire

635.965 /Squire
Gardening

Grow a garden inside! Houseplants bring life and color to any room, and with the right care you can successfully cultivate everything from succulents and bonsai to foliage, flowers, and fruit. Here is everything you always wanted to know about houseplants packed into one easy-to-use volume. Horticulturist David Squire provides simple, step-by-step instructions on choosing the right plants and helping them thrive, with tips on propagation, repotting, grooming, and pest control. The heart of the book is a well-illustrated plant directory that offers a fresh perspective on more than 300 popular varieties, arranged by houseplant families. Each entry features a color photograph for identification; the plant’s botanical and common names; its height, spread, optimum climate and light; and propagation tips. Other essential information on feeding, watering, and grooming is covered in a handy quick reference icon panel.

Houseplants : the complete guide to choosing, growing, and caring for indoor plants

Lisa Eldred Steinkopf

635.965 /Steinkopf
Gardening

What's the best way to nurture your green thumb when you don't have a yard or space? Houseplants! This is your guide to raising the best, healthiest, and happiest potted plants nature has ever seen. When you want to raise plants but just don’t have the space, then it’s time to turn to houseplants! Houseplants is the definitive guide to the millions of varieties that houseplants come in, and the different levels of maintenance, care and know-how they all require. Now is your chance to dive into this pleasant, no-yard-required hobby without the questions of which potting mix to try, what the right level of light you’ll need, or how to shift your plants as seasons change. Houseplants profiles more than 150 different plants, and gives you the best techniques to raise them to be happy, green, and healthy. And as you watch them grow, you can stimulate your inner botanist with the included information on each plant’s Latin family, varieties, bloom period, mature height, and other scientific specs.