The Complete Houseplant Survival Manual: Essential Gardening Know-How for Keeping (Not Killing) More Than 160 Indoor Plants | 
 enlarge | Author: Barbara Pleasant
Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC
Category: Book
List Price: $24.95
Buy New: $12.51
You Save: $12.44 (50%)
New (17) Used (9) from $9.48
Rating:  10 reviews
Sales Rank: 31085
Media: Turtleback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 365
Shipping Weight (lbs): 3
Dimensions (in): 10.7 x 7.7 x 1.3
ISBN: 1580175694
Dewey Decimal Number: 635.965
EAN: 9781580175692
ASIN: 1580175694
Publication Date: September 1, 2005
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Expedited shipping is not available for this item. Items are mailed via USPS media mail within 2 business days and should arrive 4-14 business days later.
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Product Description
Welcome to a whole new world of houseplants -- and a whole new generation of plant lovers ready to embrace the joy of indoor gardening! For the nearly 50 percent of U.S. households who spend six billion dollars every year on indoor plants to decorate, purify the air, and generally boost the spirits, The Complete Houseplant Survival Manual provides practical, hands-on advice for how to care for 160 beautiful houseplants, including many new selections that have entered the retail market in the last ten years.
For new indoor gardeners, Pleasant offers basic information on how to identify their plants, as well as where to place them and how to keep them healthy. In-depth plant profiles provide troubleshooting guidelines to quickly identify symptoms, causes, and remedies to common problems for each species. Information about how to repot, propagate, and display each plant, as well as advice on the very best varieties, makes this an indispensable reference for every houseplant lover.
A more general “Guide to Houseplant Care” addresses every aspect of plant care in an A-to-Z format, from choosing the proper containers and soil mixtures, to coping with pests and diseases, as well as watering, pruning, and staking. With The Complete Houseplant Survival Manual, no green thumb is required to be successful at keeping, not killing, indoor plants.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 5 more reviews...
 An excellent reference December 1, 2008
Though it might not be the MOST complete reference for houseplants there is, I found this book very helpful in identifying the basic needs of my houseplants. The book has large colorful photos, is well laid out and has a lot of helpful hints in dealing with common diseases and disorders. Overall, a good reference for anyone interested in learning a bit more about how to best care for in door plants.
The Complete Houseplant Survival Manual: Essential Gardening Know-How for Keeping (Not Killing) More Than 160 Indoor Plants April 15, 2008
Good quick guide for care of many common houseplants. Easy reading but I would have liked more detail.
 not so complete November 11, 2007
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
Maybe it's a good reference guide to the most common houseplants, but when I want to look up a new plant I just brought home, it's never in there. I find myself looking them up online more often than the book.
 A great resource for beginners June 24, 2007
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
Until recently my houseplant experience was limited to two spider plants and a ficus, both of which I managed to kill in about a year. I actually credit the plants for holding on so long, since they got horrible light, no fertilizer, and a little water every other month.
I recently decided to give it another go, but I was fairly nervous because I didn't know anything about how to take care of houseplants in general, let alone the special requirements of the commonly available varieties. I checked out several books before settling on this one, which is a good compromise between encyclopedic coverage of different plants and practical advice about plant care. Each of the 160+ plants in the book has at least one page of information and at least one full-color photo (sometimes more). The entry for each plant gives some basic information, specific requirements and things to watch out for, and a short troubleshooting FAQ. The book is divided into three parts, on flowering houseplants, non-flowering houseplants, and houseplant care. The final section on houseplant care goes into a lot more depth on just about every topic under the sun, including soil, light, water, fertilizer, seasons, training, propagation, leaching, repotting (and potting up, and top-dressing), and has a lot of helpful illustrations to get you through. At the end of the book there is a big list of resources, including plant clubs and sources for more in-depth information.
Right now I have 17 houseplants, all chosen without benefit of this book, just because they looked nice. But they're all in here. The book is NOT comprehensive, though--160 species is a lot but it is hardly exhaustive, and your local garden center or home supply warehouse probably has plants that aren't covered here. Still, almost all the common species and varieties are in here, and it is very nice to have instructions and tips that are specific to each plant. If you have some plants that aren't in here, you might want to pair this with a more taxonomically comprehensive book, such as The House Plant Expert or one of the houseplant encyclopedias.
I should add that the book is very well written, interesting, engaging, and accessible. I find myself picking it up to look up one thing and an hour later I'm still reading.
Oh, and all my new plants are doing great. Mostly thanks to this book.
Perfect for environment and care demands. January 6, 2007
9 out of 9 found this review helpful
So many houseplant guides glut the market that it may initially seem difficult to see the need for yet another - but here's something different, offering color photos, a plant ID guide to help those who receive 'mystery houseplants' as gifts, details on low-maintenance plants, and an A-Z of care basics for quick and easy access. Brighter and more detailed than most, THE COMPLETE HOUSEPLANT SURVIVAL GUIDE helps buyers choose the plant which is perfect for environment and care demands.
Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
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