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The Complete Houseplant Survival Manual: Essential Know-How for Keeping (Not Killing) More Than 160 Indoor Plants Flexibound – September 1, 2005

by Barbara Pleasant (Author)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 852 ratings
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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. 

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  1. Print length
    384 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Storey Publishing, LLC
  4. Publication date
    September 1, 2005
  5. Dimensions
    5 x 1 x 8 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1580175694
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1580175692
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

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Even the most intrepid outdoor gardeners frequently admit that indoor plants under their care have an expected lifespan roughly equivalent to that of a mayfly. Whether one has just been given his or her first pot of grocery-store ivy or has been growing intricate bonsai for years, everything the indoor gardener could ever want to know about how to select, tend, and enjoy houseplants is contained in Pleasant's monumentally comprehensive yet straightforward and easy-to-follow encyclopedia covering more than 160 houseplants. Following an enlightening introduction that discusses the history, uses, and benefits that houseplants bestow, the manual is divided into three main sections. The first two are plant directories offering in-depth plant profiles of first flowering, then foliage, houseplants. The third is an extensive compilation of houseplant-care topics, from acclimatization to watering. With vivid color photographs, precise illustrations, appendixes listing helpful resources, definitions, and a cross-reference chart of botanical and common names, this is a must-have manual for anyone who shares home or office space with potted plants. Carol Haggas
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

"Cursed with a brown thumb?…Barbara Pleasant has come to your rescue."—Stephanie Bloyd, Mother Earth News, August-September 2006

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Storey Publishing, LLC; Illustrated edition (September 1, 2005)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Flexibound ‏ : ‎ 384 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1580175694
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1580175692
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.53 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5 x 1 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 852 ratings

About the author

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Barbara Pleasant

Barbara Pleasant

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I have the greatest job in the world, which is helping gardeners find neat ways to make the world a more beautiful and productive place. Writing feature article for Mother Earth News and other magazines helps to break up long stretches spent on books, and it's also great fun to talk with fellow gardeners, who are a constant source of new and better ideas.

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
852 global ratings
My FAVORITE Houseplant Book!!
5 Stars
My FAVORITE Houseplant Book!!
I’d you’re thinking of getting a book to help you care and troubleshoot health problems with your plants? Well look no further! This book was beautiful, I loved the photos and attention to detail. I ordered 3 other books on houseplant care and this was by far my favorite. Lots of really great information, I look forward to using it to help with some of my more dramatic plants. I would recommend this to anyone!
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Top reviews from the United States

Sheila Ary
5.0 out of 5 stars Complete indeed.
Reviewed in the United States on February 7, 2013
Verified Purchase
The title of this book is definitely telling the truth. I couldn't come up with any question for which I failed to find an answer. None of the information is too technical for the average house plant lover, and it is all easily accessible.

The author begins her book with a brief introduction telling us how house plants benefit us, both physically and emotionally, followed by a useful plant identification guide. The greater part of the book is made up of three chapters covering blooming houseplants, foliage houseplants, and houseplant care. In the first two chapters the selected plants are illustrated with beautiful, large color photographs, and each one gets a description and a summary of it's needs in your home. Many also have troubleshooting guides.

The final chapter gives readers a wealth of information and advice for keeping their house plants happy and healthy, with more photographs and helpful drawings. There are lots of cross-references in this section, so you are won't miss anything you might need to know about, such as all aspects of watering and drainage. The author ends with a glossary of houseplant terms, lists of plant suppliers and plant societies, a very useful cross reference between common and botanical names of plants, and an index to the book.

This very complete guide to house plant care will be helpful to anyone who loves a house plant or a house full of plants, and I definitely recommend it.
25 people found this helpful
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Paige C
5.0 out of 5 stars Best houseplant book I have found
Reviewed in the United States on February 12, 2020
Verified Purchase
This has been such a useful book on my houseplant journey. I have never been someone who could keep plants alive but suddenly at age 32 a switch went off and I am now a plant person.
I am sure all of this information is available in some form online but it is so nice to have everything easily accessible in the same format for each plant and in bullet points.
This book is pretty much a basic care encyclopedia. It has a lot of general plant care information including how to propagate all different kinds of plants to help you start your plant army. It also breaks down information by plant species to give more specifics on care.
The information makes it super simple to make sure you are giving your new plat friend enough water, light, fertilizer, and humidity. It has what soil is best for each plant and tips for how to troubleshoot what is wrong with your plant.
I reach for this book whenever I bring a new plant home and it has made me much more confident in my crazy plant lady adventure.
16 people found this helpful
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Kris Abrahamson
5.0 out of 5 stars Useful and practical
Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2021
Verified Purchase
I liked this "survival manual" because it is practical and useful. It is NOT a picture book about how to create attractive interiors with plants. It is a growing guide to 160 specific house plants or plant types with specific information about each plant's needs, soil, longevity, and propagation as well as troubleshooting for common problems. Each plant gets a 2-page spread with a great photo and consistent format. At the end are basic growing tips relevant to all house plants. The book helped me pick out plants that would thrive at my house and also helped me address some problems I was having with existing plants.
5 people found this helpful
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vlad-george ardelean
4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting read, good tips
Reviewed in the United States on June 21, 2018
Verified Purchase
I am not particularly fond of house plants. I have however received over the years a fair number of them, and have bought some myself, because my wife likes them.
In my situation, I feel like I have received a lot of good tips about plants to make me appreciate them more and care for them better.

I now understand better what types of soil to use (apparently there are 6 common types of soil), why/how to repot, how to water, and where to place plants. Another weird thing thay I never understood, namely the trimming of plants, is explained well here. Plants are apparently not like people. You can cut away large portions of them and they dont't mind, or even enjoy it.

Another magical part that I didn't think possible was plant propagation. In short and rough words, you can apparently cut away parts of the plant, and make a new plant out of that. This works for almost all plants. Who would have guessed? :D

This book contains sections that help you identify your plants. If so, identification is harder if you're reading this on a kindle device. To make up for this, look up the plant classes on the internet, and you'll be fine.

I do recommend this book to whoever likes house plants, but people who are only trying to not kill their plants (like myself) can also benefit a lot from this :p
43 people found this helpful
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ohthatpaul
5.0 out of 5 stars All You Need to Know to Have Beautiful Houseplants
Reviewed in the United States on April 23, 2018
Verified Purchase
Tells you all you need to know to have successful houseplants: how houseplants earn their keep, individual information on 160 different plants, sensibly grouped by whether they bloom or not, and good advice on how to care for your plants. Provides knowledgeable advice missing in other books like the pretty but expensive, vacuous, and heavily-reliant-on-whitespace  Houseplants: The Complete Guide to Choosing, Growing, and Caring for Indoor Plants : for example, I think most people after transplanting or repotting a houseplant would give it water. Pleasant tells us don’t water newly transplanted or repotted plants for a few days to let the wounded roots wall off their injuries and to signal the healthy roots to spread out to seek water (p. 313), while Steinkopf and others leave it up us to find out the hard way that watering your newly potted plant too early promotes only root rot, not new growth.
43 people found this helpful
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Ayl
5.0 out of 5 stars A must for plant lovers
Reviewed in the United States on October 28, 2017
Verified Purchase
I love houseplants. I have not always been good at keeping them. If you have no intuition for plants in general, then this book is a great guide to walk you through every aspect of caring for a plant. Not just a generic one-size-fits-most example of a plant- but the exact plant species you are working with. Not sure what a certain discoloration means? Look it up for your specific plant so there is no confusion. Curious if a pest-control method is safe? Depends on the plant, and this book will tell you.

If you have no plant experience this book will explain everything from how and when to water, to the best ways to repot and what a cachepot is. If you are pretty comfortable with plants, I still think the plant-specific troubleshooting is a godsend.
9 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

nancy
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book on houseplants!!!!
Reviewed in Canada on January 26, 2024
Verified Purchase
I purchased a few houseplant books before I settled on this. The photography, the info on diagnosing problems with your plants and getting rid of the problems is most helpful. An excellent book!
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Karen G.
5.0 out of 5 stars Lots of information a beginner needs
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 9, 2021
Verified Purchase
Lots of pictures to identify your plants
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Kapil Jadhav
5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best books for all common houseplants
Reviewed in India on March 19, 2015
Verified Purchase
One of the best books for all common houseplants. This is must have for any person having house plant. Very good quick reference for common problems you typically see and their remedies.
Very good size and good pictures for every page. Added advantage is the section on Orchids :)
One person found this helpful
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MA
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book
Reviewed in Canada on February 26, 2023
Verified Purchase
Well written, very useful and includes most of the common houseplants. Love it!!!
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S WILSON
5.0 out of 5 stars Very insightful
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 17, 2014
Verified Purchase
This book offered many useful tips. I thought I knew a lot already as I always research my plants on line. Loved the trouble shooting section. Well worth the money.
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