What's Wrong with My Houseplant?

November 2, 2015
This book makes sense of the houseplant and explains why plants from places with warm climates with limited light (such as tropical rainforests) are the best choices for indoor environments. Indoor plants clean toxins from the air and bring grace and surprise to our homes, but, as the authors warn, they can also bring pests, dropped leaves, and mold, so this book is an invaluable diagnostic tool that recommends organic solutions. The book explains growing mediums, fertilizer, and containers that can also inform outdoor container gardeners—such as why soil might be soggier in glazed pots than in unglazed, terra-cotta pots. The plant finder, which makes up the bulk of the book, contains profiles of specific plants, in a model that has become the gold standard for garden books: description, pros and cons, common problems, and detailed instructions for light, water, temperature, pot, and more. Clearly and expertly written, the finder is easy to follow whether readers are looking to add plants inside their homes or salvaged the ones they already have.

December 15, 2015
Concerned home gardeners seeking 100 percent organic solutions to houseplant woes will welcome this guide by Deardorff and Wadsworth, authors of What's Wrong with My Fruit Garden? (2013). They write, Houseplants satisfy the . . . need . . . apparently encoded in our genes for consistent contact with plants that can decrease stress, a therapeutic value . . . only recently recognized and studied. The authors cover major categoriesvines, ferns, orchids, succulentsand culinary herbsoffering easily understood yet thorough examinations that include plant history, optimum home environments, and common problems of common hybrids. The moth, or moon orchid, found in big-box stores and supermarkets, offers continuous blooms for more than six months in colors from white to dark purple-pink; they prefer low light and ample water, being rootbound in relatively small containers, and they often suffer from scale insects. The organic solution? Remove the insects by hand, or spray with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil. Filled with full-color photos throughout and back-matter resources, conversion tables, and an index, this ecologically sensitive houseplant how-to will prove popular.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)