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The Houseplant Encyclopediax$3.98
  (17 reviews)
Best Price: $3.98
Step by step to success with more than 1,000 indoor plant varieties. This highly regarded encyclopedia contains all the expert advice the indoor gardener needs, from purchase and placement to controlling pests and diseases. Any indoor gardener can achieve success, even with exotic plants and rare varieties, by using this book. At the book's core is a 250-page A-Z listing by botanical name of 1,000 houseplants for the home, from interior rooms to the balcony, patio, and sunroom. Each entry includes a full-color photo of the plant, a detailed description, and straightforward advice on placement, care, and propagation. Cleverly designed at-a-glance symbols indicate the plant's light, watering, and feeding needs. Frequent boxed features and sidebars provide additional data about the particular care requirements of a wide range of plants. Hundreds of helpful hints and tips offer sound advice on getting the most from indoor plants. A tiny sampling of the many items discussed includes: - The most common mistakes - Watering during vacations - When a plant gets too big - Aromatic plants - Pruning and training - Why to avoid peat moss. With an extensive glossary, a practical index, and a list of useful addresses for ordering plants and tools, The Houseplant Encyclopedia has something for everyone -- from the casual windowsill gardener to the expert horticulturist alike.
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Customer Reviews
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Outstanding !
By on 2000-04-15
I checked all my local bookstores for the right book to give to a friend who is always asking me for "horticultural advice" on his collection of houseplants. I grew up in a family of wholesale flower growers, and have 30 years of experience with my own houseplants. This book is the best I've seen. It has a very complete (about 125 pages) section on cultivation, light, water, placement in the house, patio, or balcony, containers, re-potting, nutrients, overwintering. It's wonderful for neophyte houseplant enthusiasts, and has much to teach me as well. I especially liked the extensive pests & problems section, which had actually recognizable pictures of plant symptoms, and charts of how to solve the problem. A unique addition are very useful non-chemical alternatives, including herbal concoctions, to getting rid of pests & diseases, (essential for pet lovers like me who love their animals as much as their plants). After all of this, there are the photographs! Not just the usual plants for beginners, but also a separate section of 150 "Specialties & Rarities". Each picture has info on flowering time, placement, care, propagation, pests, & uses. Throughout the book are prominently placed concise "TIPS" for quick & easy reading both in the general info section and amongst all the photos. Now that I've got one for my friend, I need a copy for myself. An incredible book for the price!
Good, but not GREAT!!
By A1U24UATBFA731 on 2004-03-12
Although the book is comprehensive and has many tips on house plants, I only found 3 out of 25 plants in my house in this book. The photo section of this book is lovely, but it is titled "The most beautiful plants from A to Z" and does nothing for people like me with mostly all green house plants. Most of these plants they reference are blooming and floral. Make sure you know what you're looking for before you purchase this book!!
Plant hobbyist or photography buff?
By on 2000-04-06
This book is not only a perfect choice for increasing the knowledge base of houseplant enthusiasts, it is so beautifully done it is a coffee table book. The layout and information is wonderful. It is concise and easy to use. But what is more enjoyable is the beautiful photography! I will be buying this book to give as gifts often. I recommend it highly.
Helpful.
By ABEOJVFT44YJV on 2000-10-26
I found this book to be very helpful, especially when cross-referenced with others like the houseplant expert. My only qualm, and it isn't even a real one, is not compiled by a fellow American. It is not nationalism that is the problem, it is that 'common' names change country to country. As with others I have bought recently, although it rarely causes a problem especially when you know the latin, sometimes it does create confusion. An absolutely beautiful book.
An end to all my searches
By A3FMWSW33HQHUP on 2001-06-26
This is the most comprehensive, enjoyable and infinitely readable book on indoor plants I have been able to find in my long period of searching. The first section of the book is a joy to anyone trying to find all the data relevant to the upkeep of indoor, patio and greenhouse plants, with a superb section on all tools, growing media and placement of all these plants. Green issues are tackled in an informative manner, and the detailed explanations of general plant care are suitable for both the expert and beginner. The section dealing with the actual identificaion of the plants is comprehensive, dealing with every aspect for care of each individual plant shown, and the subject matter is immense. This book is written in a friendly, uncluttered manner, and is a total joy for someone like me, who has scoured the bookshops of the UK to no avail. I would recommend this book to anyone.
- Excellent--"plain speak" good advice
By ADETYKC0FTPNR on 2003-07-08
I have a huge assortment of plant/gardening books, and often do alot of cross-referencing w/my hobby. This book is one of the first that I always pick up. It's "plain speak" approach (i.e. author will say, "I have always found..." etc.) is just terrific; I often find myself wondering how "Ingrid can help me with this?!" The tips are a wonderful "sidebar" feature, both highly informative, and just interesting! The descriptions the author provides of each plant is a true DESCRIPTION....detailed, and geared to educate the reader. They're not just a bullet-point listing of a few of the essentials on the plant, with questions left unanswered.I went to my library over and over again, consulting this book on a number of plants questions and issues, until finally, I got my own precious copy!! 100% worth the investment of time and money for your gardening needs, both indoors and (gosh, what a bonus!) outdoors as well.
- A fine source for a house plant hobbyist
By A3FH6P8NV21NRF on 2000-08-25
This is the greatest book for a house plant hobbyist I have been able to find! All the most common (and many not so common) house plants are included, with good instructions - I have some 80 different house plants, and all of them are there!
- Very comprehensive!!
By A18T8ZEYLBYJI9 on 2003-01-26
This is a wonderful book. Having only recently discovered the joys of houseplants, I was looking for a thorough and comprehensive book that would help me identify my plants, and properly take care of them. This book does both and more. There is a section devoted to the conditions and care required for a wide range of houseplant species, plus great sections on diseases, pests, and common mistakes. After each in depth section is an "at a glance section" for quick reference.Another very important and often overlooked feature is that it has a list of poisonous plants, so that we can make sure we place plants that can be dangerous out of reach of our pets and children (or better yet, avoid buying them all together). I am also a big fan of its construction. Sturdy hard cover binding and glossy pages make it easy to wipe off all of the potting soil that gets dropped on it. :-) Great book! Worthy investment!
- A Must-Have
By on 2001-05-01
I have so many gardening books I don't know what to do with them all. If I had to throw all of them out except for 3, this would be one that I would save!!!!! Comprehensive source of indoor plant info with lots of pictures so you can identify that mystery plant your aunt gave you.
- Pet Owners Need This Book
By on 2002-04-21
The one indispensible item this book provides that I have not found elsewhere, is a listing of which plants are poinsonous to pets and people, and which are not. I always review this book when I am considering bringing a new plant into my house. If it says they're not poisonous to my pets, I bring it on home. If it is poisonous, I avoid it. I have not found as comprehensive a list any place else.
- very disappointed, not worth to buy
By on 2002-01-17
At best, I would say it is an ordinary plant book. For the three things I wanted to look for, I didn't find any good answer in it. First, I would like to know what kind of plants I have in my house (my mother gave them to me.) Just by looking at the pictures in this book as the book suggests, I would only identify several very very common plants. Second, I want to know how to take care of them. There are symbols in the book about light, water, food etc, but the paragraph I thought should be more specific on it simply repeats the symbols above (which as in a book, it is redundent and takes more space than it should.) Third, I like to know some tips on keeping the plants in good shape. However, what I found most the so said tips are like "I put my (a certain kind of) plant outside beside a pond and under a tree in summer." They are not very useful at all. It is either a book that helps you focus on making one specific decent, healthy plant, nor helps you to know and take care of many plants in general. I read it several times and tried find some positive sign that I should keep it, but I returned it at last.
- Most comprehensive house plant book out there!
By A2W3HIU2RHUS0N on 2005-05-22
This book is absolutely the most comprehensive house plant book out there. It covers almost every topic I can conceive of and then some.
There are pages devoted to not only propagating plants, but also watering (quality, temperature method), repotting and caring for your plants. Not only is there a detailed section on pests and diseases, the book also contains recipes on how to rid your plants of these maladies. If you are a serious gardener, you will appreciate the descriptions of soil types for different plants and the recipes for a variety of potting soils.
Besides the plant basics, the authors cover how to create beautiful plant groupings. There are suggestions for how to plant baskets and containers with a variety of plants. Lots of useful ideas!
The best part of the book is the plant listing section. Literally hundreds of plants have detailed information about care, light requirements and propagation. Each listing has color photos and many have special tips out in the margins (for quick reference). The authors have also included watering, light and fertilization symbols so you can see the plant's requirements at a glance.
I love houseplants, and I really love this book. It has just about everything in it. I have been known to just sit and page through it. I highly recommend this book!
- Love It
By A2SA8XC1R3HS59 on 2002-08-15
I just love this book it tells you all you need to know
- Limited
By on 2002-03-09
Although it might serve as a decent cross-reference book in a situation where details aren't necessary, this is a poor "stand alone." Out of 26 varities, I was only able to locate 7...references steer clear of anything out of the ordinary, and if note is made on them, it's by name only...no specifics. I was somewhat disappointed by the frequent "tips," which entailed more common sense practises than anything useful - even for novice like myself.
- Basic guide to house and "patio" gardening
By A3DYXNYI30K69U on 2008-02-05
This book provides me with little more information about its plants than would be provided upon a visit to the nursery, i.e. low light, moderate water, watch out for this or that pest...
Not what I was hoping for. However, it does give a picture of every plant it lists (awesome). Also, I expected to find a book that strictly regards houseplants. Maybe I missed it in the description, but the "Houseplant Encyclopedia" includes plants like calla lillies- a plant that could be grown indoors, I'm sure, but isn't likely.
Includes a good range of plants, including most of the houseplants I have cared for, and will occasionally offer some short description of natural history, which is also fun and interesting.
3 stars pretty much because it wasn't what I expected/hoped for. Otherwise, decent, but not amazing book.
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