The Houseplant Handbook: Basic Growing Techniques and a Directory of 300 Everyday Plants
(Janet Peace, Hot Tomato Communications)
One of the most impressive sections of the book is the detailed instructions on propagating houseplants. Youâll get a great tutorial on every conceivable way of inexpensively increasing your houseplant collection. Â
Squire covers sowing seed for houseplant favorites like coleus. He also shows you how to take every type of cutting imaginable. These include stem-tip cuttings, leaf-stem cuttings, leaf-petiole cuttings, whole leaf cuttings, leaf-square cuttings, leaf-triangle cuttings, cross-leaf cuttings, horizontal cane cuttings, vertical cane cuttings, cactus cuttings and small-leaved succulent cuttings.
(Janet Peace, Hot Tomato Communications)
If youâre going on vacation, Squire has a section on caring for your houseplants while youâre not at home. These include ingenious ideas such as using capillary matting or wicking. These methods allow your houseplants to absorb moisture when youâre away. He also gives advice for where to place your plants before you leave homeâsuch as away from drafty, drying areas and out of direct sunlight.Â
The Houseplant Handbookâs comprehensive 300-plant directory is thorough, yet to the point. Complete with color photos of each plant and their descriptions and growth habits, the guide also gives you important growing advice. Youâll learn the lighting needs of each plant in summer and winter and how to care for them throughout the year. Squire also shares the propagation technique for each plant.Â
All in all, a thorough houseplant guide.