Staying alive The go-to guide for houseplants

Melrose and Normandeau offer a practical and approachable resource for anyone struggling to keep houseplants healthy. In a conversational Q & A format reminiscent of an advice column, the book addresses common plant-care challenges with clarity, humor, and a reassuring tone. From combating stubborn fungus gnats to managing pets that chew on leaves, the authors provide thoughtful, real-life solutions to everyday houseplant woes thanks to their wealth of expertise: Melrose holds a horticultural therapy certificate, while Normandeau is a longtime garden columnist and Calgary librarian. Special sections offer tips on kid-and pet-safe plant species, vacation-care strategies, and simple routines to make plant care less overwhelming. Troubleshooting guides, paired with vibrant, full color photos, help readers identify problems and solutions quickly. With its encouraging tone and accessible advice, Staying Alive makes houseplant success feel achievable for beginners and seasoned plant enthusiasts alike. Melrose and Normandeau's practical, no-fuss approach makes this book an essential addition to any plant lover's library, offering the tools to nurture thriving household greenery.

Melrose and Normandeau follow up The Prairie Gardener's Go-to Guide for Grasses with a hit-or-miss manual on sprucing up one's home with plants. Following a q&a format, the authors weigh in on such topics as deterring pests, choosing where to place plants, and ensuring they're watered properly. The authors affirmatively answer the question "Can I mix different houseplants together in a container?" with the caveat that readers should only group plants with similar humidity, soil, and water needs. Discussing how to protect flora from harmful insects, Melrose and Normandeau recommend preventing fungus gnats from laying eggs in the pots of moisture-loving plants by covering the soil with a layer of sand. There are plenty of useful tips, as when the authors suggest that "watering from the bottom" (leaving a potted plant in a water-filled saucer to absorb moisture through the container's drainage holes) decreases the risk of root rot. Unfortunately, other guidance is overly broad. For instance, a section purporting to answer "How do I know which types of indoor plants are suitable for my home?" does little more than restate the question, suggesting readers buy plants that thrive at the average temperature and humidity levels in one's abode. Additionally, the amateurish quality of the photographs disappoints. Readers would be better off with A People's Guide to Houseplants. (Apr.)

Introduction Whether you have one tiny succulent on your desk at work or a massive collection of tropical plants in your home, it's impossible to ignore the impact that caring for houseplants brings to our lives. We admire them for their beauty and uniqueness and the ways they decorate and define our living and working spaces. The psychological benefits of houseplants cannot be understated either. As gardeners, we all know that warm, fuzzy feeling we get from nurturing plants. The act of caring for them--from watering to repotting--is deeply satisfying and can even reduce our stress levels. And horticultural therapists will tell you about the ways that having plants in a room will help with healing. It's even more than that! Making more plants through propagation is extremely rewarding--especially when we can share the new plants with others. And if you're a dedicated houseplant collector, the thrill of finding a new cultivar you don't yet have can't be measured. Should you get seriously bitten by the houseplant bug, like we are, then you have a lot of plants all happily competing for space in your place! Looking after them takes a bunch of know-how, the right equipment, and your enthusiasm. We are here to supply the know-how. You supply the rest! --Sheryl Normandeau and Janet Melrose Excerpted from Staying Alive: The Go-To Guide for Houseplants by Janet Melrose, Sheryl Normandeau All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.