Although the meaning of life may be complicated, the ingredients of life are not, especially when it comes to houseplants. Author Emily L. Hay Hinsdale (Never Put a Cactus in the Bathroom) makes it clear at the beginning of What Is My Plant Telling Me?: water, soil and light are the essentials. But what kinds? In what quantities? And for which plants? And do brown leaf tips mean this plant is underwatered or oversaturated? Please help!
Fortunately, this is a guide made to answer those questions and many more. Hinsdale includes helpful general guidance, right from the start, that provides such tips as how to assess soil's moisture level; the purpose of pebbles in a planter; and the proper watering technique. What Is My Plant Telling Me? then shifts to become an encyclopedic guide to the most abundant, recommended and beloved houseplants. With plant-by-plant facts, specific directions and Loni Harris's lovely color illustrations, this is an informative primer for an aspiring indoor horticulturalist; a lifesaver for those who fear their touch means death to all plants; and a timeless resource for the expert living in a home that is various shades of dappled green.
What Is My Plant Telling Me?--written in light, concise prose filled with dry humor and steeped in wise counsel--reads like a comprehensive plant blog of the highest quality, absent any annoying pop-up advertisements. It is a book dedicated to the joyful and wondrous act of caring for life itself in whatever space is available. --Walker Minot, freelance writer and editor