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<p><b>Introduction 1</b></p> <p>About This Book 1</p> <p>Foolish Assumptions 2</p> <p>Icons Used in This Book 3</p> <p>Beyond This Book 3</p> <p>Where to Go from Here 4</p> <p><b>Part 1: Getting Started with Houseplants 5</b></p> <p><b>Chapter 1: Discovering the World of Houseplants 7</b></p> <p>Getting to Know Houseplants 7</p> <p>Houseplant history 8</p> <p>Species houseplant names 9</p> <p>Cultivar names 10</p> <p>Hybrid plant names 10</p> <p>Understanding the Benefits of Growing Houseplants 11</p> <p>Growing Houseplants: A Month-by-Month Guide 13</p> <p>January 13</p> <p>February 14</p> <p>March 15</p> <p>April 16</p> <p>May 16</p> <p>June, July, and August 17</p> <p>September 18</p> <p>October 19</p> <p>November and December 20</p> <p><b>Chapter 2: Choosing the Perfect Houseplants 21</b></p> <p>Figuring Out Where to Shop 21</p> <p>Specialist houseplant growers or suppliers 22</p> <p>Your local garden center 22</p> <p>Home centers, groceries, and discount stores 22</p> <p>Plant and home shows 23</p> <p>Online houseplant suppliers 23</p> <p>Considering Your Environment 24</p> <p>Taking temperature readings 25</p> <p>Measuring your light intensity 26</p> <p>Asking yourself a few other questions 28</p> <p>Knowing What to Look for in a Houseplant 29</p> <p>Choosing a healthy plant 29</p> <p>Deciding between a mature blooming plant and a young plant 30</p> <p>Understanding how houseplants are produced 32</p> <p>Selecting houseplants with a sweet scent 33</p> <p>Introducing Your New Houseplant to Your Home 33</p> <p><b>Chapter 3: Having the Right Tools on Hand 35</b></p> <p>Focusing on Pruning and Cutting Tools 35</p> <p>Pruners 36</p> <p>Knives and blades 37</p> <p>Considering Potting Tools and Supplies 37</p> <p>Potting tools and supplies 38</p> <p>Identifying Watering Accessories 41</p> <p>Water breakers 41</p> <p>Water-flow regulators 42</p> <p>Hoses 42</p> <p>Watering cans 43</p> <p>Sprayers and misters 44</p> <p>Fertilizer injectors and siphon mixers 44</p> <p>Deionization and reverse osmosis units 44</p> <p>Modifying Your Environment with Humidifiers, Ventilation Equipment, and Heaters 46</p> <p>Humidifiers 47</p> <p>Ventilation equipment 48</p> <p>Heaters 49</p> <p>Thermometers and hygrometers 49</p> <p><b>Chapter 4: Houseplant Appreciation and Display 51</b></p> <p>Caring for Houseplants in Their New Home 51</p> <p>If the plant is in bloom 52</p> <p>If the plant is not in bloom 52</p> <p>Staking and Grooming Your Blooming Houseplants 53</p> <p>Figuring out how to stake 53</p> <p>Helping your houseplants look their best 55</p> <p>Displaying Houseplants in Your Home 56</p> <p>Knowing some tips to best display your houseplants 57</p> <p>Arranging Houseplant Flowers 59</p> <p>Understanding the three basic flower-design elements 59</p> <p>Supporting houseplant stems in arrangements 61</p> <p>Making your houseplant arrangement last longer 61</p> <p><b>Part 2: Keeping Your Houseplants Alive and Thriving 63</b></p> <p><b>Chapter 5: Providing the Right Growing Environment 65</b></p> <p>Knowing How Much Light Your Houseplants Need 66</p> <p>Let There Be Light! Recognizing Natural Light Sources 67</p> <p>Greenhouses: Your high light source 67</p> <p>Windowsills: Not all are created equal 68</p> <p>Clues your houseplants want different lighting 71</p> <p>Comparing Artificial Light Sources 73</p> <p>Fluorescent lights 73</p> <p>High-intensity discharge lights and commercial-grade LED lights 77</p> <p>LEDs: The new kids on the block 78</p> <p>Choosing the best lighting option 79</p> <p>Knowing Some Tricks for Growing Houseplants Under Lights 80</p> <p>Creating Humidity 81</p> <p>Providing Ventilation: Fresh Air, Please! 83</p> <p>Ceiling fans 83</p> <p>Oscillating fans 84</p> <p>Muffin fans 84</p> <p>Considering Houseplant Temperature Requirements 84</p> <p>Too-low temperatures 85</p> <p>Too-high temperatures 85</p> <p>Choosing and Planting a Terrarium 85</p> <p>Giving Your Houseplants a Summer Vacation 88</p> <p>Growing plants in a shade house 88</p> <p>Summering houseplants in a portable greenhouse 90</p> <p>Letting your plants hang around 91</p> <p><b>Chapter 6: Watering and Fertilizing Your Plants 93</b></p> <p>Water, Water Everywhere: Understanding the Art of Watering Houseplants 94</p> <p>The type of houseplant 94</p> <p>The type of pot 94</p> <p>The type and age of the potting material 95</p> <p>The roominess of the pot 95</p> <p>The humidity, temperature, and ventilation of the growing environment 96</p> <p>The growing stage 96</p> <p>Quenching Your Houseplants’ Thirst 96</p> <p>Using the pot-weighting method 96</p> <p>Knowing some tips and tricks for watering your houseplants 97</p> <p>Over- or Underwatering: Roots Tell the Story 98</p> <p>Houseplant ER: Rescuing and Resuscitating a Dehydrated Houseplant 101</p> <p>Realizing Fertilizers Are Plant Boosters — Not Magic Potions 103</p> <p>Knowing what to look for in houseplant fertilizers 103</p> <p>Identifying types of fertilizers and knowing how to use them 106</p> <p><b>Chapter 7: Getting the Skinny on Containers, Potting Mixes, and Repotting 109</b></p> <p>Exploring Different Kinds of Containers 110</p> <p>Examining standard container materials 111</p> <p>Getting creative with containers 113</p> <p>Growing houseplants hydroponically in self-watering containers 114</p> <p>Getting the Right Potting Mix 115</p> <p>Comparing potting mix to soil 115</p> <p>Understanding components of potting mixes 116</p> <p>Figuring out which potting materials are best 118</p> <p>Whipping up your own mix 119</p> <p>Repotting Houseplants without Fear 120</p> <p>Playing the Matching Game — the Right Plants for the Right Pots 121</p> <p>Up-close-and-personal displays 122</p> <p>Tucked-in attention-grabbers 123</p> <p>Containers of mixed company 123</p> <p><b>Chapter 8: Multiplying Your Favorite Houseplants 125</b></p> <p>Cloning Your Plants through Vegetative Reproduction 125</p> <p>Cutting and rooting stems 126</p> <p>Reproducing with leaf cuttings 128</p> <p>Propagating by air layering 130</p> <p>Growing Plants from Seeds: Sexual Reproduction 131</p> <p>Recognizing the different kinds of seeds 132</p> <p>Knowing the benefits of sowing seeds 133</p> <p>Buying seeds: What to keep in mind 134</p> <p>Testing seeds 135</p> <p>Getting better results from sowing seed 136</p> <p>Thinning seedlings 138</p> <p>Hardening off seedlings 139</p> <p>Transplanting seedlings 139</p> <p><b>Chapter 9: Keeping Your Houseplants Pest- and Disease-Free 141</b></p> <p>Preventing Problems before They Start 142</p> <p>Besting the Bugs 143</p> <p>Identifying common houseplant pests 143</p> <p>Finding safe and effective pest-control measures 148</p> <p>Applying pest-control treatments 150</p> <p>Identifying Fungal and Bacterial Infections 151</p> <p>Noticing when your houseplant has a virus 152</p> <p>Handling a sick plant 153</p> <p><b>Part 3: the Best of the Houseplants 155</b></p> <p><b>Chapter 10: Succulents and Cacti: Easy-Care Plants 157</b></p> <p>Caring for Houseplant Succulents and Cacti 158</p> <p>Potting 158</p> <p>Watering 159</p> <p>Lighting 160</p> <p>Other maintenance tips 160</p> <p>Meeting the Succulents 161</p> <p>Genus: Adromischus 162</p> <p>Genus: Aeonium 163</p> <p>Genus: Agave 164</p> <p>Genus: Aloe 165</p> <p>Genus: Anacampseros 167</p> <p>Genus: Bryophyllum 167</p> <p>Genus: Ceropegia 167</p> <p>Genus: Cotyledon 168</p> <p>Genus: Crassula 168</p> <p>Genus: Echeveria 171</p> <p>Genus: Euphorbia 173</p> <p>Genus: Faucaria 175</p> <p>Genus: Gasteria 176</p> <p>Genus: Graptopetalum 176</p> <p>Genus: Graptosedum 177</p> <p>Genus: Graptoveria 178</p> <p>Genus: Haworthia 178</p> <p>Genus: Kalanchoe 181</p> <p>Genus: Lithops 181</p> <p>Genus: Pachyphytum 184</p> <p>Genus: Pachyveria 185</p> <p>Genus: Pleiospilos 186</p> <p>Genus: Portulacaria 186</p> <p>Genus: Sedum 186</p> <p>Genus: Sempervivum 189</p> <p>Genus: Senecio 191</p> <p>Saying Hi to Houseplant Cacti 193</p> <p>Getting to the point: Cactus spines and prickers 194</p> <p>Two can tango: Grafted cacti 194</p> <p>Genus: Astrophytum 195</p> <p>Genus: Cephalocereus 195</p> <p>Genus: Cereus 196</p> <p>Genus: Disocactus 197</p> <p>Genus: Echinocactus 198</p> <p>Genus: Echinocereus 199</p> <p>Genus: Echinopsis 199</p> <p>Genus: Epiphyllum 200</p> <p>Genus: Ferocactus 201</p> <p>Genus: Gymnocalycium 202</p> <p>Genus: Mammillaria 202</p> <p>Genus: Opuntia 203</p> <p>Genus: Oreocereus 204</p> <p>Genus: Parodia or Notocactus 205</p> <p>Genus: Rhipsalis 206</p> <p>Genus: Tephrocactus 206</p> <p><b>Chapter 11: Easy Orchids: Don’t Pass Up These Beauties 209</b></p> <p>Becoming Familiar with the Basics of Orchid Culture 210</p> <p>Repotting Orchids without Fear 211</p> <p>Knowing when to repot 211</p> <p>Orchid potting — step by step 212</p> <p>Understanding Orchid Names 214</p> <p>Meeting the Moth Orchids 214</p> <p>Examining the popularity of moth orchids 215</p> <p>Deconstructing the beauty of moth orchids 216</p> <p>Checking Out the Cattleyas 224</p> <p>The queens of the ball: Cattleya hybrids 225</p> <p>Exploring the miniatures 229</p> <p>A few other cattleya relatives of note 230</p> <p>Trying On the Slipper Orchids 232</p> <p>Giving your lady’s slipper a good home 233</p> <p>Admiring marvelous Maudiae 234</p> <p>Going big with modern lady’s slippers hybrids 234</p> <p>Taking a spin with the dancing ladies: Onicidiums 235</p> <p>Growing miniature oncidiums or tolumnias 236</p> <p><b>Chapter 12: Foliage Plants: Create an Indoor Tropical Paradise 237</b></p> <p>Examining Why People Grow Foliage Plants 238</p> <p>Introducing an Assortment of Foliage Plants 238</p> <p>Large-growing foliage plants 239</p> <p>Small-growing foliage plants 254</p> <p>Vines and climbers for foliage and flowers 273</p> <p><b>Chapter 13: Flowering Plants: Dazzling Additions to Your Indoor Garden 285</b></p> <p>Understanding the Conditions Flowering Plants Need to Thrive 286</p> <p>Introducing a Parade of Flowering Plants 286</p> <p>Genus: Abutilon 286</p> <p>Genus: Acalypha 287</p> <p>Genus: Alpinia 288</p> <p>Genus: Anthurium 289</p> <p>Genus: Aphelandra 289</p> <p>Genus: Beloperone 290</p> <p>Genus: Bougainvillea 290</p> <p>Genus: Brugmansia 292</p> <p>Genus: Brunfelsia 292</p> <p>Genus: Burbidgea 293</p> <p>Genus: Canna 294</p> <p>Genus: Cestrum 294</p> <p>Genus: Clerodendrum 295</p> <p>Genus: Clivia 295</p> <p>Genus: Costus 297</p> <p>Genus: Crossandra 297</p> <p>Genus: Curcuma 298</p> <p>Genus: Duranta 299</p> <p>Genus: Euphorbia 299</p> <p>Genus: Fuchsia 301</p> <p>Genus: Gardenia 302</p> <p>Genus: Globba 303</p> <p>Genus: Heliconia 304</p> <p>Genus: Hibiscus 305</p> <p>Genus: Ixora 305</p> <p>Genus: Jatropha 307</p> <p>Genus: Justicia 307</p> <p>Genus: Medinilla 308</p> <p>Genus: Mussaenda 308</p> <p>Genus: Nerium 309</p> <p>Genus: Pachystachys 310</p> <p>Genus: Pentas 310</p> <p>Genus: Plumbago 311</p> <p>Genus: Plumeria 312</p> <p>Genus: Rosa 313</p> <p>Genus: Ruellia 313</p> <p>Genus: Spathiphyllum 314</p> <p>Genus: Tabernaemontana 314</p> <p>Genus: Tibouchina 316</p> <p>Genus: Zantedeschia 316</p> <p>Genus: Zingiber 317</p> <p><b>Chapter 14: African Violets and Their Kin: Almost Always in Flower 319</b></p> <p>Understanding Why Gesneriads Should Be More Popular 320</p> <p>Introducing the Main Players in This Genus 320</p> <p>Genus: Achimenes 321</p> <p>Genus: Aeschynanthus 321</p> <p>Genus: Chirita 322</p> <p>Genus: Chrysothemis 323</p> <p>Genus: Columnea 324</p> <p>Genus: Corytoplectus 325</p> <p>Genus: Episcia 326</p> <p>Genus: Kohleria 326</p> <p>Genus: Nematanthus 328</p> <p>Genus: Pearcea 329</p> <p>Genus: Saintpaulia 329</p> <p>Genus: Seemannia 333</p> <p>Genus: Sinningia 335</p> <p>Genus: Smithiantha 339</p> <p>Genus: Streptocarpus 340</p> <p><b>Chapter 15: Begonias: Brilliant Flowers, Gorgeous Foliage 343</b></p> <p>Examining Why People Grow Begonias 344</p> <p>Understanding Basic Care of Begonias 345</p> <p>Potting your begonias 345</p> <p>Regulating humidity 345</p> <p>Watering correctly 345</p> <p>Providing light 346</p> <p>Managing temperature requirements 346</p> <p>Meeting the Begonias 347</p> <p>Foliage begonias 347</p> <p>Flowering begonias 351</p> <p>Shrub or cane begonias 354</p> <p><b>Part 4: the Part of Tens 357</b></p> <p><b>Chapter 16: Ten Common Reasons Houseplants Die (and How to Avoid ’em) 359</b></p> <p>Overwatering 359</p> <p>Underwatering 360</p> <p>Too Much Light or Heat 360</p> <p>Leaving Houseplant Foliage Wet Overnight 361</p> <p>Too Much Fertilizer 361</p> <p>Insect Infestation 361</p> <p>Improper Use of Pesticides 362</p> <p>Purchasing Sick Plants 362</p> <p>Poor Water Quality 362</p> <p>Inadequate Ventilation 363</p> <p><b>Chapter 17: The Ten Most Frequently Asked Questions about Houseplants 365</b></p> <p>Are Houseplants Difficult to Grow? 365</p> <p>Why Should I Grow Houseplants? 366</p> <p>Do I Need a Greenhouse to Grow Houseplants? 366</p> <p>Are Houseplants Expensive? 366</p> <p>How Long Will Houseplants Live? 367</p> <p>What Makes a Plant a Houseplant? 367</p> <p>Are Any Houseplants Cold-Hardy? 367</p> <p>Are Houseplants Fragrant? 367</p> <p>Where Can I See the Best Collections of Houseplants? 368</p> <p>What Are the Best Materials to Use to Repot or Transplant My Houseplants? 369</p> <p>Appendix 371</p> <p>Index 375</p>

<p> <b>Steven A. Frowine</b> is a noted professional horticulturist and a longtime avid gardener and communicator. He has co-authored many titles in the <i>For Dummies </i>gardening collection, including <i>Orchids For Dummies </i>and <i>Gardening Basics For Dummies</i>.

<p> <b>Easier than dipping your thumb in green paint</b> <p>Indoor plants can brighten your space, give you something to nurture, and improve your well-being. This book shows you how to take good care of your plant babies. In easy-to-understand terms, you’ll learn how to make tropical plants, indoor trees, cacti, succulents, and other fascinating flora feel right at home. And, if the greener members of your household start to show signs of illness, you can turn to this guide to find out what’s wrong and help them perk back up. Future plant whisperer, this book is for you. <p><b>Inside… <ul><li>Exploring plant care fundamentals</li> <li>Choosing the plants for you</li> <li>Identifying common plants</li> <li>Giving your plants the required light</li> <li>Potting with the right soil</li> <li>Addressing pests & diseases</li> <li>Using plants for home decor</b></li></ul>

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