The New Plant Parent: Develop Your Green Thumb and Care for Your House-Plant Family

by Darryl Cheng

For indoor gardeners everywhere, Darryl Cheng offers a new way to grow healthy house plants. He teaches the art of understanding a plant’s needs and giving it a home with the right balance of light, water, and nutrients. After reading Cheng, the indoor gardener will be far less the passive follower of rules for the care of each species and much more the confident, active grower, relying on observation and insight. And in the process, the plant owner becomes a plant lover, bonded to these beautiful living things by a simple love and appreciation of nature. The House Plant Journal Handbook covers all of the basics of growing house plants, from finding the right light, to everyday care like watering and fertilizing, to containers, to recommended species. Cheng’s friendly tone, personal stories, and accessible photographs fill his book with the same generous spirit that has made @houseplantjournal, his Instagram account, a popular source of advice and inspiration for thousands of indoor gardeners.

Genres: Nonfiction, Plants, Gardening, Nature, Reference, Science, Self Help

208 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2019

Reviews

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

HOW ARE THERE NOT MORE REVIEWS FOR THIS, FELLOW PLANT PARENTS? HOW ARE THERE NOT MORE RAVING POSTS?

This little plant book is the BEE'S KNEES and absolutely one of the better reads I've had this year! I am a huge houseplant fan, and I have so many houseplant babies around my apartment and in my office. I think my grand total now is approximately 14 plants total in my apartment, and 3 at work (which doesn't include our office plant that I've fostered!) I am definitely not a houseplant beginner, but this book still has a lot of useful information that I had a lot of fun reading about.

LIKED: In addition to helpful plant facts, IT HAS LISTS OF SPECIFIC PLANT ADVICE! Like if you are taking care of a pothos, or a pilea (I don't have the book on me right now, but I believe those are both in there!) Super helpful, and very interesting.

DISLIKED: The only thing I disliked about this was that I wish there was even more! They of course couldn't list every houseplant in existence because there are so many, but this book is so well-written that I really wish they could/would.

Overall, a SOLID book and a great gift for any plant parent, and for anyone getting into taking care of houseplants! I got it as a gift to myself for my birthday and it was 100% worth every penny.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Darryl Cheng is the OG plant parent and green thumbed guru. As far as I'm concerned this is the must have botanical Bible for sprouting enthusiasts. He's also my originating source for so much more insight into the online plant community - which duh, happens to be a wonderfully diverse and all around uplifting safe space. I mean it's not like plant influencers are out here throwing shade (*wink) at each other and Darryl does the work of spotlighting other plant creators and resources.

In his book Darryl covers the basics. Deciphering notions of low light plants (this book might even convince me to buy a light meter!) what watering looks like, and getting your indoor oasis set up. But then he dives deep into plant propagation and the care and maintenance of specific plant types. A beautifully done reference - but do yourself a favour and check him out online as well and discover a massive world of indoor gardening knowledge.

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

I find the whole "plant parent" idea overly twee, but beyond the title, the book isn't really twee at all. Instead, Cheng does a great job of reframing how we approach caring for houseplants in a way that's incredibly helpful. Most of the book is dedicated to basic principles that will help the reader care for any plant that comes their way, but there is also a section given over to care of some of the most popular house plants the reader might encounter. I don't really see myself filling my home with plants the way some of the photos show, but it will help me hopefully keep the plants I have happy and healthy.

[Caley Alexandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I vow to never starve a plant gracefully again.

[Albert · Rating 5 out of 5]

To go along with my hobby of gardening outside, I have developed an affection for houseplants. In an effort not to kill them I read several books on taking care of houseplants. This was easily the best. It approaches the challenge differently. Instead of suggesting that you customize your approach to the type of plant, it teaches you the six variables to address: light, water, soil structure, soil nutrients, temperature and humidity—in that order of importance. He teaches you the basics of each. He also covers other topics, such as tools to use, how to control pests and where to get your plants. His approach is a combination of good science, commonsense and encouragement.

Things I learned: light is a plant’s food; Duh, I knew that, but he emphasizes it so that you know to address light first; aerating is important to do on a regular basis: use a chopstick!; common pests to keep an eye out for and what to do if have an infestation.

He also has an Instagram account where he provides much of the same information. The book includes lots of helpful pictures, although some could be of better clarity, so the Instagram account can be helpful in that respect. For those who have an interest in caring for houseplants, I strongly recommend this book.

[Ana Pau De la Borbolla · Rating 5 out of 5]

La verdad me daba poquito cringe el título del libro, pero fue una buena decisión darle una lectura.
He leído muchas fuentes sobre cuidado de plantitas, pero creo que Cheng logra explicar las cosas de forma tan clara que nos permite comprender realmente lo que una planta necesita para vivir confinada en una casa (en mi caso un departamento miniatura).
Antes intimidada, ahora empoderada para crear una pequeña jungla urbana.

[Allison McCaffrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m perhaps more of an “intermediate plant parent” but I found all of the information in this book straight-forward and clear. I really enjoyed how Darryl Chang cut through a lot of the folk wisdom and actually helped me feel more at ease caring for my collection of plants. Let’s see if I can keep my Boston fern happy with the right water and view of the sky...

[Adam · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic, no BS introduction to caring for common houseplants written by an engineer. The last part of that sentence is key. The book is full of reusable mental models, not inflexible instructions, about how to care for plants.

[jmphoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really loved this book! I’ve had plants doing well for a few months now but never really knew what I had to do besides water them consistently. This is a great starter book to really taking care of your plants and i’m so excited to learn and take care of even more! A must read for budding plant parents :)

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was excellent. I really liked the author’s approach to houseplant care because he uses an ecological, holistic viewpoint. Cheng simplified the task of keeping plants alive by focusing, first and foremost, on the amount of sunlight, measured in foot-candles, that your plant would see from where they sit. Part one of the book covers topics about light, soil, water, pruning, propagation, repotting, pests, and how to buy plants. Part two is comprised of nineteen specific houseplants that he describes in detail, gives a survival strategy, growth strategy, life span,and how to propagate. This book had great photos throughout it, and was an easy and enjoyable book to read. I read this as an ebook from my library, but now I want a hardcopy of my own. It would make a great reference book.

[Dasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book a lot. Cheng divides the book into two major sections, "Caring for Plants" and "House Plant Journal." The Caring for Plants section covers basic things such as light, water, soil, pruning, pests, and understanding the house plants. I enjoyed the diagram on p19 that shows how acquiring houseplants grows within a space. Moreover, I appreciated how Cheng broke down the types of light (i.e. direct, reflected etc). The second section involves information on a variety of plants.

I think the strength of this book is that, unlike many other new plant owner books, it's not just aesthetic plant pictures with quick tidbits of information. Rather, this is a lot more in-depth.

As someone new to the world of plants, I found this very useful!

[Sasha]

Rec'd by a houseplant guru in my local plant FB group.

[Ashley Piekarski · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book exemplifies the adage "Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime" but of course... with growing plants. Darryl Cheng does an excellent job of clarifying all the language that the plant community expects newcomers to understand without context. He explains how to analyze your space before you choose a plant, so you know which plants will thrive under the conditions you can give them. He explains how some plant owners will be better at some plants than others. (I realized that I will drown a succulent 9 times out of 10 and so I stick to tropical plants). He explains the MATH and science behind light and how light is plant's food - not water - and so the best thing we can do for plants is give them the right amount of light, observe, and make adjustments based on observations.

He gives the realistic practical advice I really haven't been able to find anywhere else.

Plenty of plant guides function as an encyclopedia of specific plant guidelines, which is fun because you feel like you're getting extremely specific advice to keep your String of Hearts surviving through the winter, but in actuality, no one can give you perfect advice on how to take care of your specific species without knowing where you live, the humidity in your home, the light you've given your plant, etc. So those encyclopedias are also EXTREMELY MISLEADING.

Plant blogs and books alike use the terms "indirect light", "low light", "top 1 inch of water dry" as if we all know what that means instinctively... new plant owners DO NOT KNOW HOW TO INTERPRET THESE VAGUE TERMS.

It took me months of trial, error and research to realize that my "bright light" spot right next to the window was actually considered "low light" because that window was north-facing with obstructions - just because it's the brightest spot in the room doesn't make it "bright light." Similarly, I never learned that even though the "top inch" of soil may be dry, a bunch of water was sitting in the bottom of the pot because I didn't have proper drainage. I also didn't know that exceptionally sunny weeks mean that my plants need more water, and exceptionally dark weeks mean they'll need less water. I didn't know that humidity will cause some fraying edges to my plants, and that overwatering them or underwatering them will kill them way faster than humidity issues.

I wish I had Darryl Cheng at the beginning of my journey.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is great. Cheng is very relatable in his writing; he’s like a good friend giving you good advice. He manages to be thorough yet clear and somehow succinct at the same time. I love how he doesn’t just give light and water requirements in the plant profiles, but documents the progress of his own plants over months and even years. He goes against some conventional wisdom and his plants do great. It made me think, hey, I can do this!

[Max Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been looking to take my plant game to the next level but most resources I’ve found have either been too basic or too advanced. If you’re somewhere between “I can keep a single plant alive” and “my home is a jungle” this is the perfect resource to cover things like repotting, dividing, what tools to get as you get more advanced, and how to develop a sense for your plants’ water and light needs.

[Salma Alshabib · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative book! I like how this explains how plants "think" and act according to the conditions of the environment they live in.

The unique approach of this book makes you realize that plants are living beings who have their own needs and personalities, just like human children. Which is very important to understand when taking care of them.

[Anne-Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An extremely helpful and accessible text on the basics of home plant care with gorgeous photos.
I came away with a better understanding of light, soil, water, and other plant care and growth factors, without feeling overwhelmed (always a bonus).

Hopefully my plants will appreciate all the extra work I'm now putting in!

[Katy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastic book on plant care. The chapters on light and water were very helpful and I learned a lot. Would recommend to anybody wanting to get into houseplants.

[Sierra Hensley · Rating 5 out of 5]

My new plant Bible - had to return this copy to the library but will probably get a copy of my own because it’s so nice to refer back to

[Max D'onofrio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book for new plant parents. Even though I know about a lot of the ideas, this books included a lot of ideas I didn't know. And the individual chapters on specific types of plants was interesting.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

This seemed really helpful. 👍🏻 Made sense and gave useful info and tips. (Rather than what Google tells you; "you could be over watering. Then again, could be under watering." :p)

[Katy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a nice comprehensive book about taking care of indoor plants. I'm not exactly inexperienced when it comes to tending plants, I grew up with indoor plants EVERYWHERE. I still learned plenty from this book. Since being stuck in my house I've discovered the beauty of grow lights! I'm no longer confined to the one window that gets sun and now I have quite the collection. Some I've started from seed. There is something special about nurturing plants, especially when starting with very young plants. I couldn't exactly go to a nursery and buy a bunch of full-grown plants, what plants I bought were either from online (aka small, 2.5 inches) or were started from seed. If you're looking for information about starting from seed or small cuttings, this book isn't really going to help much.
As for who would really benefit from this book? I think most plant parents would (I love that phrase. I think it's adorable. That, and the term "plant babies".) I think anyone with indoor plants would benefit from having this book around. Especially if you always kill your plants. Or you know, if you're like me and within the space of two weeks you decide to go from:



To:



I'm not going to lie, I have a little bit of a plant addiction now.

Their section on specific houseplants and their care was a little underwhelming, but I get it. There's only so much room in a book. It was mostly on the few very popular houseplants people decide to start with. Especially Pothos. Which I don't keep because they are toxic to pets. But they are good starter plants because they're hard to kill and easy to propagate. Honestly, I just needed something that covered a little bit of everything so I could have a quick reference. And that's what this is. A little bit of everything all in one place.

[Arushi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Barbara for sending this to me across the country!! 🥺 The illustrations and care put into the package also made me love this book all that much more <3

This is a fantastic book that I find myself referring back to often. Cheng's book is game-changing because it compiles all the questions/answers you would scour the Internet for into a concise, well-organized plant guide. His writing about being a "plant parent" really struck a chord with me. Going into plant parenthood, I was really obsessed with making the plants look pretty or look a certain way for their purely aesthetic value. That mentality has dramatically shifted towards actually caring for the plant and learning to become comfortable with dying leaves, discoloration, etc. Even though I use the app Planta (mainly to track how much I should be watering), I find myself checking my plants everyday, multiple times of day, for how they're doing and feeling. Especially as the weather turns colder, I find myself worrying about my majestic palm and other tropical plants -- are they warm enough? How can I make their sorry excuse for a jungle environment better? Not only am I so knowledgable about plants and what makes them thrive now, I am incredibly compelled to become a good plant parent and give my plants what they crave. This book has made me doubly thoughtful in which plants I buy and how I get them. Huge fan of his plant mentality and highly recommend to any aspiring plant parent/caretaker!!

[Hitesh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely. this is a complete guide on house-plants.

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm going to need a copy of this and some chopsticks.

This is such a practical guidebook for taking care of your plants, making sense of vague phrases like "don't overwater" and "low light."

I may also need some more plants.

[Christian Buckler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perhaps the highest endorsement I can give this book is that I’ve already ordered a light meter. Very practical and straightforward, just the resource I was looking for.

[Gwen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reframes your understanding of plant care

Cheng moves away from the usual descriptions of "how to take care of [plant name]" and reframes plant care (and your expectations) in a holistic manner. "By approaching plant care in a holistic manner, you'll develop the knowledge and confidence to observe how any plant responds to your home conditions and give it appropriate care, instead of feeling lost because you were not told the specific instructions for the plant." (21) He walks you through:

* the transition period after bringing a plant home from the optimal conditions in a nursery to adapting to your home. Plants need to adjust to your light and growing conditions, and losing leaves and yellowing can be perfectly normal. "Many new plant parents mistake the effects of adjustment to a new home as the plant's dying." (67)

* rethinking your expectations of plants. Cheng brings up the concept of a "subjective life span" for house plants. "Focus on understanding your environment, do the best you can for your house plants, and let nature take its course." (13)

* understanding the basic plant needs of the right kind of light, water when needed, and soil management. And also understanding your own lifestyle: what factors are worth doing something about.

* light requirements. Plants need the right kind of light, and extremely subjective terms like "low light" don't necessarily help us understand what that means for our plants. Apparently, "low light" is brighter than you might think! I appreciated Cheng's focus on what he terms "#WhatMyPlantSees," which assesses what kind of light your plant can see from this spot. Can your plant actually see the sun? Or does your plant only have a view of the sky? (And the gradations in between.) "Bright, indirect light"—what most house plants prefer—indicates either/a combo of filtered sun (like through trees or a curtain), reflected sun (light bouncing off walls or reflective surfaces), or blue sky. Once you've ensured the plant receives this light, the main requirement is keeping the plants appropriately moist.

* soil structure/management. This was new for me! Cheng emphasizes the importance of soil aeration, and he provides excellent graphics explaining why you need to aerate your soil. Gently poke the soil with a chopstick before watering to loosen the soil and allow air and water to evenly penetrate the pot. This ensures that the water actually makes it to the roots. "Dry pockets of soil can cause roots in those areas to die even when you think you've 'watered' the plant." (56)

The section on individual plants was understandably not comprehensive: this is his collection of plants and what he's learned about them over the years. I loved how he showed change over time and shared survival strategy, growth strategy, and subjective life span for each. He had great information about the plants that I've learned do best in my house with its light conditions: peace lily, pothos, and snake plant, and based on his experience, I could possibly get a ponytail palm to survive and maybe even thrive.

Overall, an excellent book that goes beyond how to take care of individual plants and helps you understand plants' needs and preferences. Highly recommended.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book on plant care, though I think much of the information is also available on his website? It talks a bunch about light which was something I knew was important to plants, but kind of put more on the back burner sometimes. So this was sort of an ah-ha moment for me. Which kind of made me feel dumb, but whatever. Plants eat light, so light is important to plants, but some plants are used to living with filtered, more dim light, so don't just go throwing ever plant outside in the full sun. I thought his synopsis of common pests was good. Succinct, but informative with actionable items and helpful tips for recognizing infestations. The only part that I was only so-so on was the portion regarding the plant encyclopedia or whatever you want to call it. I thought it was fine, but it was missing hoyas and I'm sure everyone has a plant that they wanted to see that wasn't there, so no solving that for everyone.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a delightful book.

Very straightforward, easy to understand instructions about caring for your indoor plants. What I really liked about the book and the author’s style is how he advises you not to be caught up in snappy titled articles like “Plants that thrive in low light”.

I am totally guilty of doing that and have ended up killing a couple of plants because they were just not getting enough light and air and my watering schedule was wrong. However, having beat myself up initially over this, I feel much better now having had the author explain just how much you are asking of your plant when it comes from a nursery into a home where conditions are far less optimal.

He uses a great analogy - that if your plant were an Olympic athlete having come from an intense training ground into your home, would you have everything to meet their needs? It makes you realise how much you expect from your plant unfairly.

I also loved the smartphone app that shows how much light your plants are getting. Lots of great tips, currently moving all my plants now towards all the windows :)

[Claudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

really enjoyed this plant book. so different from summer rayne's strange spiritual take on plants, darryl cheng's book is written by an engineer but still encouraging and insightful. the first half of the book talks about plant needs in general, and the second half talks about specific plants and how to care for them. I definitely enjoyed the first part of the book more, because some of the plant species he goes into aren't ones I own or are interested in owning. I liked his straight forward and practical approach talking about light candles – it honestly might inspire me to purchase a light meter and walk around my house to measure light for all my dear plants! a nice read to end off 2021.