A People’s Guide to Houseplants: Thrifty, Sustainable Ways to Fill Your House with Plants

“Plant care isn’t as intimidating (or expensive) as it may seem,” according to this handy debut primer. Offering a straightforward overview of how to keep houseplants, Brezina points out that south-facing windows “provide plants with the most direct sunlight,” and that checking soil moisture levels to determine when to water a plant is preferable to setting a watering schedule because hydration needs vary by season. Brezina profiles “common, affordable, hardy” flora, noting that the ZZ plant can “tolerate low light and missed waterings,” and that the aspidistra elatior can survive in low temperatures and poor soil. When it comes to cacti, Brezina recommends placing them in locations with lots of direct sunlight and letting them “dry out completely between waterings.” Readers will appreciate the focus on flora that are easy to care for, as well as the useful tips on propagating a variety of edible plants (to grow a pineapple, she suggests cutting off the fruit’s top, stripping away some of its leaves, and then potting it) and getting rid of pests (spray plants with a dish soap solution, or apply rubbing alcohol with a cotton swab). This has everything novices need to get started. (Nov.)