The New Plant Parent: Develop Your Green Thumb and Care for Your House-Plant Family Paperback – Illustrated, March 19, 2019

I purchased 8 different books on the topic of plant care, and this one is the only one I really NEEDED. It is comprehensive and goes in depth on various topics that most books barely even touch on. I especially appreciate the explanations provided on lighting. The writer teaches you how to actually MEASURE the lighting in your space to determine the best place to put each plant. No more need to rely on vague terms like "partial shade" or "bright, indirect light." WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?! I now KNOW definitively what these terms mean and can TEST for accuracy to make sure my babies get exactly what they need.

I’m learning so much and it’s a beautiful coffee table book. Great gift for someone who is learning to care for plants.

The media could not be loaded. This is easily one of my top two favorite plant care books. As a plant collector with well over 100 houseplants, I am always looking for more ways to learn about them and how to care for them and keep them happy. Cheng is obviously very well experienced in the houseplant world, and does an incredible job sharing his wealth of information with us. This book covers a very broad range of topics, from watering how-tos, determining what type of lighting you have, soil and soil amendments, necessary and helpful plant-care tools, propagation methods, etc. Cheng does a wonderful job of giving great detail and scientific information about everything he writes, without making it challenging or confusing. He gives great examples of different plant care situations that help demonstrate the information he provides, and help us to apply the information to our own plants. If you’re wanting to learn how to better care for your plants, you absolutely must read this book!

I enjoyed this book. I especially appreciated that the author describes the growth habit of different plants and how they exist in nature.The only negative for me is that most of the information in the book is easily obtainable with basic searches on line- this is a wonderful book for true beginners, but if you are like me, and have read a few books on plants, this isn’t going to be anything new.

I have over 100 plants in my apartment, but I don't consider myself a plant expert. I have been given a few different plant books as gifts from friends (who know I'm a crazy plant lady) and each has its own strengths. Some are well-designed and pleasing to flip through, others look more like catalogues but are packed with useful information, and still others are written more like novels, expressing a deep appreciation for plants. I would hands down recommend "The New Plant Parent" as a first indoor plant book over the other ones (that isn't to discourage you from buying other ones - this just hits plant basics more explicitly than other books I have).This is a really great book for anyone that wants to learn more about keeping indoor plants or anyone that is looking for a friend who has a seemingly unhealthy addiction to plants. I've been following Daryl Cheng's instagram (@houseplantjournal) for a while - his book is just as aesthetically pleasing and packed with helpful tips and explanations (e.g. "three practical watering methods") as his Instagram. The added benefit is that his voice carries over in the book so that it feels like you're sitting in a plant-filled room watching him show you what to do for your plants.The book starts with plant basics (lighting, watering, soil, pruning, dealing with different types of pests) and then describes how to care for some of the most popular indoor plants... and it's packed with photos that actually show you what he describes in the text.EXCELLENT gift for a friend, but also a wonderful way to treat yourself! :) You won't regret it!

I’m not new to raising plants. I actually liked the photos and love books. So, I’m surprised that I found several things informative that I didn’t know or knew and forgot. It’s worth the price of the book. Does not overwhelm with useless or complex plant care tips. So, it shouldn’t scare away a beginner. A lot less plants would have died if I had this book when I started raising plants many years ago. Recommended.

I recommend this to every single person who wants to start taking care of houseplants but isn't sure how to proceed. I've read a few other books that give you individualized, specific care for plants that don't necessarily require anything out of the ordinary. That makes it seem like it's a lot more complicated than it is. I started collecting houseplants in May 2021 and now I have like.....100? (Spread between work, living room, bedroom) I really never was able to keep plants alive before, but this book gave me the confidence I needed and now I absolutely adore my plants.I also HIGHLY recommend checking out the author's blog/youtube/instagram. He posts the most amazing time lapse videos and gives excellent advice (that is basically repeating his common sense approach, but breaking it down into personalized terms). This is THE book for houseplant care!

Wish I had this at the beginning of my plant hobby. I could have 1) saved so many plant lives, 2) used plants to better clean my home’s air, and 3) better used my plants as decoration. I vacillated between buying The New Plant Parent book (this book) and How To House Plant. My spouse bought me both. Both have their strong points. This one is better. Better for care and understanding terms. Better for discussing how to use plants as decor. I am glad I have both tho. If I bought this book first, I probably would have not bought the other.