What a Plant Knows
Of the dozens of books I read in 2012, several stand out. But there's one I keep coming back to, thumbing through it, letting people know about it. It's Daniel Chamovitz's "What A Plant Knows: A Field Guide to the Senses." In the book, Chamovitz, the director of the Manna Center for Plant Biosciences at Tel Aviv University, explains how plants sense things. How they see colors, how they know when a neighboring plant comes under attack from insects, how they hear. He also dispels the old tale of plants thriving when they're exposed to classical music. It's incredibly interesting material, presented in an entertaining and fun way — in about only 140 pages. "What A Plant Knows" is a nice fit on my shelf of gardening books — and that's where it will stay. Although I've recommended the book to several people, I've ungraciously not let them borrow my copy. I fear I won't get it back.
— Bill Hageman, Tribune lifestyle reporter
See what we're tweeting about
