About The Plant Manual

We're Joakim & Emilie — a plant-obsessed couple from Aarhus, Denmark.

Plants aren't just "content" to us. They're something we discovered together, and they've genuinely become a shared passion that brings us closer. What started as one struggling Monstera has quietly taken over our apartment—and along the way, turned into a database of knowledge we wanted to share with the world.

Our Story

It started the way most plant journeys do: with complete overconfidence.

Emilie brought home a Monstera from a local market in Aarhus, convinced it would basically take care of itself. Three weeks later it had yellow leaves, a suspicious smell, and an air of quiet desperation. We had absolutely no idea what we were doing.

So we did what we always do when faced with a problem—Joakim went deep into research mode. He dug into scientific papers on humidity levels, university extension program guides on watering schedules, and Reddit threads full of contradictory advice. Meanwhile, Emilie got her hands dirty. She moved plants around the apartment, tried different pots and substrates, and learned to read the subtle signals a plant gives you before things go wrong.

That process—Joakim researching the biology, Emilie experimenting with the dirt, and both of us comparing notes—is exactly how The Plant Manual works today.

Six years later, our small Aarhus apartment is home to over 20 plant species, from finicky Calatheas to a surprisingly resilient orchid that keeps reblooming against all odds. Every window has a plant. The bathroom shelf is full of them. Our east-facing living room has become a proper indoor jungle. And we wouldn't have it any other way.

Why We Built This Site

We're not botanists, and we don't have horticulture degrees. What we have is hundreds of hours of research and real experience—the kind that comes from killing plants, learning exactly why they died, and doing better the next time.

When we started out, we found the available plant care information online deeply frustrating. Most guides were vague, contradicted each other without explanation, or were clearly written by AI bots that had never actually touched a bag of potting soil.

The Plant Manual exists because we wanted the resource we wish we'd had when we started. We promise to deliver:

• Research-backed advice: We cite university extensions and botanical gardens, not just opinions.
• Practical tips that actually work: Tested in a real apartment with normal lighting, not a climate-controlled greenhouse.
• Honest content: We'll tell you straight up when a plant is notoriously hard to keep alive.

Meet the Team

Joakim Becker-Christensen — Research, Writing & Technical

I'm a multimedia designer by profession, but plant biology has been a genuine passion of mine for over six years. When Emilie brings a plant home and asks "why are the leaves curling?", I'm the one who disappears for three hours cross-referencing RHS databases and university horticultural studies until I have a scientifically accurate answer.

I handle the research behind every guide on this site, write the science-heavy sections, and build everything you see here technically. My approach is data-driven—I want to understand the why behind every recommendation before we publish it. If I can't find credible sources to back up a claim, it doesn't go on the site.

What I bring to The Plant Manual:

• 6+ years of hands-on experience growing over 20 plant species in real indoor conditions.
• A research methodology built on primary sources: peer-reviewed studies, RHS guidelines, and established botanical institutions.
• A commitment to actively updating our older articles the moment new botanical information emerges.

Emilie — Hands-On Growing, Propagation & Styling

If Joakim is the researcher, I'm the one with soil permanently under my fingernails.

My role at The Plant Manual is entirely practical. I'm doing the actual watering, repotting, pruning, and propagating. I notice when a plant looks slightly "off" before any visible symptoms appear, and I run the experiments to see what actually works in a real home environment.

Propagation is where I really come alive. There's something genuinely exciting about taking a cutting, watching roots develop in a glass of water, and coaxing a new plant into existence from almost nothing.

What I bring to The Plant Manual:

• Six years of trial, error, and hard-won experience that informs every practical tip we publish.
• Expertise in multiple propagation methods: water rooting, direct soil, division, and tuber separation.
• A practical understanding of how plants behave in real rooms—from low-light bathrooms to scorching south-facing windowsills.

Our Editorial Promise (Why Trust Us?)

There are thousands of plant care websites. Here is exactly why you can trust the information on ours:

• We Have Skin in the Game: This isn't a faceless content farm. We are real people with real plants. If the advice on this site doesn't work, we feel it too—because we follow it ourselves.
• We Name Our Sources: We don't publish a botanical claim unless we can trace it back to a credible source (like the Royal Horticultural Society or a university extension). When we draw on personal experience rather than published research, we say so clearly.
• We Are Editorially Independent: No advertiser, affiliate partner, or sponsor influences what we recommend. If a plant is a nightmare to keep alive, we will warn you. If a product is poor quality, we won't link to it.
• We Correct Our Mistakes: Plant science evolves, and so does our understanding. When research changes or a reader points out an error, we investigate and update the page.

Get in Touch

We genuinely enjoy hearing from fellow plant parents—whether it's a question about a struggling pothos, a correction on something we've got wrong, or just to share a photo of what's growing in your home.

The best way to reach us is by email or through the contact form on our Contact page. We aim to respond to all messages within 48 hours.

• Email: support@theplantmanual.com
• Instagram: @the_plant_manual
• LinkedIn: Joakim Becker Christensen

The Plant Manual is independently operated by Joakim Becker and Emilie in Aarhus, Denmark.