Due to their beauty, mood-boosting, and air-purifying qualities, houseplants have become very popular. If you're new to having them, though, then it's important to make sure you place your plant in an area where it can get plenty of light. Remember, though, what seems like a well-lit room to you may still not have adequate amounts of light reach your plant to ensure it grows like it should. If your plant is exhibiting any of the below marks of insufficient lighting, then read on for more helpful hints and tips to ensure your plants flourish and thrive so you can enjoy their benefits. When you're finished, peruse French Florist's plant catalog for more beautiful plants to bring into your home.
Evidence of Insufficient Light on Your Plants
Leggy
Long, slender stems are known as 'leggy' and are a sure sign your plant requires more light. In a plant's quest for survival, they will stretch and reach to capture as much light as possible. Leggy stems also have wide spaces between adjacent leaves. This space is called the internodal space and is much smaller in healthy plants. Large internodal spaces are symptoms of a light-starved plant.
Small Leaves
Scarcity of light means a plant isn't getting enough energy to grow its leaves to the proper size. To conserve the small amount of energy it is getting, a plant will produce smaller leaves. Match new growth to older growth to ascertain if there is a stark contrast in size.
Leaning
A lopsided or leaning plant signals the entire plant is not getting satisfactory sunlight. Plants will grow and stretch to absorb as much light as possible and this could lead to a one-sided plant. Make sure your plant is in a well-lit area and give it turn every time you water it so all the leaves get equal amounts of light.
Abnormal Leaf Color
Light green or yellow leaves that start to drop off are signs of poor lighting. Without decent lighting, chlorophyll, which gives a leaf its green color, cannot carry out the photosynthesis process which keeps leaves green and healthy. Also, if your plant has variegated coloring, in an effort to absorb as much light as possible, the colored leaves will revert to all green.
Slowed Growth
During the spring and summer plants should exhibit a significant amount of growth. If yours does not, then it could indicate weak lighting. No new growth of stunted growth are warnings a plant is not receiving sufficient energy from light to become lush and big.
Getting the Light Right
As it is possible for a plant to receive too much light also, resulting in scorched tips or 'burnt' patches on the leaves, getting the lighting right for a plant may be tricky. Only sun-worshipping plants should be in direct lighting for 6 or more hours a day. These would be cacti, succulents, and palm plants. Otherwise, indirect bright light works best for most other plants. Just realize that every foot away from a window that a plant is moved to is exponentially decreased light for the plant. You may not see it, but the plant will.
Try out different sunny places in your home and if you're unable to move your plant to a better lit spot, then get a grow light, which will allow you to place your plant anywhere. Grow lights will ensure your plant gets enough light to remain healthy and happy.
