Besides, water and air, light is a necessary element for plants to thrive. Light is basically food for plants and when they don’t get enough, they are no longer thriving. You may think placing a plant in a well-lit spot is adequate light, but depending on various circumstances, it may not be. To make sure your plants are getting enough light, Anchorage’s top florist, Bagoy’s Florist, is giving you the low-down on the best way to determine your plants are soaking up just the right amount of sun.
How Your Plant Tells You It Needs More Sunlight
Leggy
Leggy refers to plants with stems that are long and skinny as the plant reaches for enough light. This is a sure sign of inadequate light. Another indicator is a large space between adjacent leaves. This space is called the internode, and large internodes are signs that the plant is not getting enough light.
Smaller Leaves
Small leaves are another indication there is insufficient lighting for the plant. If you’re not sure the leaves are smaller than they are supposed to be, compare new leaves with older growth to see if there is a significant difference in size.
Leaning
Light is food for plants and they need food to thrive, plants with poor lighting will begin leaning towards their light source. If you notice your plant doing this, then it is a sure sign the entire plant is not receiving enough food. Place the plant closer to the light source. Also, give the plant a slight turn every time you water so all of its leaves can get a good amount light.
Abnormal Leaf Color
Chlorophyll makes leaves a dark green color and enables the photosynthesis process to occur. This is when light is converted into food for the plant. Without enough light, the chlorophyll stops performing as well as it should. This results in plant leaves that are pale green or yellow.
Slowed Growth or No New Growth
A lack of enough light causes stunted growth or slower than usual growth. If you speculate your plant is not developing as quickly as it should and has no new leaves, then a move closer to a window is a course of action.
Getting the Light Right
Plants with any of the above signs could be suffering from light deficiency. The next course of action is to increase the amount of light your plant is getting. This could be as easy as moving the plant closer to a window, opening the curtains more, or moving it to a window that gets more sun naturally, such as a southerly or westerly facing window.
Be careful not to just move your plant to the brightest window in the house, because it’s possible for plants to get too much sunlight. Only sun-worshipping plants like succulents, cacti, or palm trees should be in direct sunlight. Indirect bright light or medium-light is suitable for most houseplants except shade-loving varieties like ferns and orchids.
It may take some trial and error but being aware of the signs your plant gives you is all you need to ensure it remains happy and healthy.
