Indoor Plant Lighting

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Everyone at school studied biology, and therefore they know very well that the life of any organism is supported by energy. The process of photosynthesis and plant growth is carried out with the help of sunlight, which is a source of energy for "green favorites". The air in the room is saturated with oxygen, thanks to indoor flowers. However, for this process to take place, a lot of light is needed. Not in the best way, the lack of sunlight affects the biochemical processes, they are inhibited

There are many factors affecting the illumination of an apartment. For example, on a cloudy day, the amount of light near the window is halved. In addition, some of the sun's rays are blocked by double-glazed windows, lowered curtains or the roof of a neighboring building. To avoid all this - arrange artificial lighting.

If your flower grows in the center of the room, about 2 - 3 meters from the window, then the light is 10 times less than that of glass, and in winter it is almost completely dark there. With a window closed by a curtain, the illumination of plants decreases 4 times, a meter from the window - another 2 times, two meters - 5 times, three - 10 times. Based on this, we can conclude: in order for the plant to grow and develop optimally, it is necessary to provide it with a sufficient rate of light and place the pots in a suitable place. Sometimes amateur flower growers determine the level of illumination "by eye", carefully looking at the plants; you can purchase a special measuring device - a luxmeter (illumination is measured in lux).

Indoor plant classification

All plants are divided into light-loving, partial shade, and shade-loving.

The light-loving indoor green pets include: anigosantos, bougainvillea, cereus, coleus, jerky, unscrewed cycad, sundew, elephant yucca, sedum, echinocactus, morning glory, nolina, pachypodium, sensevieria.

Penumbra is preferred by: anthurium, columnea, zantedeskia, dieffenbachia, phytotonia, ficus lyre, arrowroot, nephrolepis, azalea, sheflera, gloxinia, selaginella, streptocarpus.

Shade-loving are considered: eschinanthus, aspidistra, chlorophytum, cytomium, dracaena, ivy, spathiphyllum, tolmia.

The warmer it is in the room, the lighter it should be in it. If the flower stands in a dark corner next to the battery, then the plant lives very poorly.

For the correct location of indoor plants, it is necessary to determine the direction of the windows, because this is important for flowers. The southern window sills prefer light-loving plant species, the northern ones are shade-tolerant, and the western and eastern windows are preferred by flowers that love partial shade. Remember also about the level of illumination, shade-loving ones can grow even near the south window, if it is shaded by a tree. And light-loving plants sometimes even need to be shaded from bright sunlight, otherwise burns may appear.

Effect of light on a plant

After planting a flower, determine if it has enough light.

Signs of insufficient lighting:

- the plant turns yellow, growth slows down, variegated leaves are painted in a solid color;

- the stem is stretched, the distance between the leaves becomes larger, and the newly grown leaves are much smaller;

- in flowering plants, the buds do not open and fall off.

Noticing such changes do not hesitate - take urgent action. If the plant grows in the center of the room, then increase the light level, bringing it closer to the window at the desired distance. If the flower pot is on the windowsill, wash the window panes, wipe the leaves with a soft damp cloth or spray with water, always warm.

Signs of excessive lighting:

- leaves are sluggish, even if the ground is wet;

- the leaves turn yellow at the edges, gradually becoming brown, and eventually dry out.

To help the plant, reduce the light by shading the plant with a curtain or small screen.

Artificial lighting

When there is not enough daylight, and often this happens in winter, flower growers use artificial lighting. Remembering the laws of physics, keep in mind that not all colors of the solar spectrum take part in the course of photosynthesis, but only red and blue. When indoor plants are illuminated with ordinary lamps, only 5% of the energy is spent on light, and the rest is not heat. In the emission spectrum of such lamps, there is a red color, but no blue. Therefore, plants grow poorly, their stems become thinner. That is why use halogen, mercury or fluorescent lamps for artificial lighting of plants. Hang this lamp at a height of 30 cm above the flower to prevent overheating. The duration of artificial lighting is not less than 12 hours, if it is additional, then 4 - 6 hours.