Lighting Guide

Sunlight is only the most important factor for plant growth. You need to understand which type and how much sunlight each plant needs in your house. That will help your plants to prevent pests and diseases. Here is a detailed guide for indoor plant light requirements, which will help you take care of your indoor plants. Which plays a vital role to survive and grow well.

Indoor Plants Lighting Guide

There are various conditions needs for growth of indoor plant survival in which lighting in most important other than watering, temperatures and humidity. Different type of plants prefer different types of conditions based on the situations they grow. Succulents and cacti, for example, are native to deserts and extremely dry climates and therefore love hours of sunlight and minimal watering.

Tropical plants like ferns, bird of paradise, and philodendrons, prefer bright, indirect light and more frequent watering. Here are the details of the different types of lighting condition.

Main Types Of Natural Light

Direct Sun

Lots of indoor plants do not like direct sun. Most of the plants damaged and will not survive very long if the plant receive direct sunlight. The Plants native from the desert enjoy the summer sun like succulents which can tolerate a lot of sunlight. If you have south facing window then you can choose this type of plants.

Partial sunlight and shade

If you have west or east-facing window then you can go for this category plants. In this category the plant can receive the sun during the day for a couple of hours. These category plants like the some morning or evening sun. These plants avoid the heat of the midday sunlight. If the plant expose to the direct sunlight the plant leaves can burn and plant will die. If the plants flowering types then you need to close the window of add the shade so that sunlight can not directly expose to sun. 

Full shade or low light

I love the plants belong to this category which grows in shaded or in low light conditions. These plants are easy grow and can survive in extreme low light and these plants are goof for beginner. I really like the plants like cast iron plant, mother in laws tongue, Dragon tree, ZZ plant. If you have north-facing window then these plants are best for you because it can provides full shade.

Bright but no the direct sun

Most of the Foliage Plants and many flowering types plants and grow in bright area where there is no direct sunlight. All rooms of your house may not have the direct sunlight and you can go for the plant belongs to this category, Specially if you have the South Facing window. But you can place plants of this category if you have East and west-facing windows.

Identifying Problems

It is well known that if a plant is not receiving enough light or too much direct sunlight, it reflect from the looks of the plants . Here are the common problems caused by incorrect lighting.

If light is not enough

• Flowers not blooming
• Weak, slow, and spindly growth.
• Yellowing leaves eventually fall.
• New leaves remain smaller than usual.

If there is too much light

• Flowers shrivel up and die quickly.
• Leaves shriveling up and drying.
• Leaves fade in color.
• Drooping leaves.

Growing Towards Windows

Indoor Plants like the window area more than the other sides. This is normal because plants like more light than the dark. To solve this problem turn the plant around in every couple of weeks to the other side. You can move it to a spot where the lighting covers more of the plant.

Artificial Light

Some indoor plants can grow well in artificial lighting but not all. During the winter seasons you may provide artificial lighting, especially to those plant who like the light 12 hours a day. Using artificial lighting is the best option to grow the Indoor Plants in a room without windows, and for propagating the indoor plants.

Using artificial lighting provides a grower with the extra benefits of having certain flowering plants.

Type of lighting

The light we are using to glow the house is not suitable for artificial lighting. They will not give the desired effect on indoor plants. Florescent lights are best and affordable to buy. They are available in different styles with tubing or spot lamps. Terrariums with lighting are a great option.

Different spectrums (light radiation) or a combination of them are available for the type of plant or situation and they represents the changes from natural sunlight. Gro-lux fluorescent bulbs are specially designed for indoor plants growing.

See Choosing Grow Lights Guide Here »

Other Information

Photosynthesis

The Indoor Plants need to receive enough light is part of the process which gives us the oxygen we breathe; called photosynthesis.

Conservatories

The place conservatory is one of the best places for growing indoor plants. Because of they receive the required amount of light they wanted. Here most of the plant grow without direct sunlight. 

Moving plants

When ever you move the plant it cause the problem to the plants because of changing the atmosphere around the plant. Due to my job I have to move in every three years from one place to another place and my plant faces the consequences. Some plants faces shock while moving but plants can adjust quickly in new environment, if you know the how to care.

Plant arrangement

You need to Arrange your indoor plants time to time, even you have to change the location and mover around.  You need to keep the plants in a group so that one plant can’t hide the others light. Indoor plants that requires more light need to place in front of light and the one which need the less light should be place back. 

Plants also need rest

Most of the plants rest in winter seasons and in this season you should not water the plant more often and use fertilizer.