You may love how a particular plant looks in a corner of a room, but if it hasn’t grown much or seems less than lush, then it may not be receiving enough light from the windows. Light is food to plants and they need plenty of it to thrive and flourish. Plants that don’t get enough food, are limp, pale, and far from lush. Make sure your plants stay healthy and robust by spotting the below signs of insufficient light. — top florist— is here to provide you with what to look for in your plants and solutions to getting the amount of light just right. And, yes, plants can get too much light.
Symptoms of Insufficient Light in Your Plant
Leggy
A plant with long, skinny stems with a scarce amount of leaves is referred to as “leggy.” As the plant stretches for its much-needed light source, its leaves spread apart on skinny stems which does not look as nice as full, lush plants do and is a sign the plant is not getting enough light.
Small Leaves
A sign of not enough sun is when your plant produces leaves smaller than average. If you compare new growth to leaves that were grown when the plant was healthy and see a significant size difference, then move your plant closer to its light source.
Leaning
Plants will do what they need to for survival and reaching towards the sun to get enough food is one of the signs the plant is stressed. This could also lead to the plant looking lopsided or one-sided. To ensure the entire plant gets plenty of sun, place it in an indirect bright light area and give it a quarter-turn every time you water it.
Abnormal Leaf Color
Leaves are supposed to be rich green color, but if there is not enough light, the leaves will turn pale green, yellow, and then eventually drop off. For plants with variegated leaves, instead of being colorful, they will revert to an all green color in order to absorb enough sunlight as possible.
Slowed or No Growth
Plant growth should be evident, especially during the spring and summer months. If your plant appears to be growing very slowly or not at all, try moving it to a sunnier spot. In its quest for survival, a plant will conserve what little energy it does get by not growing. As light is food for plants, plenty of light equals plenty of robust and lush growth.
Getting the Light Right
If you recognize any of the above signs in your plant, then just moving it to a much sunnier place may not be the right move. Only sun-worshipping plants such as palms, cacti, and succulents should be direct sunlight. For most other plants, except shade-loving plants such as ferns and orchids, indirect bright light works best. To the best lighting for your plants may requiring moving them around to different places and observing the results.
If you don’t have the floor space to get your plant into proper lighting, then try elevating it with a hanging planter. Or, purchase and grow light and keep your plant where it is. Grow lights will make sure your plants get plenty of food no matter where they are located in your home.
