Light is one of the requirements that all plants need to survive. Without it, they won’t be able to make food for themselves, and they’ll eventually die out. While indoor plants generally require less light than the outdoor types, there are still considerations that you need to make to get them growing at their best. Keep these essential points in mind as you decide on how to bring illumination to your indoor greenery.
Go Natural
While there are grow lights that you can purchase for your plants, it’s still best to expose them to the sun if you can. Most of the time, it means placing them near the window. However, if you don’t move them away when you should, you can end up with withered plants. To avoid this scenario, you can purchase indoor solar shades so that they can easily be protected when you need them to be. It can also keep your interiors from getting too hot, especially when you have larger windows that let a lot of light in.
Warm But Not Hot
One of your goals, when you use artificial light to grow your plants, is to come close to what can be found in nature. When it comes to the bulbs that you use, it’s best to choose those with warmer color temperatures, around 2,700 to 3,200K. However, you should take care to avoid actual heat from coming close to your plants. In this case, it’s best to go for the LED or fluorescent lights rather than the incandescent ones.
Keep Close
If you are going to use any sort of grow light, unless you’re using incandescent bulbs, you have to keep them nearby. That is because plants tend to try and reach for whatever light source they’re under. So if your lights are too far away from them, your plants will attempt to “stretch” towards them, making them spindly in an unnatural way. Moving the bulbs relatively closer to them will make sure that the stems will stay in their appropriate shape and length.
Don’t Go Overboard
As with all matters, there is always such a thing as too much. With plants, there’s still excessive exposure to light. Every species has its own requirement, and you have to match the environment to that need. Keep track of how much time your plants are spending under the light, and make sure that they also have some doses of darkness. There are days and nights in nature, so it makes sense to copy that pattern when it comes to artificial lighting. The only exception is with new transplants, which need constant light.
Light is a significant factor when it comes to growing plants at home, whether they are placed indoor or outdoor. It’s best to seriously consider how you’re going to introduce it to your interior space. It’s also a good idea to speak with a gardening expert on the best ways to do so for your specific species of plants. This way, you can appropriately take care of whatever you plan to grow within your indoor areas.