What you consider a well-lit room with a window that lets in plenty of light, still may not let in enough light for your plant to thrive. If it’s too much light or not enough, after a while, your plant will show signs of stress indicating improper lighting. Stressed plants are more likely to suffer from pests, diseases, and early death. Here at Peoples Flowers we want to help you make sure that doesn’t happen. Read more below for signs of inadequate lighting and solutions to ensure your plant remains healthy and thriving for many years to come.

Determine If Your Plant Needs More Light

Leggy

Long, skinny stems are called “leggy” and are a sure sign your plant is lacking enough light. Plants should be full and lush looking, but in its fight for survival, they will stretch and reach to obtain plenty of light making them look more skinny than lush.

Small Leaves

Insufficient light prevents plants from growing leaves to their full size due to lacking enough energy to do so. If new leaves are strikingly smaller than older growth, then place the plant in an area with better lighting.

Leaning

A lopsided or leaning plant is a sure sign the plant is not receiving adequate light. Plants will turn and stretch to face their closes light source and soak up whatever they can. To avoid this in your plants, place them in an area with ample lighting, and give them a quarter turn each time you water it to ensure the entire plant is getting light.

Abnormal Leaf Color

Plants with variegated coloring in their leaves will lose their colors turn all green in an effort to absorb as much light as possible when there is not enough. Regular green leaves will become pale to point of yellowing before dropping off. Without proper lighting, chlorophyll, which gives a leaf its green color, can’t carry out the photosynthesis process which keeps leaves green and healthy.

Slowed Growth

During the spring and summer plants should exhibit a notable amount of growth. If yours does not, it could be due to inadequate lighting. No new growth of stunted growth are signs that a plant is not receiving enough energy from light to grow as lush and big as it should.

Getting the Light Right

As it is possible for a plant to receive too much light also, resulting in scorched tips or “burnt” patches on the leaves, getting the lighting right for a plant may be tricky. Only sun-worshipping plants should be in direct lighting for 6 or more hours a day. These would be cacti, succulents, and palm plants. Otherwise, indirect bright light works best for most other plants. Just realize that every foot away from a window that a plant is moved to is exponentially decreased light for the plant. You may not see it, but the plant will.

Try out different sunny places in your home and if you’re unable to move your plant to a better lit spot, then get a grow light, which will allow you to place your plant anywhere. Grow lights will ensure your plant gets enough light to remain healthy and happy.