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Step 2Give it the light it needs
The amount of light a plant receives inside a home is almost always the single greatest reason why a plant does not grow.
Various plants will need various levels of light. They have grown accustomed to differing levels of light through evolution. Plants receive the energy they need to survive from light- Mainly the red, and blue wavelengths of light (the reason why plant lights give off a bluish-purplish light).
Unfortunately, the average home is far darker than the environment outside. When one is out in the middle of a field, he or she can clearly see that light can reach the plants around him no matter what time of day it is. This is not the case inside a home. The various opaque structures of a home keep light from reaching plants inside. Light can't pass through a brick wall....
For those of us in the northern hemisphere, the sun is always to the south. This means that south-facing windows will let the most sunlight into the home. Most plants will appreciate being placed right in front of a window (A south-facing window is best).
It is not just light intensity that matters- the duration of light is also important. Try to give your plants a whole day's worth of sunlight. That being said, if you have no windows facing somewhat-south, you are at a clear disadvantage. You should get them as close to their light source as possible. Interior plants that receive light through a north-facing window may need supplemental light. Turn on a fluorescent light bulb to simulate day time. Get the bulb as close to the plant as possible, without the plant being overheated by it or touching it directly. Using electricity to help keep a plant alive is a completely legitimate reason to keep the light on (but can get expensive if you are paying for electricity).
Plants also need darkness to survive. This is how they have evolved.... Give them at least a couple hours of darkness every night if possible. If you aren't using a room at night, turn the lights off to give the plants some darkness. This is better for the environment anyway. 12-hours light, 12 hours darkness, is a good rule of thumb to follow. One does not have to follow this exactly.
Plants tend to flower and produce fruit when a certain daylength is met, and held constant for a period of time. Each plant will be different. Look up how day length and flowering for your particular plant to see what I mean.
Leaves that develop under any particular lighting condition will contain a particular amount of chlorophyll that will be most beneficial in that light intensity. If a plant is moved from a low-light situation to a high light situation, the leaves that developed under low light will soon become burned, and or bleached out.
On the other hand, if the plant is moved into a darker area, any dark green leaves that developed under high light intensities will be sacrificed by the plant, only to be replaced by leaves better suited for the plants new environment.
A plant must be acclimatized to its new environment. Simply put, ease the plant into any dramatic change in its environment. Increase the light levels gradually, and not all at once.
Various plants will need various levels of light. They have grown accustomed to differing levels of light through evolution. Plants receive the energy they need to survive from light- Mainly the red, and blue wavelengths of light (the reason why plant lights give off a bluish-purplish light).
Unfortunately, the average home is far darker than the environment outside. When one is out in the middle of a field, he or she can clearly see that light can reach the plants around him no matter what time of day it is. This is not the case inside a home. The various opaque structures of a home keep light from reaching plants inside. Light can't pass through a brick wall....
For those of us in the northern hemisphere, the sun is always to the south. This means that south-facing windows will let the most sunlight into the home. Most plants will appreciate being placed right in front of a window (A south-facing window is best).
It is not just light intensity that matters- the duration of light is also important. Try to give your plants a whole day's worth of sunlight. That being said, if you have no windows facing somewhat-south, you are at a clear disadvantage. You should get them as close to their light source as possible. Interior plants that receive light through a north-facing window may need supplemental light. Turn on a fluorescent light bulb to simulate day time. Get the bulb as close to the plant as possible, without the plant being overheated by it or touching it directly. Using electricity to help keep a plant alive is a completely legitimate reason to keep the light on (but can get expensive if you are paying for electricity).
Plants also need darkness to survive. This is how they have evolved.... Give them at least a couple hours of darkness every night if possible. If you aren't using a room at night, turn the lights off to give the plants some darkness. This is better for the environment anyway. 12-hours light, 12 hours darkness, is a good rule of thumb to follow. One does not have to follow this exactly.
Plants tend to flower and produce fruit when a certain daylength is met, and held constant for a period of time. Each plant will be different. Look up how day length and flowering for your particular plant to see what I mean.
Leaves that develop under any particular lighting condition will contain a particular amount of chlorophyll that will be most beneficial in that light intensity. If a plant is moved from a low-light situation to a high light situation, the leaves that developed under low light will soon become burned, and or bleached out.
On the other hand, if the plant is moved into a darker area, any dark green leaves that developed under high light intensities will be sacrificed by the plant, only to be replaced by leaves better suited for the plants new environment.
A plant must be acclimatized to its new environment. Simply put, ease the plant into any dramatic change in its environment. Increase the light levels gradually, and not all at once.
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