Your plant collection doesn't need to die a slow death. That fiddle-leaf fig losing leaves like crazy? How about that snake plant that's starting to look yellow? Or the pothos that resembles a pathetic Charlie Brown Christmas tree? They're all trying to tell you the same thing. They need to be moved!
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Check PricePlacing plants just because they need 'bright indirect light' won't be enough to reach optimum placement for your plants. Understanding the light needs of plants is very attainable, but knowing exactly how and where each plant will live is a bit more involved.
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Decoding the Natural Light Levels in Your Home
Each home is unique and has its personal light conditions that can change within the day or the seasons. A good way to start is to divide your space into three categories. These include direct light zones, which are areas where there are windows with 4 hours of direct sunlight; bright indirect zones, which are areas that are 3 to 6 feet within west or south facing windows (or are situated north or east and are in the center) and low light zones, which are zones that are set in the corners or hallways or are in rooms that are light-well.
Windows facing the east gently light up the morning. They provide the best light for plants that need warmth but also help light-stress plants! West windows have strong light in the morning that can help sun-loving plants. South windows are great for succulent and cactus lovers! South windows can really help give the strong light that succulent and cactus plants can really enjoy! Light levels are lower and more consistent in north windows.
Pair Your Plants With Their Perfect Lighting
Plants like succulents, cacti, and rubber plants do well in South and West windows and can take direct sunlight. Monstera, fiddle leaf figs, and most other tropical house plants do best in bright, indirect light and do best about 3-6 feet from these windows or directly in East-facing windows. Snake plants, ZZ plants, and pothos do best in room light away from windows.
Most people miss a critical detail: houseplants often get too much light rather than not enough. What about those crispy brown edges on the leaves? Burn from prolonged exposure to the light. Light stress is also the reason why leaves turn yellow and drop from the bottom of the plant first.
Rotate for Even Growth
Plants will unevenly grow towards their light source and become lopsided. To promote more even growth, rotate every plant a quarter turn every 1 to 2 weeks. To help you keep track of each plants' rotation, use a piece of tape to mark one side of the pot.
Moving larger plants can be difficult, so monthly rotations can be done instead. With consistent rotations, plants will show visible improvements in symmetry within 4-6 weeks.
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Modify for Changes in Seasonal Lighting
Light coming from windows in winter feels dimmer even though it's the same amount of light as in summer. Plants that even grow well 6 feet from a south window during the summer growing season may need to be relocated to within 3 feet of such a window in the winter. Signs of insufficient light include slower growth, smaller new leaves, and stretching toward the window.
On the other hand, the same arrangement of plants that got it right in winter may cause leaf burn when the summer heat returns. Moving plants with the seasons helps to stop the boom-bust cycle that kills numerous houseplants.
Use Light Meters for Precision.
Light meter apps on smartphones give actual measurements to take the guesswork out of placement. Bright indirect light is measured at 1,000-2,500 foot-candles. Medium light is 250-1,000 foot-candles. Low light is below 250 foot-candles.
To understand your home’s light patterns, measure how much light hits them at various times of the day and throughout the seasons. You will be able to make informed decisions about where to put things instead of guessing and trying multiple times.
Supplementing with Grow Lights Strategically
LED grow lights bring life to your plants in previously dark areas. Full-spectrum lights should be placed 12-24 inches above houseplants and on for 12-16 hours per day. Note that LED lights that have both blue and red wavelengths will be best for growth.
The best method uses natural window lighting and combined with the use of additional grow lights for the shorter winter days or for darker rooms.
Read Plant Stress Signals
Plants show how much light they need through signals that show good and bad. If your plant becomes tall and starts reaching for the light, they may not be receiving enough light, so you should either move them closer to a window, or get some grow lights. If the leaves of the plant start to brown and get crispy, they may be receiving too much direct sunlight, you should move them further away, or block the direct light with some sheer curtains.
Leaves that are faded and have a washed-out appearance are experiencing too much light, however if the leaves are smaller than usual and a darker shade of green, the plant may be light starved. New growth that is small and pale usually indicates that the plant requires more light. In contrast, if the leaves are large and dark, it is likely that the light levels are optimal.
Make Microclimates With Groups That Enjoy Light
Try to group houseplants by those which share similar light needs. Position sun-loving plants at your sunniest windows while medium-light plants do best in the center of bright rooms. In contrast, shade-tolerant plants can do fine in corners or hallways of your home.
Grouped arrangement of plants improves care efficiency and lighting optimization. Additionally, plants may show improved growth because grouped plants create ideal microclimate conditions through increased humidity from transciration.
What really matters for good light placement? It has nothing to do with how good your windows are! It's all about knowing which plants to put where based on which types of light you have available. Once you can do this, the chances of you being successful with your plants just keeps going up, and your days of killing plants will become a distant memory.
