Just like humans, plants need water, food, and air to survive. Their food source is light which through the amazing process of photosynthesis provides plants with sugars in which to feed itself and nourish its stem, leaves, and blooms. With enough light, the plant may still survive, but will not flourish and grow. Make sure you are properly feeding your plants by placing them close enough to their light source so they soak up enough energy to stay happy and healthy. Here at Danver’s top florist Curran’s Flowers we’ve made an easy to follow guide so can be confident in the amount of sun your plant is getting.

Plant Speak: Ways Your Plant Shows You It Needs More Light

Leggy

When a plant develops skinny, then stems with meager leaves, it’s a sign of inadequate light. Known as “leggy,” these thin stems also typically have large internodes, the space between adjacent leaves, which is not that pleasant of a look.

Small Leaves

If new leaves on your plant are growing smaller than they should, then the plant is probably lacking adequate light. Compare the new growth to older growth and if there is a marked difference, consider moving it to a brighter area.

Leaning

A plant whose leaves, stems, and even branches significantly lean, is a good sign that the entire plant is not getting enough light. Move the plant to a sunnier place and make sure to turn it once a week to ensure all the leaves get adequate sun.

Abnormal Leaf Color

Pale yellow leaves or variegated leaves that have lost their colors are other signs of light deficiency. Leaves contain chlorophyll which is what helps a plant absorb light. When there isn’t enough light, they don’t “eat” and the leaves will become pale green, yellow, and then fall off.

Slowed Growth or No Growth

If the growth of your plant seems to have stopped or slowed significantly,  then you may want to move it to a brighter spot. Light is the lifeforce of plants and gives plants their energy to grow and thrive. Lack of obvious growth is a sign of insufficient lighting.

Getting the Light Right

Seeing some of the above signs in your plant doesn’t necessarily mean the solution is as simple as moving it closer to a window. Sometimes, doing so will result in your plant getting too much light. The area around a window that gets direct sunlight is really warm and may be too much for your plant to handle. Only sun-loving plants like cacti, palms, and succulents should be in direct light for most of the day.

For most other plants, medium to indirect bright light is best. This consists of a room that gets light for most of the day but it’s not direct light meaning there is a sheer curtain, or a bit of shade, a dappling effect coming in the window, etc. If you have a plant in a room like this but still exhibits some of the above signs, then moving it closer to the window is a good solution.

It takes a little trial and error to get the lighting just right, but know that your plant will let you know if it’s happy and healthy or not. Just pay attention to it.