Questions tagged [light]

Illumination, required for photosynthesis. Use this tag for all questions about the required light levels for your plants. For questions specifically about artificial lights use the [led] or [grow-lamp] tags. For questions directly about the Sun and its effects in different conditions on plants use the [sunlight] tag.

Virtually all plants require light to power the chemical reaction known as photosynthesis, to produce sugars and cellulose (exceptions include some rare orchids such as Hexalectris which are at best partially photosynthetic).

Different plants have adapted to require different amounts of light. For example, trees that grow at high latitudes are generally adapted for poor light conditions, and low latitude desert plants are adapted for high light conditions.

There can be artificial light sources like lights or beside the natural source of light: .

Use this tag for all questions about the required light levels for your plants. Use it with tag(s) specific to the plants in the question.

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Are household LED bulbs suitable as supplemental light for plants?

I live at a fairly northerly latitude where we have limited hours of daylight during the winter. Low-wattage (5-8W) white LED bulbs seem to be becoming more common as a household light source. Do these LED bulbs provide suitable light for growing…
Ben Mordue
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Can aloe be grown indoors, in an office with artificial light only?

I came across a very beautiful aloe in a shop a few days ago, which I would like to plant in my office next to my computer. However, there is no natural light (sunlight) and only fluorescent light, which hangs 2 m (6 ft) above the table, is…
lamwaiman1988
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Can plants have too much light, or do they need night/rest?

Because we live in southern Canada, in the late fall, my mother likes to take as much of her garden indoors as she can fit, for the winter. She usually brings in her potted palms, a few flowers, at least one pot of each of her dozen or so types of…
Synetech
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How much lighting do I need for growing lettuce using indoor hydroponics?

I am beginning to get into indoor hydroponics to grow lettuce, I haven't figured out which type of lettuce to grow yet, I am thinking of a butterhead. I have been to many hydroponics stores and seen almost all the lettuce hydroponics videos on…
M. of CA
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What can I grow in a sealed office environment with no natural light or airflow?

Can ANY plant with green foliage survive in a sealed office environment with fluorescent lighting from 8am to 5:30pm and air conditioning set at 20 C (for the remaining time, there is basically zero light and limited air flow)? We have a very…
Lisa
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What kind of a grow lamp can I use in my apartment?

Can anyone recommend a style of small-sized grow lamp that I can use inside my apartment to give my plants some extra light in the evening that won't cost a lot of money to run.
Dan
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Does controlling night-time light for house plants improve their health?

I keep a few dozen assorted plants under fluorescent lighting in my basement, because the light isn't very good at the windows. I have always left the light on day and night, but now that I think about it, that is not very natural for plant growth.…
J. Musser
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Is there a fruiting plant that can grow in an office environment?

In the office there is an abundance of fluorescent light and that's about it. The temperature stays around 70 ºF (21 ºC) I think. Could I grow a fruiting plant in these conditions? I may be able to add a lamp with a full spectrum light bulb to help…
Ashley Grenon
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Can I cut the top off a drooping aloe plant?

I inherited this horrible aloe plant from an old roommate. It was living in a tall, skinny Tupperware in a dark corner of the kitchen, where it got knocked over and stepped on more than once. From reading around, I gather it grew tall like this…
kabest
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What is the effect of streetlights on plants?

This may be totally off the wall, but the sunflowers growing around my garden are bigger the nearer they are to the street light. I've seen documentaries with marijuana labs in California where they grow their plants all day and all night under the…
Peter Turner
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Why are my aloe leaves turning white and brown?

I have had this plant of aloe for years, and it has always given me great satisfaction. Easy to take care of, I had separated it into different pots but now decided to keep it all together into a large one - and it has been a great idea. It…
laureapresa
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Glass vs plastic greenhouse covering: pros and cons

When building or buying a greenhouse, it seems to me that the material to use is one of the first concerns. The two options I'm trying to compare right now are glass and plastic films. The characteristics that seemed important to me were…
Betohaku
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What light cycle should I use to grow herbs indoors?

I would like to have a small container herb garden indoors this winter, but I want to make sure my herbs do not try to flower. Currently, it's a couple of different basil plants and some rosemary, but we may add some others before it's all said…
baka
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What LED light should I choose for a specific PAR watt need?

I wish to design an LED lighting system suitable for growing plants in the absence of natural light. I do NOT wish to just buy available specialised horticultural LEDs - I want to build my own using standard LEDs. According to literature I found on…
neydroydrec
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Can you have a shade-loving plant under full sun?

While looking for information about caring for Monstera deliciosa, I've sometimes read that they prefer shade. It seems this is the case for other plants as well, but I find it puzzling and I haven't found any explanation for it. Why would a plant…
comeauch
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