Sunlight and Plants

[Mea505]

Hello all:

I am a relatively new member of this group, and I looked over the most recent messages before I decided to write this post. I have a question dealing, specifically, with the general 'household plant," and the degree of sunlight that is warranted for such plants.

Question: Is there a means by which one can identify those plants that require varying degrees of sunlight? Is there a mean of relating this to the type of leaf, for example? And, if this is true, is it also true that the typical "household plant" lights that one sees in local stores are almost as effective as natural sunlight? If the answer is "yes," or "perhaps," then would it be normal to think that one should use such a light during the normal "rise and fall" of the sun throughout the day, for example, during those days and weeks of little to no sunlight for various reasons.

Thanks,

Mark

[Billy]

You might Google, question dealing, specifically, with the general "household plant". It's true you know about JSB. His hovercraft IS full of eels. What are you wearing for Beltane's Day? Don't over dress;-)

[David Hare-Scott]

There is no such rule that I know of. Many houseplants come from jungles etc where they naturally get filtered sunlight but still some need more than others. Most benefit from at least strong indirect light and many benefit from some sun. You cannot grow anything but fungi in near dark. How much light each plant wants is dealt with in good books on the subject. Some are rarely seen at their best or never flower because they don't get enough light.

And, if this is true, is it also

Well no because the sun is much more powerful, it takes very strong artificial light to be as bright as the sun which chews up lots of power. Normal house plant lights are useful as a supplement to natural light if you don't have sun-facing windows but it would be rare for them to be able to replace it. Also the brighter the light the more heat it produces which can be an issue. Some types are more efficient than others but all produce some heat. There is also the factor that the strength of light falls away quickly with distance, so the plant that is right under the lamp gets way more than one at the side.

If the answer is

I don't think the timing makes any difference.

David

[Mea505]

I apologize, Billy; although I agree with your dogmatic views about the present administration, I don't get the link between what I typed and then how you chose to respond. Perhaps there is something like an "inside joke" going on within the group?

Mark

[Mea505]

David:

Your answers were extremely helpful.

I only hope that I am replying using the correct protocol for this group. Thanks for taking so much time in responding. Your answers were/are extremely helpful. I asked the question for several reasons; but one of the main reasons was my "re-newed" interest in house plants and my recent purchase of a bulb to use in home, as I suggested. But, I do see your point. It is interesting to note how the "common house plant" has been derived.

Mark

[mor]

Depending on the house hold plant you have . unless of crouse is ver special. house hold plant donot require alot of light. the only proble would be with watering. l have notices that during summer my plants ten to weather off. leafs turning burn. l tend to keep them in the shade where do you leave

-- mor

[Charles]

I think your question is too general, you need to look into the specific requirements of the particular plants you are trying to grow.

Sanseveria needs very little light, radishes need a lot. African violets, somewhere in between.

Most of my reading lately has been for aquarium plants, they do well with fluorescent lights.

Plants, in general, need mostly red and some blue colors in the spectrum, the "Gro-lux" tube is designed to provide these. A problem I had with them, they just don't look the way I wanted things to look.

Some time ago the standard recommendation was a combination of cool white and warm white bulbs. I also remember somewhere on the web reading that in a particular trial cool white was as good as anything.

It takes a lot of light to equal the sun light for intensity, mostly plants selected for growing indoors are low light plants, many would burn if put outdoors in full sun. Most are also tropical plants, which are day-neutral, that is not affected much by the length of light period. I'd start with 12 hours, see how that works.

[Bill]

What does not kill me, makes me stronger. Friedrich Nietzsche, Twilight of the Idols, 1888 German philosopher (1844 - 1900)

Sure there is try it hands on. Mark you live in your head more than I be careful. Get your hands dirty and kill lots of plants before you find a death rate you can live with.

Merry Christmas to all..and Soltice is soon.

Silent Night Rotary Connection Peace

O Yea

Bill

Bill

[Billy]

Yeah, about 29 hours more and the days will start growing again and, after a speed bump called "winter", blessed spring, and rebirth. Hallelujah, brothers and sisters, hallelujah. A new year is coming up, on the horizon, filled with fresh starts and new beginnings, not to mention embarrassing moments that we will never live down:-o

O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum, wie treu sind deine blatter. usw.

I'm startin' to feel the spirit move me now.

[David Hare-Scott]

It depends on the plant and what you mean by "a lot". I have seen many more house plants that were not their best due to too little light than too much.

Sorry I disagree. Watering house plants is one aspect of their culture that is fairly easily controlled.

What sort of plants? What is your summer like? Do you have air-conditioning? This could be not enough humidity, in their natural environment many house plants like much more humidity in the air than humans find comfortable, especially when it is hot.

l tend to keep them in the shade.

I live in eastern Australia. The summer is very hot and often humid. The winter is cool but does not snow.

David

[Jack Schmidling]

That may be an answer for some sorts of plants but timing is certainly critical for many. Many plants will not even flower unless the timing is right.

Just ponder why apples can not be grown in the Tropics. It is not even the total number of daylight hours. They must rise and fall in the proper sequence.

Sort of like chickens that stop laying eggs when the days get shorter. Keep a small lite on in the coop till 9pm and they will lay all winter.

js

[Father Haskell]

Incandescent grow lamps are overpriced and underpowered, but do output a pleasing to the human eye spectrum, plus lots of heat, possibly too much for a plant's health. Fluorescents are better, high intensity discharge halides or high pressure sodium better still, though the latter two lamps require specialized ballasts and fixtures.

26 watt (100 watt equivalent) cool white compact fluorescents are cheap and work great for small plants, with no special hardware needed; I have a test impatiens that's blooming heavily under a desk lamp with a 16 watt cool white CFL bulb (60 watt equivalent).

Starting point would be anywhere between 12 and 18 hours on for every 24 hour "day."

[Manelli Family]

[snips]

Generally speaking - no, other than cactus and other succulents which love sun. Ferns of course like dappled light to bright shade and humidity. You my want to try asking at the site below or Google each plant you have for indivisual information.

[doug]

-------------------------- Get a hold on yoursef and keep your fingers in your overalls pockets . Ask your Gov to teach you how to stop feeling the spirit moving your Mrs Fist. Too much handling can make you fancy that ugly plonker in the next cell. Doug.

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