How Does Artificial Light Affect Plant Growth?

Light and Plant Growth

Plants use light to produce food via photosynthesis. The more light a plant receives, the better the plant looks, the greener its leaves and the faster it grows. Some plants do well in low light. Other plants thrive in direct sunlight. All plants need some degree of light, whether natural or artificial. Intensity of light varies, even with natural light, but it is this intensity that helps plants to grow. Intensity changes with the seasons. For example, deciduous trees and perennial plants grow in the spring and summer and begin to die and remain dormant in the winter, only to regrow in the spring. Light quality equals light intensity in importance. Quality of light refers to the amount of light or colors of light that are absorbed by plants. Plants need light from the blue and yellow spectrum for photosynthesis and the red spectrum to encourage blooms.

Artificial Light

You can create lighting for plants in your home using lamps and light fixtures. Incandescent lights produce red light, which alone will not foster plant growth. This type of lighting also gives off a lot of heat. When placed too close to the plants, it can burn the leaves and dry out the plant. Fluorescent lights produce yellow and blue but have very low levels of red light. To provide indoor plants with the best lighting for growth, use both incandescent and fluorescent lights. Fluorescent grow-lights attempt to imitate sunlight with a mixture of red and blue wavelengths, but they are costly and generally no better than regular fluorescent lights, according to the Oregon State Extension Office. Place the incandescent lights at a distance of 12 inches from the plant and have fluorescent lights approximately 2 feet away. This will provide the plants with the needed rays for proper growth. If you do not use both types, your plants will grow very slowly.

Amount of Light

The amount of light a plant receives is just as important as the type of light. Most plants like to get six to eight hours of sunshine to survive. Artificial lighting is not as intense as natural light, so you will need to expose the plant to twice as much indoor lighting. Check your plant for signs that it is not getting enough light. These include spindly plants with lots of space between the leaves, new leaves much smaller than existing ones, leaves that begin to yellow and fall off and new shoots on the plants that grow tall to reach out towards the light.