Indoors Gardening
Basic Care
LIGHTING
The
first consideration for indoor gardens is the amount of light
available. Light is one of those miracles so common we take it for
granted but without it life wouldn’t exist. Light consists of
electric and magnetic radiation hence it is called an electromagnetic
wave. Stimulating our eyes so we can see, the visible
spectrum range between about 380 to 750 nanometers refers to the term light.
Wavelengths falling outside the spectrum, ultraviolet on one end and
infrared on the other, are invisible to people.
When a prism diffuses a beam of white light, the color of noonday light, the many colors it is composed of can be seen. When raindrops disperse light, a rainbow forms. Most of the sun’s radiation reaching the earth is in the visible spectrum with little ultraviolet and infrared zones. Our eyes are most sensitive to yellow zone radiation and about ¼ as sensitive to reds or blues.
However, plants utilize light differently by absorbing light and energy for photosynthesis. The color zones most important for plant growth are far-red at 720 nm, red light energy radiation at 660 nm, and blue at 440 nm. The majority of plants use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide from the air to make their own food during photosynthesis. Sunlight is essential for plants because they convert it into energy for growth and flowering.
The more windows available permitting sunlight, the more varieties of plants can be cultivated. Whether your sunlight is hindered by obstructions should be taken into account. Geographical location and seasonal variation should be considered also. Hotter climates closer to the equator as in Florida or the South receive more light than a colder zone farther from the equator as in the North, which will affect houseplant growth.
Ideally
plants should be
placed within five feet of a window but about a foot away from the
actual pane. If flowers or leaves are too close to windowpanes, very
cold temperatures or searing sun will damage plant tissues. Usually
northern-facing windows get the least amount of sunlight. Typically,
east- or west-facing windows receive a medium amount of light.
Normally, southern windows receive the strongest sun.
All plants are phototropic meaning they grow toward light. When a plant is leaning toward a window, either rotate it a ¼ of a turn or move it to a sunnier location. Most flowering indoors plants need more light than foliage plants. As the seasons change, plants will probably have to be moved to different locations.
Incandescent Plant Grow Lights
Most
incandescent lights have very little use as a plant growing light even
when they are labeled as a “grow light”. The newer
color
corrected incandescent bulbs can be used for highlighting or
supplemental lighting. Be careful since incandescent bulbs burn very
hot so never place them closer than about two feet away from your
plants. 
Beware,
as they will burn plants when they are close enough to
affect plant growth.Fluorescent Plant Grow Lights
Recent
research has provided a multitude of fluorescent plant growing options
including:
high
output,
compact,
and
hybrids.
However, when standard
fluorescent bulbs are four inches away from plants, they are an
excellent all year round choice for cool weather plants such
as:
leaf
lettuce,
herbs,
and
spinach,
plus
seedlings,
small
cacti and
succulent
houseplants.
Research in color blending makes full-spectrum fluorescents one of the truest color emitting lamps available. Even standard fluorescent tubes are twice as efficient as incandescent, producing twice as many lumens per watt of energy consumed with a longer life span.
© Debby Bolen
