What is "Bright Indirect Light"? - Everything You Need To Know
Different plants require different amounts of light, but they all have one thing in common: without enough light, they will die. Light is the MOST important aspect of plant care.
What you’ll see in most online guides is that your plant needs “bright indirect light.” This is true. Most plants will do well in bright indirect light.
The issue is… what does “bright indirect light” mean?
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Plant parents generally misunderstand light. No matter how much you water or fertilize your plants, light determines the overall ability of a plant to grow. Again, if your plant doesn't get enough light, it will die.
Most of the houseplants you will find at greenhouses or stores will be from tropical regions and have evolved to thrive in jungle environments. They will creep across the jungle floor and grow up the trunks of giant trees. They are constantly under the canopy of the thick trees above them.
This doesn't mean they never get any sunlight; it just means the light is filtered by the many leaves above them. Look at the pictures below.
THIS is "bright indirect light."
And here’s the view some of my plants get while right next to a large window.
See the difference?
The pictures from inside don’t mimic the outdoors, which we expect but still need to consider when we pick a spot for our plants. These plants receive plenty of light to thrive and are very happy where they are, but moving them even a few feet from the window can change the amount of light they get exponentially.
Hey remember to read the exciting news under Final Notes at the bottom :)
If the window you placed your plant near receives no sunlight throughout the day, you will need to keep your plants very close to that window. Here is a helpful guide to determine which areas in your home are bright, medium, and low light.
The above guide is helpful in general but be aware that there are a few factors that will decrease the amount of light an area in your home gets, including:
Window size
The direction the window faces
Obstructions outside the window (other buildings, trees, etc.)
To help determine how much light your plant is getting, ask yourself, at any point throughout the day does this plant get direct sun?
If not, it’s getting completely INDIRECT light.
If yes, it may still be a good spot for a “bright indirect light” plant, depending on two factors.
These factors are:
The duration of direct light
The intensity of direct light
It’s up to you to monitor your plant and move it if necessary. If your plant receives direct light for about 3-4 hours or less, it is generally still considered bright indirect light. Make sure you monitor your plant for a while after moving it to its new spot and see if it’s happy. If you feel like you are doing everything right, but your plant is still not happy, increasing the amount of light it gets is a very easy fix.
Final Notes
BIG NEWS! I will be releasing a signup option for an exclusive newsletter written by yours truly that will be sent out on the weeks you do not receive this one (Every other week).
It will be a slightly less formal but more a personal experience than the one you have all come to know and love.
While the Happy Planters newsletter will remain exactly the same, this additional newsletter will contain various formats to keep everyone engaged, including discussion forums, Q&As, guest writers, updates on my personal plant projects, and more!
Keep your eyes open for a signup form sent to your inbox shortly :)
This Weeks Happy Planter Submission
My favorite house plant is a Polka Dot Plant. It means a lot to me because not only does it have lovey colors, but it means the most to me because my parents gifted me this plant during a long stay in the hospital.
Thanks for sharing your wonderful plant @imemnicole! I'm glad you had this plant to give you company during your stay at the hospital :)
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-Houseplant Hobbyist