Can Plants Photosynthesize With Artificial Light? It’s typical to see indoor plants everywhere in homes nowadays. Most people use it to bring the ultimate tropical feeling into their space and create a natural habitat for the plants. This brings us to the question, how do plants survive indoors?
The good news is yes. You can prepare your plants to photosynthesize without sunlight. All you need is the right source of artificial light, and you’re good to go. Plants get their source of energy through photosynthesis. They need to survive; they can’t live without it. They get this from the sun, but in a situation where the plant is placed indoors, it becomes different. People begin to wonder if plants can photosynthesize with artificial light.
Why Plants Need Lights
Plants need to photosynthesize to survive, but this is hard to achieve whenever there’s a cloudy sky. The same thing happens when you bring a plant inside the house without the reach of natural sunlight. It tends to wither away, leaving the ghost figure of its former self.
Not only this, leaving plants indoors where there’s cold is not ideal. If you’re going to keep plants indoors, don’t expose them to cold atmospheric conditions. Even those outside aren’t safe in cold weather either. This might present a reason for bringing them inside until the cold season ends.
Artificial light is a great way to offer the best energy your plants need to survive and grow well. Moreover, it doesn’t matter what stage the plants are in; it works for germinating seeds, growing stems, and so on. You’ll enjoy the entire life cycle of the plants while they sit on your coffee table.
Why is Light Important for Plants?
Plants can’t exist without light; it’s how they feed. A plant’s fundamental component is 45% carbon, which they get from the atmosphere through photosynthesis. One of the major factors that bring about photosynthesis is light. It gives the plant the intensity needed to absorb the right amount of carbon to stay alive. To get the whole picture, look at newly germinated plants with their shoot poking out through the sand. The shoots tend to turn pale due to their inability to absorb enough carbon. When this happens, it becomes increasingly difficult for the plant to grow.
Can Plants Grow with LED Lights?
Yes, they can. The only thing that may stop you from using artificial light of any kind is the intensity of the light it produces. There are many types of LED lights ranging from foot candles to lumens and so on. Plants can’t grow in the dark, so you need one of these to bring a natural source of energy into space. However, some plants may respond differently. Pay attention to your plant and change the light or take it outdoors if there’s any outrageous behavior. All being said, LEDs are suitable for growing plants indoors.
When can you Use LED Lamps?
When it comes to using LED lights for plants, there’s no right way to do it. No rule is attached to it. You can set LED up for your plants anytime, in any given situation. The primary purpose is to give the plants enough light for photosynthesis. That’s precisely what you get, high-intensity light that won’t heat up and cause harm to their leaves.
The best way you can do this is to arrange your plants so each has its own light. You won’t need to move them when it’s time to get sunlight.
Artificial light is your go-to whenever there’s little sun, especially in winter. It provides the plants with the right energy to grow.
Do Plants Grow Better Under Artificial Light?
You may think that plants that are naturally exposed to sunlight won’t do well under artificial light. Well, that’s not true. Plants actually grow better in artificial light than in sunlight. This is because you offer them the exact elements they need to grow, not just light.
This means you have the power to set the duration of the light to your preferences. Your plant may end up using more light than those in the sunlight.
Do Plants Photosynthesize at Night?
The simple answer is no. However, they can photosynthesize at night if exposed to artificial light. The presence of light is what makes them perform photosynthesis. As long as there’s light, plants will continue to get carbon from the energy the light produces.
What are the Symptoms of Insufficient Light for Plants?
When there’s little light for plants to do photosynthesis, they tend to show some signs.
Loss of leaves: Your plant may start losing some of its leaves. At first, you’ll notice the leaves turning yellow gold, and after a while, they fall off.
Stunted growth: Another way to detect an insufficient light supply is to watch the rate at which your plant grows. The plant often gets out of its way and stretches to get light from outside. This also shows that you need to improve your source of light.
What are the Ideal Lighting Conditions for Indoor Plants?
Even when indoors, some rooms may get more sunlight than others. You’ll need to consider some things before introducing plants into your home. Some plants can do well in dim light. In this case, you can just put them near the window, and they’re suitable for photosynthesizing. This method may not work for all plants, so you must select the right type for your situation.
However, it entirely depends on the structure of the room and whether there’s a shade or not. You should place it near a window facing the south; this side gets the most prolonged sunlight during the day.
If your plant doesn’t need too much light, make it a dim room with low light coming in. Exposing this plant to more than enough light can cause their leaves to burn. Place them near the windows on the west or east side of the house.
If none of your windows are good enough, get an artificial light and set it up to your preferences.
Types of Artificial Lights for Indoor Plants?
There is an abundance of artificial light for plants. Let’s look at the ones you can buy without it causing a hole in your pocket. You’ll get the value for your money while enjoying the luxury of affordable prices.
Fluorescent Lamps
Fluorescent lamps are ideal for indoor plants. They produce high-intensity energy and do not give out heat. You can bet your dollars on this light as they contribute to the perfect temperature of the room. Another thing is that they don’t use too much electricity. There may not even be a significant increase in your bills. The economic impact is minimal, and you get the most out of it. They work great for large pots of plants.
Fluorescent lamps are big most of the time, which may hinder their use in a tiny space. But remember that conventional fluorescent lights are not good enough for plants. That’s because their red waves are fragile. Only specialized fluorescent lights can be used for plants. Besides, mercury lamps are also suitable for indoor plants. But they use too much power and may cause your electricity bill to increase.
Energy Saving
These are lamps that are designed with a blue radiation spectrum. This makes them one of the few lights you can put over your plants. However, they only work well with nonflowering plants. They’re easy to install and maintain. And the good news is that they use little power energy, so you can save some dollars on your utility bills.
If you’re looking for a more durable light, you should use energy-saving lamps. They can work for about 15 thousand hours before you notice a dimness in their light. The strong lifetime makes them a sought-after artificial light.
There are three types of energy-saving lamps;
- Cold ones: This one is best used during the early stage of a plant. It’s great for seed germination purposes.
- Warm: You should use this when your plants start producing flowers. It aids the process of giving the best result.
- Daylight: This one doesn’t have a preferred stage. It works at all times and can help the plant perform better photosynthesis. This is your best bet if you don’t want to keep changing lights.
Sodium lamps
Sodium lamps are efficient and economical. They are durable and give off high-intensity light that helps indoor plants grow. You can install them on a window as they come in compact designs.
LED Lamps
Most people choose LED lamps for a reason. They work like magic when used for plants while utilizing the lowest power of your electricity. When used in perfect condition, LED lamps have a long shelf life. They can go as long as 50 thousand hours without blinking. If you’re rotating your light output for the plants, you’ll use it longer.
Final Thoughts on Can Plants Photosynthesize With Artificial Light?
With all this being said, light gives plants energy, making it their source of life. In a situation where there’s not enough natural light, you can quickly go for artificial lights. Let’s know in the comment section how your plants photosynthesize using artificial lights. Check back to get more information about growing plants indoors.