Plants will tell you if they are not getting enough light. The variation in leaf color will disappear on the new leaves. An ivy that had green & white leaves will soon have solid green leaves. The bright colors of a plant like a coleus or croton will begin to fade. Stems will start to stretch toward the light and become leggy with smaller & smaller leaves further & further apart. Finally the leaves will start to fall off; this is the plant’s way of trying to help itself. It’s light that provides the energy to make the food that feeds those leaves.

If there are less leaves the plant can survive on less food due to less light. Plants will also make it obvious when they have too much light. Direct sun will burn the plant, leaving it with ugly brown or white spots or a bleached out look. Intense heat & light, magnified by the glass in a window, often cause spider mites to appear on grape ivies, palms, and other susceptible plants. And finally, plants tell you when the light is just perfect by exhibiting strong stems, good color, and well-spaced appropriately sized leaves.

Next Section: Green Vs. Color