Does the color of light affect plants growth is a question to ask and worry about when it comes to growing houseplants. In this regard, you should be aware that the nature of light that plants receive influences them.
In this article, we are going to address this very question that is most frequently asked by people who love household plants. Read the information provided to get a better understanding of how each type of light affect plant growth and the foliage around your home.
Contents
Does Colored Light Have an Impact on Plant Growth?
Yes, there are several ways in which the color of the light impacts plant growth. Where the growth of vegetative leaves is encouraged by blue light, you could anticipate more fantastic flowers in the presence of red. In addition, even fluorescent types of lighting considerably aid plants indoors.
What Light Color Promotes the Best Growth in Plants?
The light color that promotes the best growth in plants are the purple light, the red, blue, and green lights that would come from the ones you have investor in and set upon your plant. The right light will encourage the growth and cultivation of the plant.
There are a few distinct ways each color influences a plant’s growth. Different shades of the spectrum, from green grow lights to white colored lights, each brings benefits that assist the plant in various ways. In order to have such a prosperous growth, one should think about and invest in the exact hues that bring out the best in plant life.
– Purple Light
Knowing that this is the type of light that is one of the suited ones for growing plants, a common question to ask about the violet color of light is that, how does purple light affect plant growth? The color purple is equally beneficial to the growth of your plants as the color blue is to their development. It is asserted that the flavor, color, and aroma of the plants you would grow under it would be enhanced due to using it.
In addition, a key factor that you should consider is that the violet or purple light is not best to use on its own and this is due to how it will be more of an enhancer than a standalone light source. On the other hand, it is advisable to combine with other hues in the spectrum, which means that you can be using this shade during the vegetative process will result in favorable outcomes.
– Red Light
Red spectrum should be utilized throughout the flowering period of your plants for the best benefit and maximum results. Because its wavelength is longer than that of blue light, it aids in the growth of the plant considerably.
You can start using this spectrum as early as the first stage of your plant growth, but you won’t truly see its effects until the latter section of the cycle when your plants are in the flowering stage.
Which means that if you wish to understand more about the aspect of how does red light affect plant growth, it is simple to say that even though this spectrum is necessary for developing your plant’s foliage, receiving all of your illuminations from a single source is not advisable either.
To be successful and get the best possible results, you need to diversify your lighting color spectrum. You must always blend the red light with the blue range to ensure that your crops will be in better health. Several plant enthusiasts urge you to be using 90 percent red and 10 percent blue to get results while growing plants.
A sufficient amount of red-colored light is essential for robust root growth of the plant and the flowering and fruiting of a plant. In addition, it is necessary for the early stages of a plant’s existence, such as the germination of seeds, the health of roots and the development of bulbs.
– Blue Light
When plants are grown inside the blue spectrum of light, in addition to the red range of light, it is beneficial for the photosynthetic process that plants go through. Several gardeners believe that this will help accelerate the growth of your plant, and it is highly recommended.
On the other hand, you should know that if you want to promote healthy seeds and leaf growth in your plants as well, the optimum time to expose them to blue light is when they are in the earlier stages of their life cycle.
To understand how does blue light affect plant growth, we can say that this will give you the results as this hue is also necessary for forming chlorophyll, and this is a great way to expand the growth.
Consequently, the strength of your plants, including their roots, stems, and leaves, will increase substantially. Your seeds will have an easier time breaking through the ground’s surface, and you will know that it is a good way to yield a beautiful and a fruitful result. In fact, if your plants do not have access to a blue light spectrum, they will weaken and take on a yellowish hue.
– Green Light
Green is the wavelength in the visible spectrum considered the least efficient for photosynthesis; however, green light is still valuable for photosynthesis and regulates plant architecture, which means that the plants will become rich in their green color.
Even though most plants reflect green light more than any other color in the visible spectrum and only a tiny portion of it is absorbed by the leaves, the photosynthesis process is still made efficient under the use of green light.
So, this in order to shorten the answer to how does green light affect plant growth? It is simple to say that green light is superior to red or blue light in its ability to pass through the leaf surfaces and reach the lower layers of the plant canopy. This factor is of the utmost significance in dense plants.
Which Type of Lights Are Beneficial For Plant Growth?
The types of lights that are beneficial for plant growth are the complete spectrum lights that are in white, and the fluorescent plant lighting, the incandescent ones and the ultra violet lights and LED lights. These are ones that you can install around your plants.
– Complete Spectrum in White
The color white is determined by the spectrums of red, blue and green light, playing a significant role in the development of your plant. This is because white reflects light, especially for the white light because it is the most effective type of light for photosynthesis because it emits a broad spectrum of colors or wavelengths that may be absorbed by various pigments, especially for indoor growing foliage.
– Fluorescent Plant Lighting
Regarding houseplants, fluorescent lights are the most practical and economical choice for providing artificial light. Because of their low temperature, they may be placed close to the plant leaves and are available in tubes or small bulbs known as compact fluorescent illumination, which is also called CFL.
Because standard fluorescent tubes and bulbs emit a higher proportion of blue wavelengths, it is recommended that you use “full-spectrum” bulbs that are warm in your lighting setup. It is actually white light and encompasses all of the wavelengths in its spectrum. Moreover, remember that for the best potential effect, position fluorescent bulbs roughly one foot away from the plant foliage.
– Incandescent Lights
These generate a great deal of heat. Thus, it is essential to maintain a sufficient distance between the plant leaves and the lights themselves. You can use incandescent bulbs to supplement fluorescent lighting to create an equal spectrum because incandescent lamps emit more red wavelengths.
On the other hand, remember that this matter is especially helpful when coaxing plants into flowering since the additional red light will help plants make more red pigment, and this is why most gardeners would use it, because it gives facilitation for the rich blooming process.
Based on the wattage of the bulbs, you should aim to employ a ratio of approximately one-third incandescent and two-thirds fluorescent if you want to blend the two types of lighting for the best plant growth.
– Ultraviolet Light
UV light in a minimal quantity in your indoor grow space can be beneficial if done appropriately. This spectrum of light stimulates photosynthesis, which results in plants developing healthily.
– LED Lights
LED can be beneficial in several cases of plant growth. In contrast to the sun or visible light, the light output of these lights does not change with the time of day, the season, or the year. In addition, the light may be directed in any direction along with maintenance of a constant level of light intensity that benefits plant growth.
LED light is a better option, because it will not be harsh and has the tendency to scorch leaves. There is no option to modify the intensity of the light or the direction unless, of course, you change the position of the plant.
For instance, if you want to be more detailed, you can think of how the sun can generate a substantial amount of heat, in comparison to LED white lights, which also are perfectly suited when you have sensitive and controlled gardening setups such as greenhouses.
FAQ
1. Which Color Light Do Plants Prefer Not To Be Exposed To?
Plants do not prefer yellow light, and numerous researchers have concluded that the yellow color in the spectrum does not have a notable effect on the development of the plants that are grown under it. In fact, the growth of plants can be stifled if they are solely subjected to this color and not the blue or red spectrums.
Conclusion
Now you know how the various hues in the light spectrum impact plants.
Here is a concise overview of everything that was discussed in the section below.
- Light hues can impact the development of a plant in a number of different ways. For instance, red light during your plants’ flowering phase produces the largest yield possible.
- Expose your plants to blue light early in their life cycles if you want them to produce healthy seeds and leaves. This will also encourage photosynthesis, which is crucial for plants to create food using sunlight as energy.
- An easy and affordable way to artificially illuminate indoor houseplants is with fluorescent lighting. White light also emits a wide variety of colors that different pigments in the plant’s leaf can absorb.
- On the other hand, the green light helps to increase the production of chlorophyll. You run the risk of stunting your plant’s growth if it doesn’t receive enough exposure to green light.
Now that you are fully understood the many colors and tints that plants can use, you can utilize this knowledge to grow your foliage as efficiently as possible. So, expose your plants to receive the best and most appropriate type of light for thriving and healthy plants.
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