What Effect Does Outdoor Lighting Have on Plants | 5 Things You Didn’t Know
People often install outdoor lighting on their porches and garden to keep things well-lit. Not to mention, professional lighting tends to add a bit of flair to your surroundings. Whether it’s high-powered studio lights or tiny, flickering twinkle lights, outdoor lighting can have a significant impact on you and your plant growth.
In most cases, neglecting to care for your plants and lights can lead to serious consequences. However, if you take the proper measures, you won’t have anything to worry about. In this blog, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about landscape lighting and its influence on plant growth.
Does Outdoor Lighting Affect Plant Growth?
If you consider yourself a green thumb, you’re probably someone who loves and cherishes their plant babies. But did you know there’s such a thing as hazardous lighting? An excess amount of light can disrupt the growth of your plants. That is to say, going overboard with your lighting system is not exactly smart.
Of course, there’s a lot that goes into growing plants and flowers. Water, air, temperature, proper nutrients, and sunlight matter equally. So, focusing on only one element might not be as destructive. But it sure does affect plant growth up to a certain degree.
How Does Landscape Lighting Influence Plants?
There are a handful of ways landscape lighting can affect your plants and their growth pattern. Here are the five main facts that relate to this concept:
- Causes Phototropism
Phototropism is a phenomenon that causes the plant to grow in the direction of the light it receives. For instance, if the light it gets is from overhead (like the sunlight), it will continue to grow in a linear, straight path. However, if the lighting changes or becomes fixated at a different angle, the stem of the plant might get attracted to that angle, blossoming in a crooked manner. - Can Promote or Stunt Growth
According to research, plants require a special kind of light to blossom. This is an extension of the visible light spectrum, more specifically, the blue rays of light. Energy-efficient LEDs are an example of such artificial lighting that doesn’t harm the plant. Sustainable blue light rays promote plant growth. But excess exposure to light can stunt the development, especially when not carefully monitored. - Leads to Interesting Mutations
In some plants, an added bout of light can produce mutations in the fruit that it bears. These mutations are most likely to appear in the plant’s shape, size, quantity, and at times, even color. - Reduces Fruit Production
Vegetables like tomatoes, ladyfingers, bell peppers, cucumbers, and eggplants are some of the plants that might react poorly to artificial lighting. This further leads to insects not pollinating the plant, which can cause the plants to go down the extinction route. - Increases Growth Hormones
Since light is responsible for fueling the growth hormone in plants, increasing this level of brightness can sometimes boost growth. This means that depending on the plant type, you can witness it grow at a much faster pace.
Long Story Short
All in all, it’s safe to assume that light plays a huge role in plant growth. Whether it’s direct sunlight or nighttime artificial porch lights, chances are your plants will either have an increase in production or turn vegetative. This is why it’s important to control your lighting system at the proper capacity. Avoid leaving your lights on for no reason, and make sure you switch off all harsh lights during the night, allowing your plants enough time to rest. For more information on harmless outdoor lighting, contact Iluminar at (281) 438-3500.