Sunlight Levels

The three main types of sunlight levels are…

  • Full Sun (6+ hours of direct sunlight)

  • Partial Sun (3-6 hours of direct sunlight)

  • No Sun / Full Shade (>3 hours of direct sunlight)

Why is sunlight important?

Plants need sunlight. We were all taught this at a young age. But why? See below.

Sunlight allows plants to photosynthesize

  • Photosynthesis is the way plants convert energy from the sun into energy for food

However, plants can also get too much sunlight; when this happens, the plant gets stressed from how much it needs to photosynthesize and may struggle to survive.

References: Unsplash, University of Maryland, Plant Care For Beginners, and City Line Florist

How much is too much?

Sometimes, it can be hard to tell if your plants are getting too little or too much sunlight before it’s too late. However, there are a few signs for both that usually help catch these issues early on! 

Too much sunlight:

  • Bleached or faded leaves

  • White, yellow, or browning leaves

  • Leaves with curled edges

 From here, the best course of action is to trim off only the dead parts of the plant and move it to a shadier spot with less sunlight. If you cannot move it, cover the plant with cloth, providing shade for the plant.

Too little sunlight

  • Pale, yellow leaves

  • Smaller in size / little to no growth

  • “Leaning” toward areas with more sunlight

 If you notice these traits in your plants, it is best to move them to areas with more sun and carefully monitor their growth to make sure they are growing properly. However, if natural light isn’t readily available for enough time (typically during the winter), you can also buy “grow” light for plants; these lights will act as sunlight and help your plants grow despite not having sunlight.