When watering your plants, take a few moments to thoroughly inspect it. You may see some tell-tale signs that it’s not getting enough light. Plants use light to create their food which nourishes their stems, roots, and leaves. If they don’t get enough light, then they won’t grow as lush and vibrant as they could. Palm Beach’s top florist,  Flower Kingdom, has put together an informative guide to help spot the signs of “light starvation” your plant may exhibit. Then, read on to find out the best solutions to making sure your plant gets adequate lighting all year long.

5 Signs Your Plant Needs More Light

Leggy

Tall and thin stems stretched to reach for the light is a sure indicator that your plant is not getting enough sunlight. Also, if the space between adjacent leaves, known as the internode, is large, then that contributes to the leggy and scarce look.

Smaller Leaves

In an effort to conserve energy, which a plant gets from light, it will produce fewer and smaller leaves when there isn’t enough sunlight. Compare new growth to old growth to see if there is a marked difference in leaf size.

Leaning

A lopsided or leaning plant is a sign of your plant doing what it needs to in order to survive, which is moving all of its leaves and stems to the one source of lighting its receiving. To prevent this, make sure your plant is getting plenty of light and give it a quarter turn at least once a week to ensure all of the leaves are being adequately fed.

Abnormal Leaf Color

If your plant shows signs of pale, yellowing leaves or leaves dropping off, then it’s likely it needs more light. When a plant doesn’t get enough light, then the chlorophyll that makes the photosynthesis process happen cannot do its job, resulting in pale, dull leaves. Also, with variegated plant leaves, if they’ve lost their coloring and reverted to just green, then that is another sign of insufficient sunlight.

Slowed Growth

When a plant isn’t getting enough sunlight, it will conserve energy by slowing down its growth, or if it’s really light-starved, shutting down new growth altogether. During the winter months it’s natural for plant growth to slow down, but if you’re not seeing any noticeable growth during the spring and summer, then try to get more light to your plant.

Getting the Light Right

Depending on the species of plant, it’s size, and the amount of sunlight coming into your home are all factors in trying to figure out how much light a plant needs. It may take some trial and error but noticing any of the above signs will help you take action. There is such a thing as too much light for plant, though, so only place sun-loving plants like palms, succulents, and cacti in full direct light for most of the day.

Otherwise, moving the plants around to different widows, elevating them, or getting a grow light will keep your plant babies happy and healthy.