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Natural shade is different to urban shade

Naturally shaded positions, such as that found beneath the canopy of a forest are abundant
with photosynthetically useful light despite appearing shaded to the human eye. Sunlight permeates through the leaves and gaps in the canopy, providing ample opportunities for plants to thrive. Plants have evolved to seize opportunities for growth in these environments, either by elongating their stems or expanding their leaf size.

In contrast, urban environments are surrounded by a concrete canopy. A roof and four walls creates an area of absolute shade; light does not pass through structural materials. Unless there is a large North facing (Southern hemisphere) or South facing (Northern hemisphere) window, indoor environments can be classified as absolute shade. Plants cannot survive in absolute shade, and those subjected to such conditions will inevitably decline until they perish.

Our lights are designed to provide enough light for your plants to thrive in urban environments. Shop now via growample.com.

Dormant plants aren’t healthy plants.

It’s sometimes easy to mistake a dormant plant for a healthy plant. Both can have foliage but they represent two distinct stages of life usually separated by the availability of light.

A healthy plant displays visible signs of growth, including the emergence of new leaves, shoots, and branches. There is a dynamic and vibrant quality to the plant’s appearance as it actively expands and develops. Think of the plants you see at a nursery.

Growth is visibly slowed or halted during dormancy. The plant may shed leaves, and there is little to no development of new shoots or branches. This can also lead to a weakened immune system making the plant more susceptible to pests and disease.

Healthy plants have an increased demand for water and nutrients. They draw in moisture and essential nutrients from the soil to support the synthesis of new cells and tissues. As a result it is very hard to overwater or fertilise a healthy plant.

Water and nutrient uptake are minimal during dormancy. The plant requires less water, and nutrient absorption is reduced as the plant is not actively engaged in growing. It is very easy to overwater and provide too much fertiliser at this stage.

As we look to increase the amount of green spaces within our built environment it is important to think about the intended purpose of that installation. If the goal is to increase the abundance of greenery within a space then a dormant plant with careful monitoring and maintenance may be all that is required. However if air purification becomes a goal then there may need to be more resources committed to obtaining active, healthy plants.

If you have a green space that isn’t reaching it’s full potential get in touch.

There's no denying that green spaces within homes are amazing. We would argue that we need more of it. However there is a disconnect between wanting to include greenery and the lighting required to enable it.

Prior to development we spent years understanding what plants require for healthy growth. Light for humans is very different different to light for plants. So much so that it there are different units of measurements. Light for humans is measured in Lux (lumen/m2). This is the amount of visible light (to the human eye), or lumens, coming from a lamp or light source hitting a specific area. The higher the Lux the brighter the lamp will appear. Sometimes lights are also measured in watts (W). This is the total amount of power they consume. Higher wattage does not always mean a brighter light. It all comes down to the light's ability to convert that power into visible light. For example a 220 lux light could consumer only 2W of power if it were a LED bulb but 25W if it were an incandescent bulb.

Where it gets tricky is when we come to lights for plants. The human eye is more sensitive to wavelengths of light around 500nm (green) while plants are more sensitive to 400nm (blue) and 600nm (red). This being the case, measuring light for plants in lumens does not give an accurate result. Instead PPFD (μmol/m2/s) should be used. This is the number of photosynthetically active photons (photons between 400 - 700 nm) that fall on a given surface each second. Lights for plants are also often supplied with their watts however due to efficiency differences, this does not always give an accurate representation of how good the light is for healthy plant growth.

Most plants that we see used indoors require a minimum PPFD of 40 μmol/m2/s just to stay dormant. If the goals of the green space are for healthy growth, this jumps up to around 100 μmol/m2/s.

Save this post for the next time you are looking to install plants in a new space.

The elegance of PL01 never gets old.

An example of functional minimal design, the lamp seamlessly integrates into any environment. You can tailor the design to your taste through the pot and plant.

Available now via growample.com

cutting-edge solutions to transform dark spaces

Display your favourite plants anywhere, no matter the lighting conditions. Our design-led solutions blend into any environment. Bring the inherent beauty of nature to every corner of your home or office.

Ready to redefine your space? Explore our lighting solutions at growample.com.