Let There Be Light

Many readers of my Root Awakening column in The Straits Times, especially those who reside in high-rise dwellings, do not have enough light for their plants to grow well.

- Wilson Wong

The availability of light, put simply, encompasses both its intensity and duration of exposure. Light is vital for plants to thrive in your home garden.

Natural lighting in the form of sunlight provides energy to drive photosynthesis, a process by which plants convert water and carbon dioxide into the food necessary for its growth, development and reproduction.

Affected plants appear etiolated or stretched, and the internodal distance—that is, the leaf-to-leaf distance on the stem—increases significantly. Plant tissues become soft and tender. Flowering plants stop flowering.

Without light, plants cannot produce energy. They become vulnerable to pests and disease, and will eventually die.

LIGHT INTENSITY

Light intensity is how bright the light source is. It refers to the amount of light falling on a unit area.

Using your outstretched hand and a sheet of white paper, you can ascertain the intensity of light available in your garden.

If a dark and distinct shadow is cast, you have direct sunlight. With direct sunlight, you can grow many woody plants, flowering plants, several edible plants, and cacti and succulents. This is the harsh sunlight that many people shun when they are out in the open.