Welcome back to part two of our Understanding Natural Light series. We’re bringing this conversation back as part of our Best of Growing Joy episodes because it’s one of the most helpful discussions we’ve ever had about indoor plant lighting.

This episode is a replay of my conversation with Leslie Halleck, a dear plant friend of mine and a horticulture and lighting expert. If you’re a plant parent trying to understand the light in your home, this conversation is a must-listen because the number one mistake I see plant lovers make is misunderstanding their light.

Most people think they have bright light for their plants when they actually don’t. Our eyes are not great at judging how much light indoor plants really receive, which is why so many plants struggle indoors.

So in this episode, we dive into how to measure light for indoor plants. We talk about window directions, the difference between brightness and light volume, and how to use simple tools like a light meter to understand what your plants are actually experiencing. We also break down why plants think about light in energy or calories, not just how bright a room feels to us.

And make sure you grab the free Understanding Natural Light download that goes with this series. It walks you step by step through how to measure light in your home so you can stop guessing and start choosing the right plants for your space.

In this episode, we learn:

What the most important colors of light are for growing plants
How to use a free app to get a better understanding of your indoor lighting environment
What is the difference between LUX, Footcandles and PAR
What micromoles are
What DLI (Daily Light Intergral) is
The results of my homework and how many “aha” moments I had about the ACTUAL light in my apartment
How drastic the difference in light is within only a few feet from your window
What area of your apartment is probably low light that you never knew about
Whether or not you can put plants in a bathroom with no windows
Whether or not you can put plants in an office with no windows
Citrus under lights, pests

Mentioned in our conversation:

Lux Light Meter
PAR meter
Soltech Solution Aspect Light (Use code bloom15 for 15% off!)
Free Understanding Natural Light Download
Leslie’s Book, Gardening Under Lights; The Complete Guide for Indoor Growers

Do you actually know how much light your plants are getting?

Check out the full show notes and blog to learn how to measure light for your indoor plants!

Follow Leslie

Follow Maria and Growing Joy:

Order my book: Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness (and Plants)by Maria Failla, Illustrated by Samantha Leung

Join the Bloom and Grow Garden Party Community Platform & App AKA the plantiest and kindest corner of the internet! Get your FREE 2-week trial here!

Take the Plant Parent Personality Quiz (Get the perfect plants, projects and educational resources for YOUR Lifestyle)

Support Bloom and Grow Radio by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon!

Instagram: @growingjoywithmaria

Tiktok: @growingjoywithmaria

Subscribe to the Growing Joy Youtube channel! /growingjoywithmaria

Website: www.growingjoywithmaria.com

Pinterest: @growingjoywithmaria

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.