What will happen to plants that are kept in the dark is what we’re going to talk about today.
If you have that one room in your house that just doesn’t have enough light or no light at all, this is the article for you. Light or no light, plant lovers will try to put houseplants even in such a room.
But what will happen if you place a plant in a room with low light conditions or complete shade?
Since most plants grow due to light energy, complete darkness definitely isn’t flattering for green plants.
Since plants don’t have enough light, you’ll have to make it up to them with more water and carbon dioxide.
Plants need direct sunlight, at least two hours of it in order to produce food. How do fix this problem, how do make sure plants have stored food and make their own food in a dark room, let’s learn below.
What Will Happen to Plants That Are Kept In The Dark? 5 Most Common Issues
Plants that are kept in the dark, or even in the shade, will encounter many problems that can cause the plants to die. However, not every problem of a plant in the dark is its death.
In addition to the complete withering of the plant, the plant can also have less complicated problems.
Some of these problems can be solved and your plant can be healthy again. Then let’s learn more about the 5 most common problems of plants in the dark.
1. Plant Growth Is Stunted In The Dark Room
Plants in shade or in a dark room will have stunted growth/slow growth. Even if you have one of the fast-growing house plants they will still grow slower in low light conditions. One of the most important things in plant care is that plants require light.
Processes called photosynthesis require more energy, they require sunlight and if they lack those things, they grow slowly.
When you don’t full-fil these needs for the plant, it will have stunted growth. You can always place low-light plants in a dark room, and they’ll handle it well.
But what about the other plants? You should know that there is not a single plant that can thrive in total darkness.
The plant will survive only if they have enough light. Sun is the most important thing for plants to grow. It is important for their nutrients as well.
2. Plant In The Dark May Eventually Die
You can provide your plant with the best soil and water it regularly, but lack of light will cause its death.
With not enough light, flowers can’t bloom, plant cells will die and even their roots will be damaged. No matter how hard you try, plants in the dark will simply wither to death.
3. Plants’ Leaves Turn Yellow In The Dark
I’m sure you don’t want to see your plant’s leaves going yellow, but in dark rooms, that will happen.
This also happens when there is a sudden temperature change. Provide your plants with a lot of lights and you won’t have this issue. The first thing you’ll notice before the yellowing leaves issue is a droopy appearance.
4. Plants In The Dark Have Withering Leaves
Withering leaves are the first sign of not enough chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is what gives your green plants their green pigment.
Typically they’ll show a droopy appearance first, their stems will have a different color and they won’t have stored food in their leaves. As the final result, your plant will have withering leaves, usually with brown tips.
5. Plants In The Dark Don’t Perform Photosynthesis
We have already mentioned this a bit above, but now we will analyze it more closely. Even plants that grow in bright light conditions, especially those in the shade or darkness, will not be able to photosynthesize.
Solar energy is the basic driver of photosynthesis because it is this energy that is converted into food stored in plant molecules and cells. Plants that have enough light for this process are usually very green.
What Will Happen To Plants That Are Kept In The Dark – Find The Solution For The Plants In The Dark
If you still want to beautify your dark room with some plants, the lack of light should not stop you. If your room does not have windows, then find the best plants for office with no windows. There is another effective solution that will give the best effect, and we will discuss it in detail below.
Use Artificial Light In The Dark Rooms
Before we get into this, I’m sure most of you are asking yourself can plants grow with artificial light? The answer is very simple-yes, plants can grow with artificial light.
Artificial light is perfect for rooms without windows, for low-light rooms and simply if you want to improve light conditions for your plants.
All you have to do is buy the LED light for plants and your plants will thrive perfectly without any growing problems. But of course, LED light can never be as good as real sunlight.
Top 5 Plants That Thrive Well In The Dark Rooms
If you want to grow house plants in a room that does not have enough light or a dark room, then you have plants for those conditions as well.
Below we bring you the top 5 excellent plants for such conditions. In shady areas and dark rooms, these plants will have no problems growing.
1. Jade Plant
There are many types of jade plants that are perfect for low-light and dark room conditions. Perfect types are definitely dwarf jade plants with amazing tiny green leaves and red stems. They don’t require much water either and in a dark room, they’ll find their place for sure.
2. Snake Plant
Snake plant as the perfect plant for beginners and is also a perfect plant for darker rooms. NASA research also showed that this plant is great for purging the air in the room where its put. It’s a perfect low-maintenance plant for your dark room.
3. Lucky Bamboo
Lucky bamboo is a perfect plant for dark rooms. This plant has a common issue-lucky bamboo turning yellow and because of that, people think it’s not the right plant for shade areas. But that doesn’t happen because of the lack of light, it happens for other reasons including a wrong care guide.
4. Neon Philodendron
Neon philodendron can thrive well in a dark room as long as you expose them to a bit of bright light during the day as well. This plant is a good low-maintenance plant that is also great for beginners. When you expose them to a bit of sun, do not overdo it. Direct sunlight can burn their leaves easily.
5. Pothos
If you’re wondering how to make pothos grow faster, light isn’t one of those conditions. These plants naturally grow better in bright light and shade areas. Too much sun can easily damage these plants which makes them perfect for dark rooms.
FAQ – What Will Happen To Plants That Are Kept In The Dark
Below we’ll answer a couple of more questions about this topic. Let’s see what’s left to be said about plant growth in the dark rooms.
Does Darkness Have Any Benefits?
In order for the plant metabolism to work properly, they will need some dark as well and that is its benefit. Through this day they are also using and storing food they’ve gathered during the day with the photosynthesis process.
Do Some Plants Grow Faster In The Dark?
There are no plants that grow faster in the dark. Every kind of plant needs light whether that’s artificial light or real light.
Do Plants Need A Break From The Light?
Even though plants thrive well in light, they also need a light-dark cycle to grow and thrive properly. During this time, plants work with their stored nutrients.
Wrapping It Up On What Will Happen To Plants That Are Kept In The Dark
Today we learned what will happen to plants that are kept in the dark. If you had dilemmas about keeping your plants in dark rooms, we hope you learned the basics today.
However, dark rooms do not have to be crucial for plants, nor does it have to end in the death of your plant. With a little research, artificial light, and good other growing conditions, your plant will grow and bloom happily.
That would be all for today, see you soon with more similar articles.