More sun is not always better for many plants. It’s crucial to create the ideal growing environment for those plants that need indirect sunlight to thrive. Experts explain what indirect light is and how you can position your plants for optimal light exposure.

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• Paris Lalicata, the director of community and plant education at The Sill, is the head.
• Angalena Malavenda is the representative of Palmstreet, an online plant marketplace.

What is indirect sunlight?

Paris Lalicata, a plant educator, explains that indirect sunlight occurs when your plants can see the sky but not the sun. To understand indirect light, it is important to understand direct light. Lalicata says that direct sun occurs when your plants can see the sun directly from their view of the sky. Morning direct sun comes from the east. In the afternoon, direct sun comes from the south, which is the strongest. And direct sun as the sun sets in the western direction. A plant facing east will receive direct sunlight in the morning and indirect light for the rest of the day.

It is not safe to leave houseplants in the sun. Angalena Malavenda, a plant expert, says that direct light can cause your plants to burn their leaves or stress them. “Indirect sunlight is ideal for plants, as it gives them the proper amount of illumination without the harshness that direct light can bring.”

Indirect light is further divided into bright indirect lighting, which is at the brighter end, and low indirect lighting, which includes softer daylight and rooms with no windows.

Lalicata explains that some plant care instructions suggest filtered or indirect light. This implies a sheer curtain is filtering the light. “Depending on the amount of diffusion, the exposure can provide bright indirect lighting, medium light or low light depending on the thickness of the curtain.”

Why do some plants need indirect sunlight?

You’ll have to replicate the conditions in which the plants in your home grew in their natural habitat. The plants that thrive in shaded tropical or forest environments and require bright indirect or filtered lighting are usually those that were originally cultivated in these settings. Some orchids, for example, grow on the trunk of a tree in the shade.

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Positioning plants for indirect light

You can use several tricks to provide the right light for your plants.

Make the most of Eastern light.

Place your plant near a window that receives the least amount of sunlight. Lalicata says that most houseplants love the morning sunlight from an east-facing window because it is just rising and, therefore, not as intense. By placing your plants in an east-facing window, they will get bright, indirect light throughout the day, with no obstructions. A window with a north-facing orientation that receives little direct sunlight is another option.

Measure light.

You can use a light meter or an app (Lux Light Meter, for example) to check the amount of light at your chosen location. You should test the quality of the light at different times during the day. What may look perfect in the morning might be too bright in the afternoon.

The light is measured by foot candles or lux. The one-foot candle is equal to the amount of light that a candle emits on a surface measuring square feet, set at a distance of one foot. About 10-foot candles are equivalent to 1 lux.

Use window shades or curtains.

Sheer or light shades or curtains can filter light for plants that need indirect light. If your only choice is a window facing south or west, you can use sheer curtains or blinds as a filter to reduce the intensity of the light.

If you only care for low-light plants, skip the blackout drapes, as they block out too much sunlight.

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Move your plant away from the window.

If you find that the light is too intense for your plants in one area, try moving them to another part of the room. Plants can be placed a few feet away from windows that receive direct sunlight, such as those with a western or southern orientation. Plants that need medium or low indirect light should be placed farther away from windows or in rooms with curtains drawn or without windows at all.

Choose to grow lights.

Grow lights can be used to keep your plants happy in areas with inadequate light. They have adjustable timers and can be adjusted to provide optimal conditions for growing.

How to tell if your plant is getting too much light (or not enough)

You will be able to tell if your plant is not happy with the brightness of the light.

Some signs of excessive light include:

• Too much drying out
• Brown, curled, or scorched leaves
• Growth is stunted

You may notice:

• Growth that is stunted, leggy or distorted
• Losing leaves
• New leaves are devoid of pigmentation or variegation