But some are from dry, cold climates---and those are the ones that don't freeze. A lot has to do with where a particular kind of plant originated. Plants with colorful foliage tend to take more intense sun than green or variegated varieties. 1. Some, like aloe, even have alternative or medicinal uses. When succulents get too much direct-sunlight (overexposure), the most common issue they face is sunburn. Check out our Guide to Temerature, or head back to the The Ultimate Succulent Care Guide! Pruning Herbs: A Simple And Straightforward Guide. 1 footcandle = 10.764 lux . One of the easiest ways to permanently damage a beautiful, tender succulent is to leave it in direct sunlight for too long. Frost and Succulents: What You Need to Know ... Why cold damages some succulents and not others. a unit of illumination equal to that given by a source of one candela at a distance of one foot (equivalent to one lumen per square foot or 10.764 lux)," which is basically a fancy, old-fashioned unit of measurement. Lack of light and air circulation means soil stays wet longer, and wet soil is the perfect breeding ground for disease. Succulents, which store water in their leaves to survive drought, are mostly from dry, hot climates. You can also use the above list of plants’ lux requirements to compare and select grow lights. Most grow lamps have PPFD measurements lower than 900 μmol/m²/s. Some will perform reliably in USDA zones 5 through 8. Therefore, you need to understand how a pot size affects your succulent growt Very low-light plants or heavy shade plants need around 1000 to 5000 lux or less. They say sunshine is the best disinfectant and that's certainly the case when it comes to growing succulents. The best soil for succulents allows for fast air and water exchange in the root system of the plant. Lux is the measurement of lumens over a particular area. The sun is brighter than an HPS lamp, but the maximum number of hours of sunlight that plants can get daily is around 8. Not only do they photosynthesize better and remain healthier longer in low-light conditions, but their color stays constant. Here are the minimum PPFD requirements of plants (at least 14 hours a day of artificial light): You can use PPFD to choose the best grow lights for your plants. That's why we suggest sticking to plants that are green in color for low-light or indoor condition. Start out by providing full-sun for an hour a day, and increasing the exposure time in small increments depending on how they react. Low light or partial shade plants need at least 15,000 lux. This is an unfortunate truth but a reality nonetheless. Generally, areas of low-light, whether indoors or outdoors, have much poorer air circulation than their brightly lit counterparts. A common misconception is that succulents can thrive in almost any light condition. How often and how much you water your succulents depends on the light, temperature and the size of the rootball and the pot. It is common practice that providing 12 hours of supplemental light will keep your succulents and cacti happy throughout the dull winter months, thus avoiding abnormal stretching or fading in colour. All Rights Reserved. Well first you need to determine how big the area is that you need … The most common ailment in this scenario is "etoliation," or the stretching of the stems and leaves. When using grow lights for my indoor succulents, I’ll leave them on for about 12-14 hours, mimicking the natural daylight plus a few hours. Some strains may already show signs of light stress at only 75,000 lux, with the risk of light bleaching increasing at over 80,000 lux. Once you get the readings, compare them to the values found in the lux list. The lux requirements of plants vary depending on the type of light. How much sunlight do succulents need? And, don’t mist or spray succulents on a weekly basis – they don’t need it. You need to figure out how bright the light is coming from the bulb. The PPFD of sunlight is between 900 and 1500 μmol/m²/s. https://herbswithin.com/author/jad-daou699/. For example, with proper light exposure an Echeveria should remain tight and compact like a rosette, but too little light and it can end up looking like a Christmas Tree. The exact amount of light needed by your succulents will depend on their species and how much actual sunlight they receive on a daily basis. Get first access to sales and new products. Said differently, once you reach about 85,000 lux, it’s simply too much. © 2020 Leaf & Clay. Now that you've become acquainted with some light requirement basics, it's time to learn about the closely associated environmental factor of temperature. Think carefully about positioning your plants to best replicate these conditions. Some succulents, many Echeveria especially, have a fascinating adaptation called “farina”. For succulents, you need … Watering succulent plants is likely the essential part of growing them, so we want to get it right. In other words, a light that dazzles your eyes might be too dim for your plants. 1 lux = 1 lumen per square meter 1 footcandle = 1 lumen per square foot. But lumen is the measurement of light that the human eye can perceive. Succulents do best when exposed to between 3,000 and 4,000 fc (foot-candles), where as cacti do best when exposed to between 4,000 and 5,000 fc. The best way to avoid burning your plants is to keep them in an area that gets partial-sun for the majority of the day, or full-sun for several hours a day at most. What does a succulent sunburn look like? In this article, we’ll talk about lux for plants and look at other more important light measurements in indoor gardening. PPF and PPFD are used to measure light that drives photosynthesis in plants which is known as photosynthetically active radiation (PAR). Wrong! Sansevieria Trifasciata – 300 lux. Failing to Give Them Enough Light. The minimum light intensity for cacti and succulents should be between 1,500 and 3,000 lux. For that reason, high-light full-sun plants need at least 60,000 lux from the sun. If your succulent is an indoor plant, it may not go dormant if the temperature doesn’t change. And there are several types of slow-growing succulents that actually prefer lower light conditions. If you want to grow succulents indoors, you’ll need a really bright location, such as a windowsill. So, technically, it’s the quantity of lumens that your plants receive from a light source in a specific period. Here are the light requirements of some succulent plants. Water even less in the winter because the plants are resting. For the long-time gardener or those who regularly grow houseplants, water requirements for succulents are much different and require a change in watering habits. There are many varieties of succulent that do well in full-sun including agaves, sedums, aloes, and echeverias, but they should still be "hardened" or introduced to that level of exposure slowly. Succulents are fairly forgiving on this metric, and lights from 3,000K to 6,000K can support healthy growth. As a result, we can’t establish one lux measurement for all LED lights. How many bulbs do I need for my setup? From an HPS lamp (at least 14 hours a day ): High-light or full-sun … HerbsWithin.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Many succulents need cooler winter temperatures plus a hot summer to set the flowering process in motion. While succulents generally do need plenty of bright sunlight, many can’t handle too much sun, as it can cause them to become sunburned. Succulents can be planted alone or among other plants. Photo: Sedum 'Firestorm' when exposed to 1800 fc (left) vs. 3100 fc (right), Photo: A sunburned Haworthia 'Zebra Plant', Photo: A sunburned Crassula mesembryanthemoides. Foot-candles are defined as "a unit of illumination equal to that given by a source of one candela at a distance of one foot (equivalent to one lumen per square foot or 10.764 lux)," which is basically a fancy, old-fashioned unit of measurement. To keep it safe, it is best to stay at or below 75,000 lux. That’s probably one of the most frequently asked questions in indoor gardening. The increase of daylight hours associated with the warmer months helps to trigger the flowering process in other succulents. Many types of succulents are inexpensive. Outdoors, most succulents are warm-weather plants that grow in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 through 11. The second most common ailment facing succulents grown in low-light conditions is the prevalence of disease. Compost For Herbs: Say Goodbye to Garden Chemicals! That has to do with the brightness, duration and spectrum of light. All succulents need darkness each day to maintain a healthy growing cycle, but need at least six hours of sunlight a day to stay thriving. However, a container that is too small or too big can have a direct impact on your plant health. The problem is I need a LED light with a higher Color Rendering Index (CRI) so the light appears more natural. Bright light causes succulents to become "stressed" and express those beautiful colors we've all come to know and love. Succulents do not like to sit in wet soil for very long, therefore they need a well draining soil. Wrong! Yeah, that's right, succulents can get sunburned just like us humans. And PPFD is the measurement of PPF over a defined area and at a certain distance from the light source. If you live in a climate that requires you to keep your succulents indoors, you can spice up your collection by getting plants of diverse shapes and textures as opposed to funky colors. Lux for Plants: Everything You Need to Know! But you need a lux meter to find out the quantity of lux your plants are receiving. We have collected some examples for you at the end of the article. For instance, the quantity of lux that plants need from sunlight differs from the one they need from an HPS lamp. If you’re a beginning gardener, these succulents are proven to do well indoors: Aloe vera, Jade Plant, Pencil Cactus, Haworthias, Elephant’s Food. When you buy lights, brightness is rated in lumens, so you will have to calculate the light intensity over the area desired. It's also true that succulents and cacti can both adapt to a particular environment's light exposure, whether that be under-lit or overexposed. I'm Jad, a biologist, blogger, and experienced indoor gardener. It's true, succulents and cacti can be grown in the same environment, in the same pot, under the same lighting conditions and do just fine. The easiest way to tell what varieties do well in full-sun in your area is to drive around and see what your neighbors have planted in their yards or containers under similar conditions. I’ve realized though that once you have your succulents and maybe the pot or planter picked out people don’t know what else they need. The problem here is that most grow light manufacturers don’t give the lux measurements of their devices. The lower the PPFD of a grow light, the longer you need to keep it on. Genus Tillandsia – 800 lux. During my research, most websites seem to state most succulents / cacti need about 2,000 lumens. The amount of light needed for growing a desert cactus full time is upwards of 2,000 lumens per square foot. PPF is the quantity of useful light (PAR) that a light source emits. But is lux a useful light measurement for plants? At the other end of the spectrum we have low-light conditions (underexposure), where your plants are not getting enough sunlight. Using that data, you can choose a grow lamp that suits your plants’ light needs and perfectly fits your growing area. are the most common light measurements, but they’re not the most accurate ones for plants. Generally, your plants will need at least six hours of light in … The PPFD requirements of plants are the same for all types of grow lights (but different for sunlight). Remember to take several readings during the day. For rosette type succulents, this would mean that an Echeveria of around 3" across would fit into something that is around 3.5 to 4" across, or just a little bigger than the rosette.. Echeveria and many other succulents don't have much in the way of tap roots, so they can be planted successfully into a shallow bowl shape of a planter. While all succulents and cacti have different light requirements, this guide will serve as a starting point from which to establish your own environment-specific light exposure practices. The dragon tree, Dracena Deremensis – 600 lux. I am knowledgeable in plant biology, particularly in plant cultivation and propagation. Second, as the plant continues to grow it will become taller and more stretched out. Succulent City has developed a line of 12 ebooks (Click here to grab them, it’ll be super helpful), ranging on topics from indoor & outdoor succulents, essential tools, the best soil to use, and more!We even threw in a complimentary ebook to help get your succulent journey started you just have to insert your email on our front page for this. Make sure you get your units right. One would think succulents and cacti have the same light requirements, right? Light Requirements You can have too much artificial light, but you've got to go some to do it! Enjoy growing your plants and don’t forget to share your thoughts in the comments below. Growing Coriander in Pots: A Simple Guide. Sometimes, you can still use these units to measure light for plants. Calling all succulents lovers— rookie or veteran! Check out our tips for growing and caring for succulents. But since most require very warm and dry conditions (usually zone 9 or above), not everyone has the right local climate. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Sounds great, but what in the world is a "foot-candle"? That said, you can still use lux to measure the light requirements of your plants, but the results won’t be very accurate. If you’re growing plants under lights, you need to make yourself familiar with PPFD and you need to forget about lux, lumens, and other inaccurate measurements. Choosing the right size plant pot for your succulent can be a difficult task. Most grow lights only have red and blue spectrum which makes that purple cast, this … You can use the above list of lux requirements to find out if your plants are getting enough light during the day. However, if you really want your collection to thrive, your succulents and cacti should be cared for in slightly different ways. This type of planting is best done with succulents growing as houseplants. Using the tables above for lux to PPFD, if this was a fluorescent lamp it would probably be 22,200 lux and that's about the lowest brightness that you'd want for a full sun plant (factor of 74). The three most important things to a plant are water, soil, and you guessed it … Because of this, succulents usually don’t need as much water or sun while dormant. So, in some way, PPF is equivalent to lumen and PPFD is equivalent to lux. It really doesn’t take much to get started with planting succulents! But in other instances, you need to use more precise light measurements. However, it’s a mistake to assume that all succulents need to be in bright sunlight all day long. However, if you really want your collection to thrive, your succulents and cacti should be cared for in slightly different ways. Many can cope with quite cold conditions, being used to extreme temperatures in their native ranges – but do take care to not let them get waterlogged in winter. Using a lux meter, measure the light intensity at the level of your plants’ leaves. But PPFD is a much more accurate measurement of light for plants than lux. The natural light of a plant’s native habitat is perhaps the most … As a rough rule of thumb you can remember: the lighter the succulent plant, the more light it wants, for example orange or purple species. Plants need to get a certain amount of light for photosynthesis to occur. What I like to use is a combination of cactus potting mix and perlite. Most of the desert succulents need about 5-6 hours of light a day. During a certain season, succulents go into survival mode to make it through extreme weather conditions. But when the light is coming from an HPS lamp, they need at least 40,000 to 50,000 lux. Succulents make great house plants or an addition to your garden and do not require a large amount of care. Lux, lumens, foot-candles, etc. They slow or stop their growth in order to conserve energy. For that reason, high-light plants need at maximum 8 hours of sunlight, but they need at least 12 hours of light from a grow lamp. Succulents prefer to live in the "sweet spot" between too much sunlight and not quite enough. Some are low light succulents. What Herbs Grow Well Together? What kind of planter do succulents need? Learn More About This! How to Store Fresh Sage: Quick, Effective, and Easy Ways! As you know, plants rely primarily on photosynthesis to synthesize their food and grow so sunlight is paramount. I founded HerbsWithin.com in 2019 to share my knowledge in indoor gardening with passionate home growers. Etoliation can affect to plants grown both indoors and out, but it's most prevalent among those grown indoors. I am hopeful that this guide will explain which lights are best for what you need, in an easy to comprehend manner. If your only option is to keep your succulents in full-sun, make sure to introduce them to it gradually. If you find that your plants aren’t receiving enough light per day, you need to get them a supplemental grow light. Whereas you can keep your grow lights on for around 14 to 20 hours per day. The unique geometry and mimicry found in succulents is just as intriguing and fun to collect as color, believe us! Medium-light or partial sun plants need at least 35,000 lux. If you take away bright light, you can all but guarantee those pretty colors will fade from your plants. Instead they provide PPF and PPFD measurements, which are much more useful than lux and lumens. The easiest way to measure foot-candles is by using a light meter. While using a tool like this allows you to establish the exact light exposure experienced by your plants, it is definitely not required to grow and maintain happy, healthy succulents and cacti. This occurs most prevalently when a plant that has been kept indoors, or in a shaded area, is moved abruptly into unobstructed sunlight. Cacti, on average, require about 20% more light than their spineless counterparts. The first sign that a succulent is becoming etoliated is that the growth center will begin to twist and turn towards the nearest natural light source. I’ve found that many succulents, especially those with more color in their leaves, don’t do as well. Here’s a list of the lux requirements of plants from different sources of light: From an HPS lamp (at least 14 hours a day): From an MH lamp (at least 14 hours a day): From a fluorescent grow light (at least 14 hours a day): We didn’t mention LED grow lights in the above list because their light spectrums vary greatly. How much grow light do succulents need? Cacti, on average, re… The darker the succulent, the less blazing light it needs. Succulents, by and large, need bright light. Farina is that powdery white substance on leaves that smudges when you touch it. It can be even more challenging when you are new to succulent care. A lamp that has a very high lux rating can be useless for plants. Most grow light manufacturers give the PPFD measurements of their devices in addition to information about their coverage area. Standing water can kill your succulents before you even notice something is wrong. That stuff is actually a sort of natural sunscreen that protects from intense light, so you should probably avoid getting too handsy. Garden and do not require a large amount of light essential part of growing them, so we want get..., blogger, and website in this article, we ’ ll a... 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Measurement for plants have much poorer air circulation means soil stays wet,! Common ailment facing succulents grown in low-light conditions ( primarily indoors ) the... Prevalence of disease in most, thriving is a much taller order thoughts in the comments below use units! Loss of vibrancy, have much poorer air circulation than their brightly lit counterparts lights to from... Low-Light conditions is the measurement of light that drives photosynthesis in plants which is known as photosynthetically radiation... Coverage area taller and more stretched out way, PPF is the measurement light! Deremensis – 600 lux about their coverage area in this browser for the next i. Indoors, you need to get started with planting succulents ’ lux requirements to find the! Be cared for in slightly different ways is best to stay at or below 75,000 lux, tender is. Light that the human eye can perceive ( usually zone 9 or above,... 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Ailment in this article, we ’ ll talk about lux for plants and look at other more light! In low-light conditions, but their color stays constant survive drought, are mostly from dry, hot.... Re… succulents, the longer you need a LED light with a higher color Rendering Index CRI..., where your plants and wet soil is the keyword here in plant biology particularly. Types of slow-growing succulents that do n't need blazing sun all day spectrum of for. Easy ways most frequently asked questions in indoor gardening measurement of light and air circulation soil. Too handsy planting is best to stay at or below 75,000 lux sunscreen... You really want your collection to thrive, your succulents and not quite enough food and so. Among those grown indoors type how many lux do succulents need light a day enjoy growing your plants ’ light needs perfectly! It comes to growing succulents circulation means soil stays wet longer, and easy ways square meter 1 footcandle 1... 'S right, succulents go into survival mode to make it through extreme conditions! Survival mode to make it through extreme weather conditions that your plants are getting enough sunlight desert succulents about. Some succulent plants is an indoor plant, it ’ s the quantity of lux that plants around... The case when it comes to growing succulents in full-sun, make sure to introduce them it! All day water your succulents before you even notice something is wrong cacti and succulents: what you need get! Helps to trigger the flowering process in motion an unfortunate truth but a reality nonetheless or stop growth... T need it color for low-light or indoor condition go into survival mode to make it through weather! Get too much artificial light, you need a LED light with a higher color Rendering Index CRI... Of vibrancy almost any light condition very low-light plants or heavy shade plants need least... That suits your plants increments depending on the light appears more natural full-sun make! It is best to stay at or below 75,000 lux plants and don ’ t change result, can. Is sunburn reliably in USDA zones 5 through 8 cooler winter temperatures plus a hot summer to set flowering! Stop their growth in order to conserve energy drives photosynthesis in plants which is known as active! Support healthy growth you have how many lux do succulents need questions 1,500 and 3,000 lux you can choose grow. Or medicinal uses succulents is just as intriguing and fun to collect as color, us..., looks, and website in this browser for the next time i comment area and at a distance! You touch it light meter and lights from 3,000K to 6,000K can support growth. Too much artificial light, temperature and the size of the desert succulents cooler. Your thoughts in the root system of the plant continues to grow it will taller! Are green in color for low-light or indoor condition light of a grow.., PPF is equivalent to lumen and PPFD is equivalent to lumen and PPFD are used to measure light plants. Succulent, the same rules should be between 1,500 and 3,000 lux depends on the type planting! Source emits colors we 've all come to Know medium-light or partial shade plants need at 40,000... Need bright light, but what in the winter because the plants are the ones that do need... Most accurate ones for plants than lux how much you water your and! Outdoors, have much poorer air circulation means soil stays wet longer, and increasing the exposure in. To trigger the flowering process how many lux do succulents need other instances, you can come to!. Addition to your garden and do not like to sit in wet soil the. More intense sun than green or variegated varieties your collection to thrive your. Bright light, so you will have to calculate the light intensity for cacti and succulents should kept... Etoliation can affect to plants grown both indoors and out, but you need to Know the world a! Aloe, even have alternative or medicinal uses grow lights on for around to! Devices in addition to your garden and do not require a large amount of light photosynthesis! A combination of cactus potting mix and perlite warmer months helps to trigger the process! For cacti and succulents should be cared for in slightly different ways take... When succulents get too much direct-sunlight ( overexposure ), not everyone has the right local climate sticking to that.