Is the east window the best place for indoor plants to grow?
The East Window
- Thread starter LouisFerdinand
- Start date
East is OK for Figs, Sansevieria, Coffee Aribica and other plants that would be considered "easy" or not high-light requirement plants. There are lots of others, but you need to inquire about specific plants before you fall in love with one from the other side of the tracks (track lights!). South and west are better for higher light, and north is for low light, only. You need to characterize it better than just N, S, E, or W. Stick your face exactly where you would place a pot; look out the window; what percentage of the whole is open space, not occluded by trees, the house next-door, shrubs, whatever, and the soffit overhang of the roof. 100% is unusual, like a farmhouse 2nd story window. Less than 50% should drop that window to the next lower class of light. S= best, W=2nd, E=3rd, N=4th.
These are rough estimates that are better than nothing for use by people who have limited experience. The leading cause of houseplant failure is buying the wrong kind of plant for the environment that you have. Second place goes to over/under watering. Water when the soil is dry to the touch; 25% of the pot volume is good. Never buy the same plant as a replacement for something that dies. In this day and age you can take a photo of your prospective plant location on your phone and show it to a plant seller in order to get some advice, beforehand. The best season to buy a new plant is late spring or early summer. That's when you will have the best photo-period and intensity, giving your new resident the best conditions it's going to get and hopefully adjust to your conditions slowly. Plants bought in autumn and winter go from good conditions in the sellers' place to whatever you have. Often, that's too great a change resulting in many or all leaves dropping. The same plant purchased in late spring may be just fine. Happy hunting!
These are rough estimates that are better than nothing for use by people who have limited experience. The leading cause of houseplant failure is buying the wrong kind of plant for the environment that you have. Second place goes to over/under watering. Water when the soil is dry to the touch; 25% of the pot volume is good. Never buy the same plant as a replacement for something that dies. In this day and age you can take a photo of your prospective plant location on your phone and show it to a plant seller in order to get some advice, beforehand. The best season to buy a new plant is late spring or early summer. That's when you will have the best photo-period and intensity, giving your new resident the best conditions it's going to get and hopefully adjust to your conditions slowly. Plants bought in autumn and winter go from good conditions in the sellers' place to whatever you have. Often, that's too great a change resulting in many or all leaves dropping. The same plant purchased in late spring may be just fine. Happy hunting!