Plant Question

[Chesterton]

I have plants on the porch which require full sunlight. Because of the current position of the sun, and the overhang of my roof, some of the plants are half in light, half in shade. I know that will change as the weeks go by, but out of curiosity, ideally, does all of the plant need to be in light, or will the portion of the plant in light "share" the energy received with the rest of the plant?

 

[Sam91]

I don't know. Maybe it will grow unevenly to seek out the light or lean towards the light. Are they in containers that can be rotated every couple of weeks?

Talking of plants, this is interesting.Artificial 'leaf' could replace PETROL with a flammable gas it creates using sunlight | Daily Mail Online

 

[FrumiousBandersnatch]

I have plants on the porch which require full sunlight. Because of the current position of the sun, and the overhang of my roof, some of the plants are half in light, half in shade. I know that will change as the weeks go by, but out of curiosity, ideally, does all of the plant need to be in light, or will the portion of the plant in light "share" the energy received with the rest of the plant?

The carbohydrates produced by the leaves will be distributed around the plant according to requirements. Leaves in the shade will produce fewer carbohydrates. If I remember correctly, in many plants when the food production of a leaf falls to the point where it's consuming more than it's producing, its resources will be scavenged and it will wither and drop off, a similar process to autumnal leaf fall.

 

[Sam91]

Nvm.

 

[SkyWriting]

I have plants on the porch which require full sunlight. Because of the current position of the sun, and the overhang of my roof, some of the plants are half in light, half in shade. I know that will change as the weeks go by, but out of curiosity, ideally, does all of the plant need to be in light, or will the portion of the plant in light "share" the energy received with the rest of the plant?

No, all of one plant does not need direct light. Each leaf generally shades other leaves most of the time. Some plants do thrive in direct light, others prefer indirect only. Partial direct light is likely fine.

 

[Brightmoon]

The plants will eventually grow towards the light so turn them if they start leaning too much . I’m a houseplant fiend so I’ve officially got too many plants

 

[Nithavela]

Adding to what has already been said, you might notice a change in the leaves of the plant, with leaves in the the shade becoming bigger and thinner (noticeable by a lighter shade of green). That's because they will be made out of less layers of cells.

 

[Chesterton]

I don't know. Maybe it will grow unevenly to seek out the light or lean towards the light. Are they in containers that can be rotated every couple of weeks?

Talking of plants, this is interesting.Artificial 'leaf' could replace PETROL with a flammable gas it creates using sunlight | Daily Mail Online

Yeah I could rotate them but I was just wondering if it was necessary.

 

[Chesterton]

Each leaf generally shades other leaves most of the time.

Good point. Hadn't thought of that.

 

[Chesterton]

Adding to what has already been said, you might notice a change in the leaves of the plant, with leaves in the the shade becoming bigger and thinner (noticeable by a lighter shade of green). That's because they will be made out of less layers of cells.

What I have noticed seems strange. Two of the plants are plants which flower during the day. They used to flower 360 degrees around the plant, like normal. Since they've been partially shaded, only the shaded portion flowers each day.

 

[Brightmoon]

What I have noticed seems strange. Two of the plants are plants which flower during the day. They used to flower 360 degrees around the plant, like normal. Since they've been partially shaded, only the shaded portion flowers each day.

some plants only flower in response to stress . I get my Christmas cacti to bloom by not watering them after October 20 for about a month and putting in on the floor out of the light . As soon as it sets buds I start watering again and I put back in the window

 

[Chesterton]

some plants only flower in response to stress . I get my Christmas cacti to bloom by not watering them after October 20 for about a month and putting in on the floor out of the light . As soon as it sets buds I start watering again and I put back in the window

So...you torture plants to get them to do what you want. Duly noted.

 

[Brightmoon]

So...you torture plants to get them to do what you want. Duly noted.

Ask anyone how to get spectacular colors with succulents . You stress them

 

[Ophiolite]

Ask anyone how to get spectacular colors with succulents . You stress them View attachment 265544

I turn a bright red when I am stressed, but no one has called me succulent for several years.

 

[Radagast]

does all of the plant need to be in light

Ideally, yes.

will the portion of the plant in light "share" the energy received with the rest of the plant?

Yes, it will do that using the phloem (Phloem - Wikipedia).

And, like @Brightmoon said, it will try to grow in such a way that it gets more light.

Also, the partial shade may affect where on the plant the flowers grow (edit: I see that you already noticed that).

 

[Radagast]

Ask anyone how to get spectacular colors with succulents . You stress them

You mean, you create artificial seasons.