The Effect of Light on Tomato Plants Growth
Without proper amounts of light, tomato plants will fail to grow and produce fruit. Understanding the role light plays in your tomato plants' health will allow you to pick tomatoes all summer long. Does this Spark an idea?
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Energy
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A tomato plant uses a lot of energy to develop the tomato fruit. The more light exposure you give your tomatoes, the more energy it receives, which, by photosynthesis, is how it makes the tomato fruit. Less light will result in less, or no, fruit on your plants.
Requirements
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Seedlings require 10 to 14 hours of light per day. You can use a grow light to accomplish this indoors. Once you transplant to the garden, select a spot for your tomato plant that will receive at least six hours a day of direct sunlight. Eight to 10 hours is ideal.
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Ripening
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It is a myth that sunlight is required to turn your tomato fruit red. The heat of the day will ripen the fruit.
Effects
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If your tomato plant is not growing, or is developing thin, weak stems and has few leaves, it is a good indication the tomato plant is not receiving enough strong light.
Increasing Light
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You can increase the intensity of the light your tomato plant receives by putting reflective material like aluminum foil or white cardboard around your tomato plants.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Frank
