Reading the light on a windowsill

A simple way to tell bright from merely sunny.

Light is the one thing a plant cannot do without, and it is easy to overestimate how much a room gets.

Watch the shadows

A sharp shadow at midday means strong light. A soft, blurry shadow means bright but indirect light.

Distance matters

Light drops quickly away from the glass. A metre from the window can be a very different place.

Turn the pot

A quarter turn every week keeps a plant from leaning towards the window.