| Main question: If a fluorescent light on a timer is placed under a plant instead of above it, will that work, or will it cause something strange to happen (like the plant to grow downward or simply not get what it needs)?
Background: I was just given a ficus benjamina as a housewarming gift for our new condo. I've had ficus before, quite successfully, but only right by windows. The only place that makes sense for this beautiful little tree (about 3 ft. tall at the moment, but I look forward to it growing) is away from windows - it will get some diffused light through a very wide and tall sliding door to our south-facing balcony, but the balcony overhang prevents any direct sunlight, sheer curtains will be closed much of the time, and the location for the plant is about 8 ft. from the door. The room has two large overhead fluorescent lights (fluorescent is common here in Japan), but measuring the light where the plant is using my camera's light meter and a chart I found on the internet, at 10 a.m. on a hazy sun day with the lights on and much of the sheer curtain open, I only measured about 75 ft-c. So I obviously need more light, but attaching a lamp somewhere above the plant will detract severely from the appearance of the room. So I was wondering: what if I put a light on the floor by the pot, shining up at the bottom of the leaves?
Secondary question: A different corner of the same room would be an even prettier location for the ficus, but I initially ruled it out because it would get even less of the outdoor light. But in that spot I could probably get away with mounting a clamp-arm fluorescent light on a tall bookcase above the plant without it looking too strange. So if you think the light needs to be above, can you tell me whether a ficus b. can handle getting almost all its light artificially? |
