Colin Snow
Seedlings, like all plants, do not sleep in the same way that humans do. However, they do need a period of darkness to grow properly. Some studies have shown that seedlings can have their growth maximised with 23 hours of light and 1 hour of darkness. This is because plants have their own circadian rhythms, which are self-sustaining and allow them to anticipate changes in their environment and adapt accordingly.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Do seedlings need sleep? | Seedlings do not need sleep, but they do need a dark period. |
| How long is the dark period? | Most plants do not need more than 16 hours of light a day. |
| What happens if they don't get a dark period? | It can negatively affect the plant. |
| What about grow lights? | Grow lights can be left on for 23 hours with a 1-hour break without negatively affecting the plant. |
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What You'll Learn
Seedlings and lighting rate
Seedlings do not need to sleep in the same way that humans do, but they do need a dark period. Most plants don't need more than 16 hours of light a day. If they are given more light, they might not grow properly. One source suggests that you can have the lights on for 23 hours and then turn them off for one hour to maximise growth. This is because grow lights provide nothing in comparison to the sun, so they don't hurt the plant.
Some plants only complete the photosynthesis cycle after dark when they can respire without losing their resources to heat. Plants have circadian rhythms, which are self-sustaining and relatively constant over a range of ambient temperatures. These rhythms allow plants to anticipate changes in their environment and adapt accordingly.
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Do plants do maintenance work at night?
Plants do need a period of darkness, and this is sometimes referred to as 'sleep'. However, this is not because they are doing 'maintenance work' like mammals do during sleep. Instead, plants have a circadian rhythm, which is an endogenously generated and self-sustaining rhythm that allows them to anticipate changes in their environment and adapt accordingly. For example, some desert plants only complete the photosynthesis cycle after dark when they can respirate without losing their resources to heat.
Plants do not need more than 16 hours of light a day, and giving them more can negatively affect their growth. However, it is not necessary for the environment to be completely dark during their 'sleep'. Moonlight-dark conditions are dark enough, and a desk lamp somewhat far away will not harm the plants.
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How long do seedlings need to be without light?
Seedlings do not need to sleep in the same way that humans do, but they do need a period of rest at night time. Plants need a dark period, and if they don't get it, it can negatively affect the plant. Most plants don't need more than 16 hours of light a day, and some sources recommend 14-16 hours of light for young seedlings.
Some types of seeds need light to germinate, so you should put them under a light as soon as they start to sprout. However, most seeds do not need grow lights until after they germinate. Once they have grown their second or third set of serrated leaves, seedlings are usually hardy enough to flourish in direct sunlight.
If you are growing your seedlings indoors, you can put them under a grow light for 23 hours and leave it off for one hour to maximise growth.
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How dark does it need to be?
Plants do need a dark period, and most don't need more than 16 hours of light a day. Moonlight-dark is dark enough, but it's unclear whether a desk lamp far away would be too much light.
Plants need a dark period because they need to anticipate changes in their environment. This allows them to make appropriate changes to their physiological state, giving them an adaptive advantage.
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Plant circadian rhythms
Plants do need a dark period, and if they don't get it, it can negatively impact their growth. Most plants don't need more than 16 hours of light a day. Some plants, such as desert plants, only complete the photosynthesis cycle after dark when they can respire without losing all their resources to heat.
Plants have circadian rhythms, which are endogenously generated and self-sustaining. They are relatively constant over a range of ambient temperatures. Circadian rhythms allow plants to anticipate changes in their environment and adapt their physiological state accordingly. This can be useful for farmers, who can use this knowledge to stagger crop harvests and secure against losses due to weather.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, seedlings do need a period of darkness to grow properly.
Seedlings should have no more than 16 hours of light a day, and some sources suggest an hour of darkness is sufficient.
Moonlight-dark is dark enough, but a desk lamp far away from the seedlings should also be fine.
They may not produce or grow properly.
Plants have circadian rhythms that allow them to anticipate changes in their environment and adapt. Some plants also only complete the photosynthesis cycle after dark when they can respirate without losing resources to heat.
