Plants can get sunburned too: Here's how to avoid it

Created: 07/27/2022, 1:40 p.m

By: Omer Kayali

Everyone knows that plants need sunlight.

But only a few people know that they get sunburned if they are exposed to too much sunlight.

Here's how to avoid it.

Whether in the room, on the balcony or in the garden: we usually position plants in such a way that they get as much sunlight as possible.

It is clear that very high temperatures and direct sunlight favor the drying out of plants.

But did you know that they can even get sunburned?

Sunscreen is not a solution, but there are some things you can do to protect your plants.

What does sunburn look like on plants?

Just like human skin, the leaves of plants also change color when exposed to too much sun.

They then turn yellow or white - if the sunburn is particularly severe, they can even turn brown.

You can tell that the cause is sunburn by the fact that the leaves usually only change color on the top of the plant.

The leaves that are closer to the ground and in the shade should not show the same color change.

Plants can get sunburned within a few hours.

Once this occurs, there isn't much you can do, but you can prevent it from happening.

When the sun burns, the leaves of the plants discolour on the upper side.

© Imago

How to protect your plants from sunburn

Some plants do better in direct sunlight.

Others are used to rather low light conditions, so putting them in a new spot with lots of sun will burn them more easily.

First and foremost, you should therefore familiarize yourself with the properties of the respective plant.

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For more sensitive plants, it is advisable to gradually move them to sunnier places.

For example, first place it in a shady place on the balcony where it is not fully or only briefly exposed to sunlight.

You can then give the plant a little more sun week after week.

If you cannot move the plant, use a parasol.

When watering, you should also make sure that the leaves do not get any water.

Drops of water can focus and intensify the sun's rays, causing burns more quickly.