Houseplants frequently struggle with a lack of sunlight during the UK winter months. Plants positioned on shelves or coffee tables often do not receive enough light, causing them to stretch, lean, and thin out.
To address this, reflective surfaces like tinfoil, mirrors, or white card can be placed behind plants to redirect natural light. The aim is to provide the plant with a more even and generous dose of light.
A mirror offers the most powerful reflection, while kitchen foil can also work if kept flat and smooth. One test showed a mirror noticeably softened the lean of a leggy Euphorbia trigona. However, mirrors should not be exposed to direct sunlight due to a potential fire risk.