---
title: "PPFD Question! I am new to the plant game and am trying to figure out…"
description: "PPFD Question! I am new to the plant game and am trying to figure out the best placements for my plants within my room. I have a south- and west- facing window…"
url: "https://getplanta.com/community/lZ7uAE3pQ86jnFGxrCwLrg/647561deba841ebb3ff1857e"
community: "Anything about plants"
author: "Ciera"
published: "2023-05-30T02:39:26.932Z"
language: "en"
image: "https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/YLb2pTExfCW0Jqt1J4G_w2cKybl-zckTooQMKcCRdQU/c3214460d48b4e24b11c4f89fb358b8e.webp?size=large"
---

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# PPFD Question! I am new to the plant game and am trying to figure out…

_Posted by Ciera on 2023-05-30_

PPFD Question!

I am new to the plant game and am trying to figure out the best placements for my plants within my room. I have a south- and west- facing window in my bedroom. The south-facing window has another white apartment building right next to it, about 30 feet away, so I don’t believe it gets the full sun it otherwise would. However, the west-facing window is completely unobstructed.

I’ve used light meters on my phone (specifically Photone) to attempt to gauge the PPFD readings in order to put my plants where they’d be the happiest, but the readings just don’t seem to add up to me and I’m so confused.

When I put my phone/meter directly up to my west-facing window at the sunniest time of the day for that window (shown in second image, at 5pm), the highest reading I get is 122 umol/m^2/s, which is like ‘moderate light,’ except it’s when it’s direct sun. When I pull back even a foot from the window, it falls to ~15-20 umol/m^2/s.

So for my plants that can’t handle direct sunlight, I feel I have no options as to where I can place them for adequate ‘bright, indirect light.’

Any suggestions? Is my light meter possibly off?

![Attachment 1 of 1](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/YLb2pTExfCW0Jqt1J4G_w2cKybl-zckTooQMKcCRdQU/c3214460d48b4e24b11c4f89fb358b8e.webp?size=large)

## 4 comments

### Aaron commented on 2023-05-30

I’d say for your plants that can’t handle indirect light, place them a couple feet away from your windows. Do not place them in the corner around the window though, corners are dark.

#### Ciera replied on 2023-05-30

Would you say the dresser I have right next to the window is also considered too dark?

### Penny L commented on 2023-05-30

If you want to place any plants further away from the windows where they won’t get any real light at all, you might want to consider investing in a grow light. They’re not very expensive. I just bought a standing one with four lamps on it that’s full spectrum for my plants that are in a corner that gets no direct light at all—it was $35.

### anneliese commented on 2023-06-05

if you pull down your shades and slat them slightly open it becomes bright indirect

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