The leaves of a plant are key to fast plant growth because they photosynthesize and make energy. This means that plants grow faster with more leaves if they get enough light, water and nutrients to sustain the plant’s overall growth. More leaves will help a plant grow much faster.
This article will explore why plants grow faster with more leaves and 4 easy tips to get the best out of your plants at home.
Plants Require the Right Balance
When the growing conditions are right, a plant will grow strong and healthy, and that means larger roots, thicker stems, and more new leaves. Thicker stems and larger roots mean that it is easier for your plant to provide the water that’s needed to sustain the leaves.
But again, it isn’t just more leaves that’s needed to help the plant; a plant also needs a perfect balance between its foliage and what its vascular system and its roots can sustain.
If a plant has a lot of leaves, this is a sign that the plant has lots of nutrients and is therefore healthy. This, in turn, means that the plant will grow much faster. Does this mean that without leaves, a plant will not grow quickly? Yes, it does, even though foliage isn’t the only thing that’s needed for quick growth. Leaves let plants photosynthesize and get energy from the sun.
The role of leaves in plant growth rates
Leaves capture sunlight and they use the energy from the sun to convert water and carbon dioxide into glucose, which is what feeds the plant.
Plants need in order to be fed and to create the carbohydrates that make up their stems and roots. Plants can take some nutrients from the soil, but they cannot grow properly on these nutrients alone. They need leaves to grow strong and healthy and to continue growing for years to come.
If a plant has a lot of leaves, it is faster for them to convert water and CO2 into glucose, and faster feeding means faster growth. Of course, the plant also needs lots of nutrients in the soil that go into the roots, which is why plants that are stressed often shed their leaves in order to focus on survival by sparing their resources.
As long as your plants have a lot of leaves, you can safely assume that it also has plenty of water and energy to grow and thrive.
If you love your plants and you’re interested in helping them to grow a little faster, below are four tips that could help.
4 Tips to help plants grow faster
Here are my top 4 tips to help plants grow faster at home, growing more leaves, stems and strong root systems.
1. Be kind to the soil
Plants need the right amount of air, water, and nutrients in order to grow, and your soil has to be just right as well. If your soil is too sandy the plant can struggle to get the nutrients and water that it needs.
If the soil is heavy clay, add compost aged manures, worm castings and cover it with a mulch to keep the soil protected. Even though healthy leaves are required for a plant to grow faster and healthier, the soil is just as important.
2: Add fertilizer regularly
There are several types of fertilizer you can use to help your plants grow stronger and faster. A good multi-purpose fertilizer such as Miracle-Gro can be used on all types of plants, but you can use simple aged manure if you prefer because it contains phosphorus and nitrogen, two minerals that are crucial for healthy plants.
You can choose between slow release fertilizers that will last for 3-6 months or a liquid fertilizer that will give plants nutrients rapidly but only last for 2-3 weeks. Liquid fertilizer will give your plants rapid boost of nutrients helping them to grow leaves fast.
3. Make sure that the plant is in the right location
Where you grow your plant can directly affect its growth speed. Different plants need different amounts of sunlight, so read the directions or ask the salesperson for help if needed. Some plants need direct sunlight, some need a lot of shade, and some are in between these two.
Make sure you know exactly what the plant needs before you set it somewhere and forget about it. The plants’ needs are crucial if you intend to keep them healthy and keep them for a long time.
4. Start using grow lights for indoor plants
Grow lights placed roughly six inches from your indoor plants can help them grow much faster. Depending on the plants themselves, you can either keep the grow lights directed at the plants permanently, or you can do this for plants that you only bring inside for the winter.
Make sure that you buy the right type of lights, which are grow lights that are made specifically for plants. These lights provide synthetic sunlight but without any harmful rays. You can also determine beforehand exactly how much direct light the plants need and set a timer each day.
For more on how to grow big leaves and plants, check out this video.
Conclusion
The more leaves a plant has generally, the faster it will grow. Leaves help the plant to create energy and the components it needs to grow more leaves, stems and roots. Give plants the right amounts of nutrients, good soil, regular water and sunlight and they will reward you with fast growth.
I am an accredited practicing dietitian, experienced gardener and a dedicated cook. I love writing and sharing my experience so you can learn from my successes and mistakes.