Summer is a precarious time for plants. Those growing in gardens and in pots on doorsteps are obvious contenders for extra water and shade, but houseplants are just as – if not more – vulnerable, exposed to inconsistent and intensified sunlight throughout the day.
Clear glass can magnify direct sun and quickly cause 'sunscald' on leaves. This sunburn on plants is particularly common on south- and west-facing windowsills, where sunlight is intensely hot for prolonged periods, but it can also occur as the sunlight moves through the home throughout the day.
The UK's unpredictable weather only makes matters worse. A cloudy morning can lull us into a false sense of security, but when the sun finally breaks though by midday, plants sitting on windowsills can suddenly find themselves at risk.
'Inconsistent or excessive light can cause plants to suffer leaf burn, dehydration, and stunted growth,' explains Kate O’Brien, interior expert at Swift Direct Blinds. 'Light intensity changes dramatically throughout the day and can impact the growth pattern of your plants.'
Even the most experienced interiors enthusiasts can get caught out. During the hot spell in May, House Beautiful's editor-in-chief, Torri Mundell, discovered just how quickly indoor plants can fall victim to sunburn.
'Until recently, my beloved Blue Star Fern was living his best life on my kitchen windowsill These plants thrive in bright, indirect light, but at the peak of the last heatwave, several of his gorgeous ruffled fronds got torched by the sun,' she says.
'Over the course of just one day, the leaves that face the window had turned brown, dry and crumbly. Disaster!'
While it might be too late for Torri's favourite fern (although it's currently in recovery, fingers crossed), there's a simple way to prevent this from happening again: adjusting your blinds throughout the day.
'The way you position your blinds can ensure plants are getting the correct amount of sun,' says Kate. 'In the morning and evening, open your blinds fully to give your plants the direct, but gentle light that they need to thrive.'
Once the sun intensifies, make one simple tweak. 'During the midday heat, tilt the slats of your blinds upwards to filter direct sunlight away from the leaves without blocking it out completely,' advises Kate.
'Direct, hot sun causes many plants to burn and wilt, so adjusting the tilt of your blinds can create a more dappled sunlight effect that reduces damage and creates a consistent light pattern.
'A quick adjustment to your blinds throughout the day can stabilise the light in the room and be the difference between thriving foliage and a couple of sad plants.'
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