Block Out the Sun? A Plant Expert Told Me How and Why

All of my plants are dead. Or on their way there. There are plenty of problems—overwatering, underwatering—but there are some things I just can’t control. In fact, I was beginning to think my plants were getting too much sunlight—which to me, was just the icing on the cake. I can’t stop the sun, I thought. And then I talked to a plant expert, who said, “Yes, you can.”

Hilton Carter is a plant whiz. The author of Wild Creations , Hilton’s home is literally brimming with plants— compared to mine, which has about three dead ones drooping in the corner. It was way past time I asked for some advice.

Hilton recommended this gel to apply to the windows.

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“A lot of greenhouses will have this frosted glass on the ceiling to protect the plants from the harshest light,” he said. “It’s the same idea here: you’re adding a filter to protect your plants from direct sun.”

But isn’t having sun on plants a good thing? I wondered.

“Having direct sun on some of your plants can be detrimental—you really want bright indirect light and that’s what this filter creates. It evens out the rays to create a nice even glow that is more evenly distributed,” Hilton said. “Plus, it helps with privacy.”

As for applying it and removing it, Hilton says that’s a breeze. “You pretty much just add water, and it sticks on. And then when you’re ready to take it off, you can just peel it back easily.”

I was convinced—honestly, anything to help my little dying plants. I couldn’t put it on my living room windows (damn you landlord!) but I decided the bathroom might be an even better spot. After all, I have plants in there too, and need some privacy which this helps create.

After a few weeks, I started to notice a difference. For starters, I wasn’t so concerned with my neighbors seeing me naked in my own bathroom anymore, but even more so, my plants began thriving. I love that you can take it off whenever you want to as well—it makes it a no brainer in my opinion. If your plants are struggling, this gel is definitely worth a shot.

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