Well they tend to be shinier when brand new, but one method some use is regularly applied neem oil. Not only does the neem act as a good preventative against pest and fungus, but it shines the leaves up somewhat. Try it out yourself, I find a milder mixture is a good way to go because some plants can be sensitive, and apply no more than once per week.
archelon2001
Healthy leaves will naturally have a bit of shine to them, oftentimes just a gentle wipe down with a damp cloth is enough to bring back the shine if your plant leaves are getting dusty. However there are products called leaf shine spray which can enhance the shine. Opinions are mixed, some people say leaf shine will clog stomata and suffocate the leaf. Personally I do use leaf shine but only occasionally and make sure to not get any on the underside of leaves, since the majority of stomata are located there. Also I stay away from the miracle grow brand of leaf shine since it uses mineral oil.
Wod_1
More humidity tends to produce more shinier leaves in my observations
doctorchile
Stop. You don’t need to make leaves shiny. Let go of that impulse.
If anything, you wipe leaves with a damp cloth every so often to get rid of dust. But that’s it.
MiniMushi
I wipe mine down with water that has a drop or two of soap in it, then dry it with a microfiber towel. I do this about every three months. it cleans the every day grime off of em and not only makes them look better but I’ve read it helps them photosynthesize better too. Neem oil also works to give them a shine and will keep pests away
Delicious-School7769
You can use a leaf shine spray but it’s bad for the plant. A lady at a greenhouse once told me to use beer? Not sure about the science behind that one.
OversizeHades
That one is especially shiny because it’s young. Looks pretty much brand new. You can see the darker, older leaves around it are a bit less shiny
RuggedHamster
Most insecticidal soaps contain some kind of oil. I get the most compliments on my plants right after applying that. Little do they know it’s the side effect of genocide (last time was on lice outdoors).
MasterpieceMinimum42
I would rather let the plant grow naturally
taxidermytina
Acrylic spray. Three or four coats at least.
olddeadgrass
That’s just a very new leaf that hasn’t hardened yet. It’s still developing layers of chlorophyll and that’s the only reason it’s shiny still. You do not need shiny leaves.
Available-Sun6124
I don’t. To me it looks unnatural and is unnecessary. Plus, “leaf shines” tend to clog stomata and thus make it harder (or impossible) for plant to do vital gas exhange, leading to suffering plant.
Positive-Reward2863
You spray and or wipe white oil mix on them. (Careful not to rip them.) However, keeping them this shiny means they will always have a thin layer of eco-oil that attracts dust so you have to keep them clean more often.
Dry-Caregiver-2199
Wait what…oil? On plants?
Specialist_Banana378
For me neen oil every few months 🙂
Angelique718
I wipe with water, alcohol, Dr. Bronner’s peppermint soap and a few drops of stink ass neem oil.
16 Comments
Well they tend to be shinier when brand new, but one method some use is regularly applied neem oil. Not only does the neem act as a good preventative against pest and fungus, but it shines the leaves up somewhat. Try it out yourself, I find a milder mixture is a good way to go because some plants can be sensitive, and apply no more than once per week.
Healthy leaves will naturally have a bit of shine to them, oftentimes just a gentle wipe down with a damp cloth is enough to bring back the shine if your plant leaves are getting dusty. However there are products called leaf shine spray which can enhance the shine. Opinions are mixed, some people say leaf shine will clog stomata and suffocate the leaf. Personally I do use leaf shine but only occasionally and make sure to not get any on the underside of leaves, since the majority of stomata are located there. Also I stay away from the miracle grow brand of leaf shine since it uses mineral oil.
More humidity tends to produce more shinier leaves in my observations
Stop. You don’t need to make leaves shiny. Let go of that impulse.
If anything, you wipe leaves with a damp cloth every so often to get rid of dust. But that’s it.
I wipe mine down with water that has a drop or two of soap in it, then dry it with a microfiber towel. I do this about every three months. it cleans the every day grime off of em and not only makes them look better but I’ve read it helps them photosynthesize better too. Neem oil also works to give them a shine and will keep pests away
You can use a leaf shine spray but it’s bad for the plant. A lady at a greenhouse once told me to use beer? Not sure about the science behind that one.
That one is especially shiny because it’s young. Looks pretty much brand new. You can see the darker, older leaves around it are a bit less shiny
Most insecticidal soaps contain some kind of oil. I get the most compliments on my plants right after applying that. Little do they know it’s the side effect of genocide (last time was on lice outdoors).
I would rather let the plant grow naturally
Acrylic spray. Three or four coats at least.
That’s just a very new leaf that hasn’t hardened yet. It’s still developing layers of chlorophyll and that’s the only reason it’s shiny still. You do not need shiny leaves.
I don’t. To me it looks unnatural and is unnecessary. Plus, “leaf shines” tend to clog stomata and thus make it harder (or impossible) for plant to do vital gas exhange, leading to suffering plant.
You spray and or wipe white oil mix on them.
(Careful not to rip them.)
However, keeping them this shiny means they will always have a thin layer of eco-oil that attracts dust so you have to keep them clean more often.
Wait what…oil? On plants?
For me neen oil every few months 🙂
I wipe with water, alcohol, Dr. Bronner’s peppermint soap and a few drops of stink ass neem oil.
https://preview.redd.it/ipfsnl3ojzgd1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f211529bb598f285abb26c461c52975f02707340