12/01/2025
Happy National Christmas Lights Day! The day commemorates how Thomas Edison's associate, Edward H. Johnson, first strung a Christmas tree with electric lights in 1882, replacing the previous risky practice of using candles on trees.
So what does this have to do with gardening?
Without light, there is no life. Literally.
It was Dutch scientist Jan Ingenhousz who, through a series of experiments in 1779, showed that light is required for photosynthesis, the process that makes life on earth possible by allowing plants to capture carbon dioxide from the air while simultaneously releasing the oxygen we need to breathe.
Plants either directly or indirectly produce all the food we require to live. The light that makes photosynthesis possible encompasses wavelengths in the 400-700 nanometer range, which is termed “visible light” since this is the range of wavelengths to which our eyes respond.
So as you celebrate with whatever version of holidays lights you prefer or just reflect on the shorter days we have at this time of year let your thoughts wander to plants, photosynthesis and how amazing it all is.
