Plant Light Needs
How do I determine my garden's level of sun or shade?
As gardeners we need to be observant, and we need to watch the area. Any time we are doing a design, we need to watch for sun or shade patterns. As a designer on different sites, I will go to a client's garden, spend the day there and note what buildings, structures, or even trees would cast shadow so that I know to design sun into certain pockets or shape plants into other areas.
How much light does a 'full sun' plant need?
Normally we look at about 5 to 6 hours of light, and preferably, no hot afternoon or Western sun is preferable.
How much light does a 'partial sun' or 'partial shade' plant need?
With partial sun and partial shade, we're looking at at least 2 to 3 hours of sun. With a partial shade, we definitely want to avoid hot, afternoon sun.
How much light does a 'full shade' plant need?
A full shade plant would really have no direct sunlight. So less than even an hour of sun a day and it is often dappled shade or would be under a high canopy of trees.
How much light does a 'deep shade' plant need?
Deep shade would be almost no light, and there quite honestly are very few plants that can tolerate deep shade where they're receiving no light. Some of our wildflowers that are used to growing in the lowest canopy in a woodland will take deep shade.
What is the worst type of sun for a plant to receive?
Hot afternoon sun or the western sun is the worst sun for a plant. And usually, it often causes scorching, particularly on yellow foliaged plants. Anything that might be slightly delicate or really fine textured will sometimes burn in hot afternoon sun.
How will my garden's soil affect my plant's light requirements?
Well, we can actually grow some shade-loving plants in more sun if there's sufficient moisture. So, if we know it's a lower-lying area that retains a lot of moisture, sometimes we can get away with shade plants in a little sunnier site.
How will heat affect my plant's light requirements?
As the temperature rises in the summer, plants will require more moisture and sometimes will require a little more shade; so we might need to move them. If it's a container plant, it would be better to move it into a partially shaded situation.