Maintaining a healthy garden requires work. It also requires knowledge of the factors that impact your plants. Elements like the sun, water, and soil contribute to their health and survival. That’s why it’s important to understand how much sunlight your yard gets since it is one of the factors that affect your plants.
While water and soil are two elements you can somewhat control, the sun is not one. This is a challenge because the amount and type of sunlight your plants need differ. Plants require one of four types of sunlight: full-sun, part-sun, part shade, or full shade.
Plants that require full sun need six plus hours of direct sunlight per day. Part-sun and part-shade are interchangeable terms, meaning plants need three to six hours of sun daily. Most plant care instructions will mention whether morning or evening sunlight is preferred. This is because the morning sun provides gentler rays while the afternoon sun is more intense hot heat. During the other parts of the day, shade is acceptable for these plants. Full-shade plants need less than three hours of direct sunlight a day. So, dense shade or spotty, fluctuating light is normal.
Sounds easy, right? Not necessarily, since a few factors can change the light plants receive. Let’s explore each below.
Directional Light
The type of light and when it’s received depends on the direction plants face. Plants facing west may get morning shade but hot, full sun in the afternoon. Northern-facing plants receive morning sun and shade in the afternoon. Plants facing south typically receive sun all day. While plants facing east receive morning sun and afternoon shade. Consequently, as the sun moves, you must ensure your plants receive appropriate light throughout the day.
Light Obstructions
Another factor to consider is the height of other plants or structures on your property. Taller items can affect the amount of sunlight your plants receive, even when planted in a direction and location that should receive proper light. For example, large trees or shrubs planted west of another plant may prevent a smaller plant from getting the light it needs in the afternoon.
Seasonal and Climate Changes
Other factors like seasonal changes and climates can also affect plants. During spring, trees may be bare and then bloom later in spring or summer. Once bloomed, direct sunlight may become filtered light or even full shade. This could affect the health of your plant if more light is required.
Your climate can also affect light requirements. The southern sun can be hotter than most other climates. The afternoon sun in this region can be too hot for some plants needing direct sunlight. This may necessitate moving a plant to another location in your yard with less afternoon sun to prevent it from being scorched. Similarly, some northern climates may produce too much shade requiring a plant needing part sun to be moved to a location typically providing full sun. This would ensure adequate sunlight.
Solutions
So how can you ensure you’re placing your plants in the right location? First, read and be familiar with a plant’s care instructions. Second, study how the sun covers your yard and shifts throughout the day. Third, be aware of how other plants or structures could impact the necessary light.
Keep in mind, though, that you must be flexible when gardening. Plants don’t always perform as expected, and it could be several factors causing the issue. Thus, you must be aware of how your plants are performing and willing to accommodate plants based on their needs. This could mean moving plants to better lighting conditions or adjusting soil or water levels.
Most plants can be moved easily without the risk of dying. But to reduce the risk, transplant plants when temperatures are moderate rather than excessively cold or hot. This gives a plant’s roots a chance to settle in. If you don’t move your plants, it’s not the end of the world. But your plants may not perform as well in terms of the number and quality of blooms it has, their color may not be as vibrant, and they may not live as long as they could in more optimal conditions.
So, what if you’ve already considered these aspects and understand how much sunlight your yard receives? But you still have unhealthy plants. Then it’s time to consider how water and soil affect your plants. In two upcoming posts, learn why you need to monitor how much water your plants get and understand your soil conditions, available on August 26th and September 9th, respectively.