Do the Sun Requirement Labels Really Matter?
Ever gone to the garden center and looked at all the beautiful flowers outside and just picked out whatever looked pretty. You bought them, took them home, planted them, and wondered why they looked so pitiful. Trust me I have done my fair share of this. For a few seasons I was in total denial that my yard was a shade yard and that the plants I was buying required full sun. I wanted those beautiful flowers to thrive in my yard so badly but it just wasn’t in the cards for me. Let’s be real those plants were surviving. Not thriving despite my best efforts.
Sun Requirment Labels Matter!
All plants have a set amount and intensity of sunlight they need to prosper. Plant labels identify the amount of sun a plant requires as full sun, part sun, part shade, or full shade as defined:
Full Sun - At least 6 hours of direct sun daily
Part Sun - Between 3 and 6 hours of sun per day
Part Shade - Between 3 and 6 hours of sun per day, but need protection from intense mid-day sun
Full Shade - Plants require less that 3 hours of direct sun per day.
Labels let you know right off the bat whether each plant you pick up likes sun or shade. If you put a flowering plant that requires full sun in a shade garden it will survive but you likely won’t see any blooms since it’s not getting enough energy to produce them. If you put a shade plant in a full sun area, it will roast and die.
Know How Much Sun Your Bed Get!
When you invest your time and money planting a garden, whether flowers or vegetables, you want to get the best results possible. To get a good handle on your sun needs, over the course of a few days, every couple hours, take a look at your garden space. Document an estimate of how many hours of sun you are getting. You might be surprised by the results.
Keep in mind that your sun needs will change throughout the year. Leaves in trees will come and go, trees and shrubs will get bigger, and the sun travels up and down the horizon throughout the year. But by understanding your sun exposure better, you can choose plants and place them in locations that most closely match their requirements.
Plan Ahead Before Shopping!
Trust me, you can’t bully a plant into growing in a place that is not meeting it’s needs. I’ve tried. I challenge you to do some observing this long 4th of July weekend before you go to the garden center and buy plants. Plan ahead so that you know your gardens requirements. At the garden center be mindful of plant labels and only select those that fit your garden’s needs. Do this and you are sure to find garden success.
Resources to Find Sun Requirements
My favorite resource for finding out the sun requirements for a plant that I’m not sure about is www.garden.org. You can search any plant and it will give you loads of information about it. You’ll find that a good number of plants can thrive in a variety of sun conditions. Happy Gardening!
As always if you are feeling lost and overwhelmed in the garden, book a discovery call so we can get you set up on the right track the first time. No trial and error necessary.
