Vegetable gardens require two things for optimal success: water and sunlight. While vegetables can survive with less than full sun exposure, their productivity won’t increase significantly.
When choosing a planting location, observe where sunlight hits the ground at 8:00 a.m. If there is direct sun for at least five to six hours a day, plant leafy vegetables like lettuce and spinach; otherwise consider choosing spots with partial shade which receive sunlight during these same times of the day for roots and fruiting vegetables.
Leafy Vegetables
Most vegetables need ample sunlight in order to initiate their amazing food factory known as photosynthesis. Photosynthesis harnesses sunlight’s energy to transform carbon dioxide, water and other materials found within plants into sugars and oxygen that support plant life, growth and survival. Without sunlight, plants cannot produce. Vegetables with fruit bearing seeds such as tomatoes, peppers and squash must be planted in areas receiving six or more hours of direct sun each day to achieve maximum results. Vegetables that produce stems, roots and leaves such as beets, carrots, kale, collard greens and spinach thrive when exposed to three to six hours of full sunlight each day. Dappled sunlight (filtered or partially blocked by leaves of trees and shrubs) or deep shade are also ideal conditions.
Leafy and green vegetables tend to grow quickly, such as kale, bok choy, arugula, baby greens, lettuce, mustard greens and silverbeet (chard). These crops thrive when provided with morning sun and afternoon shade from tall vegetation such as trees; alternatively they may prefer partial shade from trees or tall vegetation like broccoli cauliflower and Brussels sprouts which prefer partial sun conditions.
If your vegetable garden location receives mostly shade during the day, try cultivating climbing vegetables like cucumbers or pole beans that can be trained to climb supports into the sunlight. Rhubarb and asparagus also thrive in partially shaded environments – to determine whether yours fits, experiment with potted samples.
Root Vegetables
As with a factory that runs on electricity, vegetable gardens rely on sunlight for production of crops. Without sunlight’s power, plants may still function; but without its raw materials they will struggle to produce as much food or reach their fullest potential for growth. Sunlight acts as the plant’s in-house food factory by providing it with raw materials needed to create and harvest its harvest.
As a rule of thumb, vegetables that focus on roots or bulbs need full sun to thrive; however, some can thrive with partial shade as well. It is essential that growers understand each plant’s particular growing instructions and the sun levels that each needs for its optimal growth.
Root vegetables like carrots, radishes and beets thrive with six hours or more of direct sunlight daily – providing plenty of light for leafy greens and herbs as well.
Rutabaga and leeks require less direct sunlight for their below-ground growth, while carrots can do well with as little as three hours per day of direct sun if grown in full sun conditions. But these varieties will produce smaller flowers with greater foliage coverage than their full-sun counterparts.
Root vegetables require only six hours or less of direct sunlight each day for growth; however, more frequent watering may be needed – something to bear in mind when planning out your garden space if your area is on the smaller side.
Brassicas such as broccoli, kale and kohlrabi tend to be sensitive to full sunlight and require frequent watering as a result.
Most vegetables that produce fruit need to be planted in full sun as sunlight is essential to their production of sugars and starches. Tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, squash, cucumbers, string beans and even melons cannot survive without at least six hours of daily sunlight. However, some types of tomatoes such as roma tomatoes do quite well when grown partially shaded if supported by trellising or cages to support them in this environment.
Fruit-Bearing Vegetables
Fruit-bearing vegetables require full sun, or at least the area with the most sun in your garden, for proper cultivation. This includes tomatoes, eggplants, capsicums and cucumbers as well as squashes and melons – these cannot produce good crops without at least 6 hours of daily sunshine exposure. If only partially shaded gardens can accommodate them then place these crops in their most southwest corner where the sun’s heat is strongest.
Your garden’s most radiant spots are where morning sun hits first and most sun will be available in the afternoon. To maximize sun exposure during these times, opt for planting vegetables such as carrots, parsnips and radishes that thrive with partial shade such as carrots. They prefer indirect sun without too much direct exposure.
Vegetables that are grown for their flowers, such as onions and leeks, also require full sun. Although these vegetables still require lots of sun for flower opening and seed production, their requirements don’t differ as drastically from those mentioned above.
General guidelines dictate that vegetables producing large fruits such as peaches and plums require full sun. Furthermore, their very warm soil needs help them get off to an excellent start; seedlings are usually purchased instead of seeds in early spring for outdoor planting in full sun locations. As their fruits ripen later in the season, making them sweeter.
To prevent seeds from going to waste, your garden must be placed on a site with good drainage, away from shrubs and trees whose roots could compete for moisture and nutrients with those of the veggies’ roots. It would also be useful if your vegetable patch were situated close to a water source so that new seeds and transplants receive sufficient amounts of water – although more frequent watering doesn’t always translate to better results: too much can promote fungal diseases so only water the soil until it feels damp to the touch.
Beans & Peas
While sunlight is essential for all living things, its influence is especially crucial in the lives of vegetable gardens as it provides essential energy and nutrients that help them flourish. Therefore, understanding exactly how much light a garden requires in order to maximize harvest results is vitally important in getting maximum returns from harvesting efforts.
A vegetable garden’s exposure to direct sunlight depends on its location, the sun’s position throughout the year and surrounding trees, buildings or other structures that block or absorb its light. Furthermore, depending on what types of vegetables are being grown in it – some can thrive under full shade while others require direct sun.
Planning a vegetable garden requires knowing how much sun the area will receive in reality; this makes selecting which vegetables and when they should be planted much simpler. Some produce can thrive even under partial shade conditions requiring only 4 to 6 hours of direct sunlight daily – examples being silverbeet, kale, spinach, watercress and lettuce; along with root crops like carrots and radishes.
There are also vegetables that thrive best when exposed to direct sunlight for at least six to eight hours each day, such as tomatoes, squash and peppers; as well as fruit-bearing plants like cucumbers and beans.
As part of planning a vegetable garden, it’s also essential to consider water availability in the area. Placing it near a potable water supply makes watering regular patches much simpler during growing seasons. Furthermore, nutrient-rich liquid fertiliser such as seaweed tonic can keep vegetables fed throughout summer days; such products can be purchased easily at garden centres and can easily be applied via watering can or hose.