HERE COMES THE SUN...

Juel Duke

As someone who has been a “serious hobbyist gardener” for decades I get frustrated by how many new gardeners (and there are many joining the hobby right now) make posts that show they don’t understand the “right plant in the right place” concept, especially the role that the sun plays in the health and vigor of a plant. Then I remember “sun exposure” was one of the hardest concepts for me to grasp, as well.  Despite classes and copious reading, it was a couple decades before I really understood that I needed to know how the sun moved over the potential planting spot and how that translated to the basic terms used to describe what spot meant “right place” as far as sun exposure.

Knowing how the sun passes over your property and observing the shadows of trees and other structures along that path is an excellent start.  Note the difference in the size of the shrubs from the far left to the far right in the picture above.  I pass this spot frequently so I know they are all the same type of plant, Vitex, planted at the same time when they were all basically the same size.  The vitex on the far right is half the height and much less vigorous than the one on the far left.  The two in the middle are like stair steps down to the smallest one.You can also see that there are trees to the right.  There are no trees nearby to the left.  I now understand that sun exposure is the likely cause for the differences.  No amount of fertilizer can make up for the lack of sun, especially to a plant that thrives in full sun.

The following link will take you to an article from Penn State Extension that provides a guidance on measuring sun exposure in your landscape: https://extension.psu.edu/planting-in-sun-or-shade. 

Why is it important to know your sun exposure?  You’ve seen those phrases on plant tags at the nursery.  Phrases like “Full sun”, “Partial shade/full shade” and others. Even if you have to look up the growing information about a plant, because there’s nothing but a name tag, it’s important to know the plant’s preference. There are standardized meanings for those terms that experienced gardeners know and rely on when choosing plants.   Combine the understanding of those terms with the info about the plant and you’re one step closer to “Right Plant, Right Place”.

Here’s a handy reference that I’ve excerpted from the Chatham County NC Extension Service.  The full presentation, which is excellent, is available at https://chatham.ces.ncsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/FallPlantingOnlinept2.pdf. 

Exposure: Sun versus Shade Full sun: at least 8 hours direct sunlight each day Part sun: at least 4 hours direct sunlight each day Morning sun: gentler, shade plants are usually okay with morning sun Afternoon sun: hotter, harsher – choose sun tolerant plants for sites that get direct afternoon sun Light Shade: a bright shade such as that cast by pine trees – as opposed to a dark shade cast by buildings or hardwood trees

Of course, some plants are a little more forgiving than others about exposure but this gives you a place to start when trying to determine if a plant is likely to thrive where you want to plant it. 

For a bit more in-depth explanation, I give you this excerpt from the North Carolina Extension Gardener Handbook (ISBN-13: 978-1469641256). 

Sunlight  “Examine the type of light available, from full sun to partial sun, and heavy shade. How many hours a day is the site in full sun? When evaluating light exposure, note the duration and intensity of sunlight the site receives. Four hours of full sun during the morning is very different from 4 hours of stronger, more intense afternoon sun. There are also many types of shade, and the amount of light in a shaded location varies with the type, number, and size of trees in the area. If the site receives more than 3 hours of unfiltered midday sun, treat it as a "full sun" site. "Partial shade" is defined as receiving unfiltered morning sun but shade during the afternoon hours, or moderate shading throughout the entire day. A "heavily shaded" site would receive very little direct midday light and less than 60% of the sun's intensity during the remainder of the day. Few flowering plants do well in deep shade. Introducing more light to a shaded location can greatly increase flower production. Removing some tree limbs can allow more light to reach the ground below. Plants preferring partial shade may tolerate more sunlight if temperatures are moderate and adequate water is provided.”

North Carolina Extension Gardener Handbook on page 19-16.

This excellent book  is available to reference online at https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/extension-gardener-handbook. It can also be purchased through numerous retailers.

If you are interested in adding a vegetable garden, this article will be helpful.

https://www.buncombemastergardener.org/sunlight-vegetable-garden/

Please, take the time to learn about the various sun exposures in your space.  It’s a great way to save money by not killing as many plants as I did before I learned the basics.