Sun Requirement / Shade

Determining how much sun or shade your garden receives is key when deciding to plant a new flowerbed or purchase plants. Some plants prefer full sun while others thrive in partial shade or even full shade. Full Shade is defined as a maximum of 3 hours of direct sunlight every day. There are at least 3 ways to determine if you have enough light in your garden to plant Full Shade perennials, annuals or shrubs. 

1) Monitor your garden, observe the sun and shade patterns during the full day and calculate the number of direct sunlight hours each specified area of your garden received at the end of the day 
2) Get a Sun calculator, which will measure the amount of accumulated light that falls on any specific location on your property 
3) Use a Plant Sensor, which will read and analyze growing conditions in specific spots inside your home or yard, including sunlight, temperature, humidity, soil moisture and drainage.