Gardening Tip #4: Here Comes The Sun
As mentioned in the garden location article, it's very important that your garden get enough sunshine.
Plants rely on the sun's energy for their health just as much as they require adequate water and nutrition-rich soil. Plants take the light energy of the sun and convert it into chemical energy which is used to fuel their growth in a process called photosynthesis.
How Much Sun Does a Garden Need?
The amount of sun exposure needed by garden plants can vary, but generally speaking, more sun is better than less. That said, some plants thrive in maximum sunshine. The best example of this is the tomato, a garden all-star found in most gardens. Tomato plants require full sunshine to thrive; at least six hours a day of full sun exposure. Tomatoes love the sun, especially the bright morning sunshine. If a tomato plant is in the shade during the day for any length of time, it's going to struggle to produce the flowers and the delcious fruits that they grow into.
Other types of plants that require full sunshine are chile peppers and eggplants; if you're planting from store-bought seeds, the packaging will specify how much sunshine the plant needs to succeed. It's important to follow this advice for gardening success.
Some plants don't require as much sunshine , and can be planted in shadier parts of a garden. Lettuces and peas are examples of garden plants that don't require as much full sunshine. Again, follow the directions on the seed packages closely, or consult a gardening book or website for advice on specific garden plants.
