Sunlight
There are three
intensities of sunlight that suit plants: full
sun, partial sun, and shade.
Depending on the particular plant, and other plants near it, try
to plan for a garden that groups plants that need a particular
amount of sunlight together (or plan it to plant taller plants
over small ones that need shade).
Other factors related to the type of sunlight are the intensity
of the light, the duration of exposure, and the overall quality of
the light. The closer to the light source, the more intense the
light.
The duration of light is more important to some plants
(especially those that only flower during the short days of
winter) than others.
Full
Sun Conditions
Plants that need
full sun are generally those that thrive in six or more hours of
direct sunlight exposure every day.
Heliophilous is the term that describes these plants: helio for
"sun," and philous for "to like." Direct,
warm, long-lasting sunlight is what this means to a plant.
A lot of desert plants and cacti fall into the full sun
category. Other plants that do especially well in full sun are
flowers and most vegetables.
While it is possible to keep full sun plants alive in areas
that get less than six hours of direct light a day, the results
aren't as good. Plants need all the energy they can get to produce
flowers, fruits, and vegetables.
Partial
Sun Conditions
Plants that
thrive in partial sun are the plants that will do well with about
three to six hours of sunlight a day. If these plants receive too
much sun, they have a tendency to heat up and wilt.
Placing partial-sun plants in a west-facing area will give them
a bit more sunlight in the afternoon hours, whereas plants that
are in east-facing areas receive more light in the morning.
Always check your plants' sunlight requirements (when you buy
them or through a garden shop). Partial sun will suit a wide
variety of plants, and depending on the water requirements, you
can have a garden filled with all kinds of plants!
One way to achieve partial sun for your plants is to plant them
near larger plants that provide shade for some of the day and
sunlight for a few hours of the day. This is especially helpful if
you have a large balcony that has the space to grow some nice
shrubs or tiny trees.
Shade
Conditions
Shade is often
used to describe situations in which a plant either gets two or
three hours of direct light, or gets indirect or filtered light
all day.
There are very few plants that actually require shade. Most are
better thought of as "shade tolerant," and will usually
thrive if placed in partial sun conditions as well.
Most shade plants will wilt or burn if exposed for long periods
of time to direct sunlight. Hot, full sun saps the strength and
water out of these "shade-loving" plants so be careful!
Shade can be achieved artificially, by building a shade screen
for your plants, or by placing them in an area that receives
little direct light - such as below other sun-loving plants.
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