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| I live in Northern Louisiana and gets really hot. How much sun does a garden need? I am trying to figure out where it would go in the yard. No matter where I put it will get some shade. Is morning shade or afternoon shade better? I have tried a few times growing tomatoes in containers and they always die. I'm not sure why? They always end up looking like they are getting too much sun. I don't want to plant my garden in the wrong spot and have to move it the next year. Thanks for all the help! |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| Optimal sun is 8+ hrs a day, but you might be able to get away w. 6. What do the plants look like when they are dying? Do you recall? The only thing that could result from too much sun that I can think of is sun scald, but that usually stems from too much sun after a prolonged period of time in the shade. That's one of the reasons why it's suggested to "harden off" your seedlings before transplanting them outside |
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| Some shade is likely a good thing with your summers. The heat peaks in the afternoon, so afternoon shade would be my choice. We've had tomatoes on the east side of our house before, where they got direct sun until about 2 in the afternoon. They did well. |
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| Agree that 8 hours is the ideal and afternoon light shade helps. But more importantly when selecting your location for the garden is the location of the sun. Where will it be in your yard in June and July compared to where it is now? It will change by as much as 15 degrees to the north of west between now and then. And that can make a BIG difference depending on the structures and trees in your yard. In other words, put the garden where the best sun/shade location WILL be, not where it is right now. If you have never noted or plotted the change in your yard's sun exposure then check out the link below. Dave |
Here is a link that might be useful: How to plot sun exposure with the seasons
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| afternoon shade is better, most vege plants require at least 6 hours sun to full sun. orientate beds north south, and on the eastern or southern aspect len |
Here is a link that might be useful: lens bale garden
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| thanks so much! Well, we will start to mover our stuff over to the new house tomorrow. So, I really don't know for sure where the sun/shade will be this summer. But, we picked the lot because it faces west so the back yard would have shade in the evenings. I know when we are there in the late afternoon the whole patio is shaded with the shade coming into the yard. We will have a privacy fence, so if we plant next to that it will get some shade from that, I think? We will also have a shed put in a couple of months. I will check out those sites y'all posted. Thanks so much! There are no trees. |
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| Bomber095, from what I recall they looked dry, the soil would dry out real fast. I would move them from sun to shade and back. Maybe too much moving them around? I thought maybe it was just too hot for the small amount of soil. It was one of those containers at Walmart that had the tomato plant growing already with the tomato cage around it already. |
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- Posted by Gary_Snail 9 (My Page) on Wed, Feb 20, 13 at 13:48
| "If you grow it for the fruit, or the root, you need full sun. If you grow it for the leaves, partial shade is all you need”. From Pinterest, just wish I’d clipped it and saved the link. |
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| Yes, that is accurate. And grown for stalks (rhubarb,celery, cardoon), part shade is fine. If you are willing to wait a full season, you can grow collards in full shade. You can have two crops of mustard greens and arugula in one season of full shade. If you are willing to wait a bit longer than 60 days, you can grow carrots and beets in part shade. You can grow zucchini,cabbage and beans in some degrees of shade (4-6 hrs a day), again having to wait a bit longer. |
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| Yeah, I'm going to say way too much moving around. Once a plant is established and acclimated to a location, it doesnt like to be moved, even a container. That's the reason why planning your layout during the "offseason" is so key ;-) |
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