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Gardening in Full Sun

 

"Full sun" can be a confusing term because not all plants that thrive in full sun have the same hour requirements.  For example, oregano needs 8-12 hours of sun per day, while carrots prefer 6-8 hours.  Both of these ranges would be technically considered full sun.


If a more specific range like this is available for a given plant, it will appear on its gardening facts page.


However, if not otherwise noted, the term "full sun" means that the plant needs 6 hours or more of sunlight per day.


Here are the plants we have covered so far that thrive in full-sun conditions in most regions:


As you can see, full sun is the most common category for popular garden vegetables, fruit bushes, fruit trees, and culinary herbs.  This is especially so with plants that produce fruits (especially medium to large fruits) or roots.  So remember that if you're growing a plant for the fruit or the root, it most likely needs full sun.


Some plants that are listed on this page also appear on other pages such as dappled shade or part shade.  In most cases, this is because these plants grow best in full sun, but they can also tolerate some shade.  


But such plants tend to grow the fastest and produce the highest-quality results when grown in full sun.  For example, peppermint, rosemary, and other Lamiaceae family plants produce more potent oils in full sun than they do in shade. 


Because they grow faster, plants grown in full sun have less time to develop diseases and be affected by pests.


Sun recommendations can vary by region.  Plants grown in hot regions or in warmer conditions may need more shade than standard suggestions.


Further Reading

Check out these other articles about other sun conditions:



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