Light is the single most important factor in what you can grow. Most fruiting vegetables, such as tomatoes, peppers and beans, need at least six hours of direct sun a day. Leafy greens and many herbs cope with four to six hours. Shade-tolerant plants such as ferns and some woodland flowers manage with less.
Spend a day observing your space. Note where the sun falls at nine in the morning, at noon and at four in the afternoon. Walls, fences, trees and neighbouring buildings all create shade that moves through the day and changes through the seasons as the sun's angle shifts.
Look for microclimates too. A south-facing wall absorbs heat and creates a warm pocket. A corner that funnels wind will be colder and drier. Ground under trees stays dry because the canopy blocks rain. These small differences explain why the same plant thrives in one spot and struggles a metre away.
Common mistake to avoid
The biggest beginner mistake is choosing plants first and the location second. A tomato placed in a shady corner will grow leaves but very little fruit, however well you feed and water it. Observe your space before buying anything. It is also easy to forget that shade patterns change through the year, so a spot that is sunny in summer may be shaded in spring.
Try this
Sketch your space on paper. Mark the sun at three times of day, then shade each area as full sun, part sun or shade. Note any warm walls, windy corners or dry patches. Keep this map for planning later in the course.
Key takeaways
- Most vegetables need six or more hours of direct sun
- Observe light at several times of day
- Microclimates explain why plants differ in nearby spots