Do you think about your landscape around your house like a compass? The sun rises in the eastern part of your property, passes through the southern part and settles on the western part of your property. The rising and setting points will change slightly each day and will only be at due east and due west two days each year, the spring and fall equinoxes. Using the compass theory helps gardeners to avoid the common problem of the wrong plant in the wrong place.
For plants that require part sun, consider planting them where the morning or eastern sun exposure lies. Part sun generally means the plant does best when the direct sunlight exposure is no more than four hours. Trees adjacent to your planting areas continue to grow and could interfere with ground level plants in direct sunlight. This is not usually an issue with annuals but you will need to plan accordingly for perennials. Many of us had or have a plant that produced beautiful flowers a few years ago but now is just foliage. This may be caused by a lack of sunlight and not a lack of fertilizer.
Plants that require full sun or direct exposure of at least six hours should be planted where the mid-day or southern exposure shines. This is especially critical for vegetable gardens where light and heat are critical. Most of the garden favorites such as tomatoes, corn, beans, and cucumbers require eight to 10 hours of sunlight to produce their best yields.
Plants that require shade or partial shade are well suited for areas adjacent to a north facing wall. Foundations and siding on your house that may not receive any direct sunlight also retain moisture longer than the southern and western exposures. This combination of shade and moisture creates an excellent location for native ferns, groundcovers, and some flowing plants.
As always, do your research and make the correct choice for your sun situation.
Timely tomato tip: When planting, plant deep. Roots of tomatoes can develop along their stem and will be stronger if planted deeper. Set the plant in the soil so the first set of leaves is at soil level then remove the leaves from the main stem. If the plant is in a peat container, set the top of the container one inch below the soil. Surround the plant with mulch or straw to prevent soil from splashing onto the plant.
