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Best garden orientation for the sun

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Best garden orientation for the sun

Some plants like a warm place and enjoy sitting in the sun all day, while others prefer cool shade. The direction in which your garden faces affects the amount of sun and shade it receives. Consider this when choosing your plants to ensure they will thrive in the conditions you have to offer.

For better results, check your plot first. Here are some tips that you should keep in mind.

  • Patterns of sun and shade change throughout the day, and a garden in full sun at midday may have dark pools of shade by late afternoon, so spend some time watching your garden on a sunny day and making a note of the way shadows move around the plot.
  • You can then plan what to plant where and identify areas for seating.  Remember, too, that the patterns change depending on the season.

    • To know how much sun the gardening place receives, you should experiment to track the shade. Here is the essential step to track shadows throughout the day are as follows

    1. Take a large piece of paper and outline the garden area, making key features such as trees and patios.
    2. Use      different colored pen or pencils to mark the area in the shade at the last      three times through the day (e.g., after breakfast, lunch, and dinner)
    3. The results will indicate which spaces get the most sun and which get the most shade.
    4. Remember, there will be more sun in summer and longer shadow in winter.

      5. Simple observation of how much sun your garden receives will give an idea of its orientation. The South-facing gardens receive the most sun and the North-facing gardens the least. The East-facing gardens are sunny but cold in the morning; hardy plants like shade are the right choice. And the west-facing gardens has sun in the afternoon and evening and offers milder growing condition.

      KEY POINTS

      1. To work it out accurately, use a compass. Stand with your back to your house wall – the reading from here shows the direction your garden faces.
      2. Those facing south will be in the sun all day and hot, while those pointing north will be in the shade most of the time.
      3. East-facing areas offer morning sun and evening shade, while the opposite applies to those facing west.
      4. Trees,  hedges, and shrub borders act as buffers. They slow the wind and provide shelter for plants and people.
      5. A  sunny spot can be enhanced with a raised bed to improve drainage for tender plants.

        6. (Allaway & Leendertz, 2010; DK, 2018; Farrell,  2020)

        References

        Allaway, Z., & Leendertz, L. (2010). How  to grow practically everything. DK.

        DK. (2018). Royal Horticultural  Society :how to garden when you're new to gardening. DK.

        Farrell, H. (2020). Get growing: A  family guide to gardening indoors and out / Holly Farrell. Frances  Lincoln.

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        Grow Your Own FoodBy Organicguru