Sunlight is the one thing you cannot add to a garden with a bag from the store, so it pays to match plants to the light you actually have. This sunlight requirement finder does exactly that. Tell it how many hours of direct sun a spot gets, and it classifies the light, lists the vegetables, herbs and fruit from our plant database that suit it, and gives practical advice for making the most of that spot. Use it before building a bed or choosing what to plant in an existing one.
How to use the sunlight requirement finder
- Find out how many hours of direct sun the spot gets during the growing season. The section below explains how.
- Choose the matching range. Count only direct sun, not bright shade or light filtered through trees.
- Choose what to show: everything, vegetables only or herbs only.
- Read the result. It shows the light category, the crops that suit it, and advice for the space.
What the light categories mean
Plant tags and seed packets use a handful of terms. They are not perfectly standardized, but these are the common meanings.
| Category | Direct sun per day | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Full sun | 6 hours or more, ideally 8+ | Tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers, beans, corn, melons, most herbs |
| Part sun | About 4 to 6 hours | Leafy greens, many herbs, root crops with lower yields |
| Part shade | About 2 to 4 hours, or dappled light | Lettuce, spinach, kale, chard, parsley, cilantro, with slower growth |
| Full shade | Less than about 2 hours | Few food crops; shade-tolerant ornamentals |
“Part sun” and “part shade” are sometimes used interchangeably. As a rule of thumb, part sun plants tolerate more sun and often prefer the morning sun, while part shade plants appreciate protection from strong afternoon heat.
How to measure sun in your garden
Many gardeners overestimate how much sun a spot gets. A simple sun map gives you a reliable figure.
- Pick a clear day during the growing season, ideally late spring or early summer.
- Check the spot every hour from morning to evening, or every two hours if that is easier, and note whether it is in direct sun.
- Add up the sunny hours. That is the figure to use in the finder.
- Repeat in a different month if you can. Shade patterns change through the year.
Photos taken from the same place every hour make a useful record. Several smartphone apps can also show the sun’s path over your yard across the year, which helps when planning a new bed in winter.
Check in summer, not winter. Deciduous trees that are bare in winter cast deep shade once they leaf out. A spot that looks sunny in March can be shaded for half the day in July.
Morning sun versus afternoon sun
Not all hours of sun are equal. Afternoon sun is hotter and more intense than morning sun, especially in summer. Six hours of morning sun is gentler than six hours of afternoon sun.
- Morning sun with afternoon shade suits leafy greens, herbs like parsley and cilantro, and cool-season crops, especially in hot regions. It also suits gardeners in the South and Southwest, where afternoon sun can scorch plants in midsummer.
- Afternoon sun suits heat-loving crops such as tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, okra and melons, which need warmth as well as light to ripen fruit.
How much sun different crops need
Fruiting crops: the most sun
Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, squash, cucumbers, melons, beans and corn produce fruit or seeds, which takes the most energy. They need at least six hours of direct sun, and they produce noticeably more with eight or more. With less sun, they grow leggy, flower less, and set less fruit.
Root crops: plenty of sun
Carrots, beets, radishes, onions and potatoes grow best in full sun but tolerate a little less, producing smaller roots in part sun.
Leafy crops: the most tolerant
Lettuce, spinach, kale, Swiss chard and many Asian greens grow well with four to six hours of sun, and can still be harvested with less, though they grow more slowly. In hot weather, a little afternoon shade actually helps them by delaying bolting.
Herbs: it depends
Mediterranean herbs such as rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage and basil want full sun. Parsley, cilantro, chives and mint tolerate part sun well.
Our plant database lists sun needs for every crop, and the plant finder combines sun with season, space and time to harvest.
Making the most of a shady garden
Limited sun does not mean no garden. A few strategies help:
- Grow leaves, not fruit. Focus on lettuce, spinach, kale, chard, parsley and other greens, which handle part shade best.
- Use containers. Pots can follow the sun or sit in the sunniest corner of a patio. Tomatoes and peppers in containers can be moved to catch afternoon light.
- Prune strategically. Thinning or raising the lower branches of trees can let in significantly more light. For large trees, consult a certified arborist.
- Use reflected light. Light-colored walls and fences bounce extra light onto plants.
- Find the sunniest spot. In the Northern Hemisphere, areas south of buildings and trees usually get the most sun. A south-facing wall is often the warmest, sunniest spot in a yard.
- Grow cool-season crops. Spring and fall crops need less heat and tolerate lower light better than summer fruiting crops.
- Raise the garden. Raised beds and tall containers can lift plants above low shade from fences or shrubs.
Signs of too little sun
- Tall, thin, stretched stems leaning toward the light.
- Pale, sparse leaves.
- Few flowers, and fruit that forms slowly or not at all.
- More leaf diseases, because foliage stays damp longer in shade.
- Leafy crops growing slowly and staying small.
If plants show these signs, move containers to a brighter spot, choose more shade-tolerant crops for that bed, or reduce shading from nearby trees and structures.
Can there be too much sun?
In much of the US, full sun is exactly what vegetables want. In the hottest regions, though, intense summer sun combined with heat can scorch leaves, cause sunscald on fruit, and push cool-season crops to bolt. Gardeners in the Southwest and Deep South often use shade cloth over beds in midsummer, commonly around 30 to 40 percent shade for vegetables, or plant so taller crops shade more sensitive ones in the afternoon. Mulch and steady watering also help plants cope with heat.
Planning beds around the sun
- Put tall crops on the north side of beds, so they do not shade shorter crops.
- Run rows north to south where possible, so both sides get light through the day.
- Save the sunniest spot for fruiting crops, and use partly shaded areas for greens and herbs.
- Measure the space with the garden size calculator and note which parts of it get the most light.
Sun on balconies, patios and containers
For container gardeners, direction matters a great deal. In the Northern Hemisphere:
- South-facing balconies and patios usually get the most sun, suitable for tomatoes, peppers and herbs.
- West-facing spaces get hot afternoon sun, good for heat-loving crops but tough on lettuce and on plants in small pots that dry out fast.
- East-facing spaces get gentler morning sun, ideal for greens and herbs.
- North-facing spaces get little direct sun and suit only the most shade-tolerant plants.
Railings, walls and overhead balconies can block more light than you expect, so measure the hours of direct sun where the pots will actually sit. One advantage of containers is that they can move with the seasons to follow the light.
How the sun changes through the year
The sun climbs higher in the sky in summer and stays lower in spring, fall and winter. That changes shade patterns significantly. A fence or building that shades a bed for half the day in March may cast only a short shadow in June. Conversely, deciduous trees that let light through in early spring cast heavy shade once they leaf out. For year-round gardening, measure sun in more than one season, or plan cool-season crops for the spots that are sunny in spring and fall and warm-season crops for the spots that are sunny in summer.
Using shade cloth
In very hot climates, shade cloth can protect crops from scorching afternoon sun. It is sold by the percentage of light it blocks. Lighter shade cloth, often around 30 to 40 percent, is commonly used over vegetables in summer, while greens may tolerate more. Support it on hoops or a frame above the plants so air can move freely, and remove it as the weather cools.
Sun needs at a glance
| Crop | Minimum direct sun |
|---|---|
| Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, melons, okra | 6–8 hours, ideally 8+ |
| Squash, cucumbers, beans, corn | 6–8 hours |
| Carrots, beets, radishes, onions, potatoes | About 6 hours |
| Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower | About 6 hours |
| Lettuce, spinach, kale, chard | About 4 hours |
| Parsley, cilantro, chives, mint | About 4 hours |
| Basil, rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage | 6 hours or more |
These are minimums for a reasonable harvest. More sun usually means better yields, except for leafy greens in very hot weather.
Light for seedlings and indoor herbs
Indoor plants face the biggest light challenge. Even a bright window provides far less light than the outdoors, and winter days are short. Seedlings started indoors usually need supplemental lighting, such as LED shop lights or grow lights hung close above them for 14 to 16 hours a day, to grow sturdy rather than stretched. Herbs grown indoors year-round do best in the brightest south-facing window, or under a grow light. Our guide on when to start seeds indoors covers lighting setups in more detail.
Frequently asked questions
How many hours of sun is full sun?
Full sun usually means at least six hours of direct sunlight a day. Most fruiting vegetables do best with eight or more.
What vegetables grow in partial shade?
Leafy greens such as lettuce, spinach, kale and Swiss chard, along with herbs such as parsley, cilantro, chives and mint, tolerate partial shade best. Root crops grow with somewhat less sun but produce smaller roots.
Can tomatoes grow in partial shade?
They will grow, but they produce far less fruit with fewer than six hours of direct sun. Cherry tomatoes cope with slightly less sun than large-fruited varieties.
How do I measure sunlight in my garden?
On a clear day in the growing season, check the spot every hour or two from morning to evening and count the hours of direct sun. Sun-tracking apps can also show the sun’s path across your yard.
Is morning or afternoon sun better for vegetables?
Heat-loving crops such as tomatoes and peppers benefit from afternoon sun. Leafy greens and cool-season crops prefer morning sun with afternoon shade, especially in hot climates.
Does dappled shade count as sun?
Not fully. Light filtered through trees supports leafy greens and some herbs, but fruiting vegetables need direct sun for good yields.
What vegetables grow on a north-facing balcony?
Very few vegetables grow well with little direct sun. Leafy greens such as lettuce and herbs such as parsley and mint are the best options, though growth will be slow.
Do plants get enough light through a window?
Window light is weaker than outdoor sun and comes from one side, so indoor plants often stretch. A south-facing window is best, and grow lights help for seedlings and herbs.
Do vegetables need direct sunlight?
Most do. Fruiting crops need at least six hours of direct sun for a good harvest. Leafy greens and some herbs manage with less, but grow more slowly.
Can I grow vegetables under a tree?
Usually only leafy greens and some herbs, and tree roots compete for water and nutrients. Containers placed in the sunniest gaps often work better than beds under trees.
How many hours of sun do herbs need?
Mediterranean herbs such as basil, rosemary, thyme, oregano and sage want six or more hours. Parsley, cilantro, chives and mint manage with about four.
Is 4 hours of sun enough for a vegetable garden?
It is enough for leafy greens and some herbs, though growth is slower. Fruiting crops such as tomatoes and peppers will produce poorly with only four hours.
Does a south-facing garden get the most sun?
In the Northern Hemisphere, yes. Areas on the south side of buildings, fences and trees usually receive the most direct sun through the day.