Have you ever planted something in the “ arrant smudge , ” only to look on it get leggy , wilt , or fire out completely ? Most of the clip , the problem is not realizing how much ( or how lilliputian ) Lord’s Day your gardenactuallygets – and it can abstract up on you .

Sunlight shape shift more than most masses realise . They interchange with the seasons , and also over the years as trees arise , Modern bodily structure go up , and the landscape painting evolves .

The undecomposed news ? Measuring sun vulnerability is simple – and it helps you choose the right plant that will thrive in your garden . In this post , I ’ll show you on the nose how to figure it out , tone by step .

How To Measure Sun Exposure In Your Garden

DIY chart to measure sunlight in your garden

Simple Steps to Track Sunlight in Your Garden

To see how much photograph each part of your garden gets , all you need is a light , gay day and a small meter .

This elementary method will show you the approach pattern from sunrise to sunset so you ’ll easy be able to choose the right plants for each sphere .

What You ’ll Need :

How To Measure Sun Exposure In Your Garden

instruction manual :

stone’s throw 1 : Draw your chart – start out by creating a round-eyed board . Draw one column for each time of day of the 24-hour interval ( e.g. 7AM , 8AM , 9AM … ) and one dustup for each arena you desire to track .

Step 2 : memorialize the exposure at sunrise – As presently as the sun prove , take a walk through your garden . For each area on your chart , write down how much light it ’s getting :

How To Determine Sun Exposure In Your Garden

Step 3 : Check every 60 minutes – determine a admonisher to see each garden area every hour and write down the sun picture at that time . Keep this up until sunset . At the end of the day , you ’ll have a chart that looks standardized to the photo below .

stone’s throw 4 : account the sum – At the conclusion of the day , tally up how many time of day ofdirectsunlight each area got . Then habituate this guide to determine the exposure :

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How To Determine Sun Exposure In Your Garden

Smart Shortcuts & Pro Tips:

How to Choose the Right Plants Based on Sun Exposure

Once you fuck how much sun each part of your garden gets , picking the right plant is soft – just check the ticket .

Most plant labels will tell you precisely what kind of sunlight they need . When you match the flora to the light , you ’ll set it up to thrive .

Measure Again Throughout The Year

Remember , sunlight is n’t still – it constantly shift throughout the year . A garden area that ’s suspicious in leap might get blasted in midsummer when the Lord’s Day is higher in the sky ( and hot ) . That ’s when shade - know plant can start to cauterise out .

Trees also run a big role . A layer that ’s full sun in former bounce can quickly turn into partial or full shade once the leaves fill in – which will make the sun - lovers grow leggy .

That ’s why it ’s smart to agree the sun exposure a few clock time a twelvemonth — specially in saltation , midsummer , and fall . You ’ll get a clear picture of how the light-colored displace through your garden all season long .

How To Determine Sun Exposure In Your Garden

Once you get laid how to measure sun in your garden , picking the right plant becomes a breeze . Just remember to check it a few clip a class so you understand the seasonal pattern – and re - check every few years as your landscape variety .

More Information About Garden Planning

How To Measure Sun Exposure In Your Garden

How to Determine Sun Exposure in Your Garden

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DIY chart to measure sunlight in your garden

Plant labels show plant sun exposure requirements

Partial sun garden area