Plan · field guide
How Much Sun Does a Vegetable Garden Need?
Sunlight is the one thing you cannot fake, and a shady spot is a quiet garden killer. A tomato in part shade looks healthy all summer and simply never fruits. Before you plant, find out how much direct sun your spot really gets.
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How much sun each crop needs
Direct sun, not bright shade, is what counts. The rough tiers:
- Fruiting crops (tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers, beans): 6 to 8 hours minimum. Less, and they grow leaves but little fruit.
- Root crops (carrots, beets, onions): about 5 to 6 hours.
- Leafy greens and herbs (lettuce, spinach, kale, chard, parsley): 4 to 6 hours, and they even appreciate afternoon shade in summer heat.
Measure your sun before you plant
Pick your spot and watch it on a clear day. Note when direct sun hits it and when it goes into shade, then add up the hours. Do this before you build a bed, not after.
Quality matters too. Six hours of morning sun is gentler and just as good as harsh afternoon sun, so when you have a choice, favor a spot that gets the morning.
What to grow in part shade
If your sunniest spot is only 4 to 6 hours, do not force tomatoes. Grow the crops that tolerate it: leaf lettuce, spinach, kale, chard, arugula, and most herbs. You will still get a real harvest.
Under about 4 hours, vegetables struggle. That is a spot for a shade garden, not a vegetable bed.
Fixes for a shady yard
If the yard is shady, grow in fabric grow bags or other containers you can move to chase the sun across the season. A light-colored wall nearby bounces extra sun onto plants. And prune or limb up a tree if a few branches are the only thing between you and 6 hours.
Questions, answered straight
Fruiting crops like tomatoes and peppers need 6 to 8 hours of direct sun. Leafy greens and herbs get by on 4 to 6. Below 4 hours, most vegetables will not produce well.
Not well. A shaded tomato grows plenty of leaves but sets little or no fruit. Tomatoes want at least 6 hours of direct sun, ideally 8.
Leaf lettuce, spinach, kale, chard, arugula, and most herbs handle 4 to 6 hours of sun. Root crops are in between.
Morning sun is gentler and just as useful. If you can only have one, morning sun beats harsh afternoon sun, which can stress plants in summer.
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