Sunshine ranks among the main things you must think about during planning of vegetable garden. Choose sunny place as good start. Most guides for new gardeners advise six or more hours of direct sunshine daily.
The place matters a lot: it requires much sun, good drainage, stand away from trees with their competing roots and be close to water source
How Much Sun Do Vegetables Need
Full sun means six to eight hours of light directly above the garden. Fruiting vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, eggplants and squash require a lot of sun and heat. It is not wise to try growing them if the area receives less than six hours of sunshine.
Tomatoes, eggplants and peppers benefit with seven to eight hours. More sun helps to keep the leaves dry and reduce risk of diseases. Beans want at least six to eight hours of sun to grow well.
For peppers also six to eight hours, so south side or sunny place works best.
If your vegtable garden does not have six to eight hours of sunshine daily, no panic. Many vegetables benefit with only four to six hours of sun or with spotted light through the day. Usually leaf, stem or bud vegetables grow well in half shade, unlike fruiting ones.
Leafy vegetables, root crops and cool-season crops like partial or spotted shade with three to five hours of sun.
Among vegetables that tolerate partial shade with three to four hours of direct sunshine are arugula, bok choy, Brussels sprouts, kale, beets, kohlrabi, parsnips, carrots, turnips, radishes, lettuce, spinach, mustard greens and chard. Edible roots like carrots, potatoes and turnips like half shade, but they do want at least four hours of sun daily. Root vegetables like half day of full sun with a bit of shade.
Broccoli and cauliflower also benefit in fall-winter-spring gardens with less than full sun.
Onions and garlic grow if the garden receives almost eight hours of sunshine. With more than eight hours, almost every vegetable works if the time is right. Without direct sun vegetables require at least six hours, and more sun is better.
Check the back of seed bag or label of plant, it shows ideal conditions, including needed sunshine. A simple map of sun patterns and shadows helps also, with tall trees, water pipes and light patterns. Healthy soil together with plenty of light, around six to eight hours a day, prepares the garden for goodresult.