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Just realized my 4x8 raised bed only gets 5 hours of sun and that number comes from the extension office
I always figured my backyard was full sun since it feels bright all day out there. Then last week I read a fact sheet from the county extension office here in Ohio that says most veggies need 6 to 8 hours of direct sun, and 'full sun' means the real thing, not just a bright yard. So I sat outside with a lawn chair and checked every hour, and my bed clocks maybe 5 hours before the neighbor's maple throws shade. Explains why my peppers stalled at 3 inches while the lettuce went nuts. Anyone else actually timed their sun, or do you just move the bed around?
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shane_fisher378d ago
My buddy Dave in Dayton did the same chair test and found his tomatoes only pulled about 4 hours because of a fence and an oak tree. He moved the bed ten feet toward the street side and the peppers doubled in size that season. Five hours can still grow greens and root stuff fine, but you'll want to shift things or plant shade lovers where the maple hits.
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