How much sun is too much?

Noie 1/22/2012, 7:42 pm

Well, this may be an incredibly stupid question, but oh well. I can only seem to find info on the minimum amount of sun plants need. But how much can they take before they start spontaneously combusting or some other horrible fate? Several of my boxes are on the south side of the house in a nice unobstructed spot. Which means during the long days, they'll be getting sun from around 5am to 10pm. Are they doomed from the start?

LaborDay RN 1/22/2012, 7:55 pm

Hi Noie, I'm surely not an expert on the PNW, but I thought I would share my experience. I'm just starting SFG this year but I have had many veggie gardens in the past (old row method). I live in the desert were summer temps are VERY hot and the sun is VERY intense. I've successfully grown tomatoes, peppers, squash, eggplants, cucumbers, carrots, beans, radishes all in full day sun. I plan to try many more this year.

I'm not sure what part of Oregon you are in, but I know from my past travels to your beautiful state, you have many many farms with their lovely field out in full sun! They seem to produce quite well. Best of luck to you and welcome to the forum!

Noie 1/23/2012, 1:00 am

Good to know I don't have to worry! Very Happy

EatYourVeggies 1/23/2012, 1:14 am

When I lived in Tucson and had a SFG, every day seemed like too much sun, but that was my opinion and not that of my plants. They loved it, but I moved back here because of it. Evil or Very Mad

Taking it even further, while in Afghanistan the tomato plants that someone had started, were the size of the hood on a car. I think the secret will be keep an eye on everything and adjust the water as needed. Mel's mix drains so well, it has a tendency to dry out fast, in some of the warmer climates I've lived in.

Miss M 1/23/2012, 2:03 am

I have an aunt in Alaska. During the summers, they get nearly constant sun. There are a couple of weeks in which the sun barely sets at all -- it doesn't get completely dark. The rest of the summer, they'll get an hour or two of night.

The plants eat it up! She says when they plant, everything just goes absolutely crazy, because the light hardly leaves. What a Face

That kind of sun in Arizona would probably kill things, but that would be because of the heat, not the light.

quiltbea 1/23/2012, 1:31 pm

I'd say the heat is what damages the crops, not the sunlight. If its not too hot, if the plants are shaded when temps reach 90F, they will probably do well. That and lots of water. I know that even tomatoes suffer when they have mid-90*F heat day after day.

martha 1/23/2012, 2:57 pm

I'm moving west. Or buying a summer home in Alaska.

ashort 1/23/2012, 5:52 pm

George Hamilton

How much sun is too much? George%20Hamilton-2

Guest 1/23/2012, 7:30 pm

Ouch!

Noie 1/24/2012, 12:42 am

Right...the heat. That's probably what I'm remembering from Arizona. Pin me to the ground in 115 degrees all day and I'd probably throw in the towel too. Twisted Evil

Oregon =

Arizona =

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