How to Find Best Spot for Garden — A Beginner's Guide

How to Find Best Spot for Garden. Before you buy a bunch of seeds or fill up your containers, take a little time to get to know your sunshine.

That might sound funny, but sunlight is one of the biggest things that can make the difference between a plant that struggles and one that takes off growing. And the good news is, you don't need any fancy equipment to figure it out.

You just need to pay attention.

Start With a Sunny Morning

Walk around your porch, patio, yard, or other possible garden spaces in the morning. Notice where the sun hits first. Then check again around lunchtime. Then take another look in the afternoon.

You may be surprised. A spot that looks bright at 9 o'clock in the morning might be shaded by the house by lunchtime. Another area that looks shady early in the day may get several good hours of afternoon sunshine.

That's why I like to say: Don't just look at your garden spot. Watch it.

You're learning what that little piece of land — or porch, or patio — does throughout the day.

Use Your Own Shadow as a Clue

Here's an easy trick. Stand in the spot you're thinking about using and look at your shadow. If you're standing in full sunshine and your shadow is clearly visible, you've got a good indication that the area is receiving direct sunlight at that moment.

Come back later and check again. If your shadow disappears because a building, tree, roof, fence, or another object is blocking the sun, you've found an important piece of information.

You can even make a little note:

• Morning — sunny
• Noon — sunny
• Afternoon — shade

Do that for a couple of days. You don't have to make it complicated. You're simply learning the rhythm of the sunshine around your home.

A Simple Sunlight Test

Pick two or three possible garden spots. For one day, check each spot in the morning, around noon, mid-afternoon, and late afternoon. Write down what you see — a notebook, your phone, or even a piece of paper on the refrigerator works just fine.

Now you've got something much better than a guess. You've got information.

Let the Plant Match the Spot

One of the easiest gardening mistakes is choosing the plant first and trying to force it into the wrong location. Instead, find your spot first — then choose plants that fit that spot.

If you have a sunny patio, look for plants that enjoy plenty of sunshine. If your porch gets only a few hours of direct sunlight, look for plants that can handle those conditions. Read the seed packet or plant label before planting — it will usually tell you what the plant needs.

"Full sun," "partial sun," and "shade" aren't just fancy words on a package. They're clues to help you put the right plant in the right place.

Once you know your sunniest spot, you can make the most of it — even a small one. Check out our tips on growing up instead of out with a trellis for small-space gardens.

And once you've got your spot picked out, having the right Basic Gardening Tools on hand makes getting started so much easier.

— Kentucky Proud Mammy