When shopping for plants, and reading the tags that are inserted into the pots, what do the symbols—sun, partial sun, shade etc. really mean? Karin Johnson, greenhouse and botanical garden manager at Central Michigan University, sorts it out on “From the Ground Up.”
Karin explains light requirements: “full sun” means that a plant requires at least six hours of sun daily. “Partial sun” (or “partial shade”) means three-five hours of sun each day. “Full shade” means that a plant needs less than three hours of sun a day.
Karin said that some of the most popular “sun” plants for home gardeners are edibles, including vegetables and herbs that can go from garden to table. A few of the loveliest "shade" plants include Hosta, Astilbe and Hellebore. Sun or shade, anyone can have a beautiful garden!
Karin also recommends checking those tags for water requirements and USDA growing zone for each plant. Michigan has several different zones, (you may be in Zone 4, 5 or 6) so be sure to check that what you plan to grow will have the best conditions for success!
