By Ava Green ☀️
One of the most common reasons plants struggle comes down to light. Specifically, whether the spot you’ve chosen gives your plant the light conditions it actually needs.
The good news? Once you understand what the terms on a plant tag really mean, matching the right plant to the right spot becomes second nature. And when a plant is happy in its environment, it grows stronger, looks better, and is far less vulnerable to pests and disease because it simply isn’t under stress.
Before You Plant Anything, Do This First
Light conditions in a garden can be surprisingly tricky to read unless you’re paying attention. A garden that feels sunny might not actually deliver the hours of direct light that certain plants require. A shady corner might get more sun than you think.
So here’s your homework assignment, and it’s a very nice one.
Go outside and sit for a while. Find the spot where you would like to plant and observe it for a few days in the summer. Track how many hours of direct sunlight that area receives, hour by hour. Jot it down on a piece of paper. Average it out over a few days for a reliable picture.
Fair warning: this assignment may require a chaise lounge, a good book, and something cold to drink.
Once you have this data, you’re ready to move forward!
Decoding Light Terms
No more guessing at the garden centre! Here’s exactly what each term means.
Full Sun
At least 6 hours of direct sunlight each day. Plants in this category are sun-lovers: most vegetables, lavender, roses and many annuals and perennials.
Part Sun
4 to 6 hours of sun including some afternoon sun. The hours don’t need to be consecutive; a few hours in the morning and a couple more in the afternoon. Not all of it needs to be intense, direct light.
Part Shade
Also 4 to 6 hours of sun, but with a preference for morning light rather than the stronger afternoon sun. These plants appreciate some protection from the harshest part of the day.
Full Shade
Fewer than 4 hours of direct sun per day. If direct sun hits these plants, morning sun is ideal. Plants that appreciate these conditions are woodland plants, hostas and ferns.
Why Getting This Right Saves You Time and Money
A little observation before you plant is genuinely one of the most valuable things you can do as a gardener. It takes the guesswork out of every purchase and saves you from replacing plants that were never suited to that spot. Most importantly, it gives you a garden full of plants that actually thrive there.
The best gardens aren’t built on luck. They’re built on knowing your conditions and planting accordingly. Now that you’ve cracked the code on light, you’re already ahead of the game.
Bonus - Signage at Eising Greenhouses and Garden Centre!
You'll notice our signage has icons to help you best decide which plants are right for you and your situation!
- If you see a little paw print on our signs or pots, this means we're proud to say this plant is pet friendly! We love your little critters too!
- The number of raindrops on our signs indicates how much water this plant will need
- Signs with these icons indicate the plant naturally deters pests like deer and rabbits
By: Dave Zeldon and Ely Schweyer
The classic fall-blooming Chrysanthemum varieties of burnt amber, golden yellow, and deep burgundy blooms have been enormously popular for years, and as each new fall season rolls around, there always seems to be new varietal introductions – like multicoloured pinks with the hues of sunrises - to enhance your front porch display of pumpkins, corn stalks, and gourds.
These robust plants will produce blooms for weeks, even in the coolest of autumn weather. Their hardiness even offers versatility when it comes to their display; some gardeners prefer less labour-intensive groundskeeping and leave them in their original store pots, whereas others prefer to transplant these flowers into larger planters, window boxes, or into flowerbeds to add an easy seasonal flair.
While resilient, these plants still need some TLC. Try these tips to keep your Mums looking fresh throughout the fall.
- Choose green plants with tightly closed buds. This way when your Mums do bloom, you will be able to keep those colourful displays for much longer.
- The Mums' foliage should have a deep green colour and lots of growth at the garden centre.
- Also, make sure the soil in the container is moist when purchasing your plant, as dried out Mums may have already suffered damage.
- You'll find out in short order that your potted Mums are very thirsty plants! Water them daily and make sure the soil remains moist. A shot of liquid fertilizer to the irrigation water once a week would be great as well.
Over-Wintering Mums
Modern Mum breeding is aimed primarily at creating plants that look good in their pots at their point of purchase, sacrificing the plant’s hardiness and performance for future years - meaning when home gardeners try to overwinter these big potted plants, they are not usually successful.
All Mum plants at garden centres are hardy, meaning that they are perennials in most climates. However, if these plants are put in the ground from August on, most won't make it through winter. The reason is that Mums planted late in the season are near, or at, the flowering stage, when their energy is focused into blooming, and they won't grow roots to sustain plants through the winter. This is why Mums should be planted in the spring if you want a perennial plant that has a spectacular autumn show!
If you really adore your fall purchase though, you can try to over-winter your Chrysanthemums in the basement or a dark, cold closet, after the first frost. Water well and place in an area where it is totally dark and 0°C to 10°C. The plants will hibernate for the winter if you keep their roots damp. Check the pots weekly.
In the spring, gradually acclimate your Mum plants to light and plant them out in the garden after the last killing frost, remembering to pinch them twice prior to the first of August for a full, lush plant.
We hope this helps you to enjoy your Mums just a little bit longer! Use our Plant Finder to search for a sample of our Mum selection by your preferred colour. You can find many Mum varieties and more information at Eising Greenhouse and Garden Centre, please stop in for a visit this autumn!