Caution to the North: Garden Orientation
When planning our gardens, all we can really think about is how excited we are to finally be able to harvest fresh, summer ripened produce and vibrant cut flowers once again from our properties.
Towards the beginning of one's gardening journey, it's highly likely that they'll make this one major mistake when planning the summer garden- if you're new to gardening, sit for a spell and learn from the mistakes that the rest of us have made.
You'll be glad that you didn't spend an entire growing season watching the disappointment unfold in front of you.
What's the Big Deal About the North (and South?)
When I'm referring to the north, I'm not referring to a geographic location; I'm referring to the general direction in reference to your garden. When you're in your garden, it's important to know where your north is. The orientation of your garden can flip your layout upside down; yes, it's that important!
The sun follows a path to the south for those of us in the northern hemisphere. During the summer, we are tilted towards the sun, with daylight hours peaking during the Summer Solstice (June.) Before that date, the sun continues to rise and set higher in the sky, pushing towards the north. After the equinox, the sun begins to retreat further south until the Winter Solstice, where its path will be at its lowest, most southerly point.
What this means is that the southern side of your garden will always receive the most sunlight, and that sunlight will lessen after the Summer Solstice, resulting in even more shading for the northern side of your garden. Have you ever noticed that the northern part of your home's exterior will be the one to grow algae or moss? Perhaps it seems cooler in that area? Higher rates of moisture retention in the soil? This is because the northern side of the home doesn't see as much direct sunlight.
How to Mitigate Sunlight Deprivation in the Vegetable Garden
The best way to prevent issues from insufficient sunlight is to plan your garden strategically, with orientation and plant height in mind. You have to maximize the sunlight that you have access to.
Avoid planting on the northern side of structures; homes, sheds, fences, car ports, or any other structure that could block a significant amount of sunlight. When you plan the layout of your garden, think about your tallest crops; you want to plant those in the most northerly locations. As you move south on your bed layout, plan for shorter plants. Here's an example: going from north to south, you might have sunflowers, then a block of corn, some indeterminate tomatoes, bush squash, bell peppers, bush beans, and carrots to the south. As you progress through that list, the plants get shorter.
Certain plants don't require as much light, so you may be able to plant those in a northern spot without too much fuss. Many salad greens aren't quite as fussy about this arrangement. You can also plant succession crops, maybe fall crops, at the base of some of your northern plants to give them a head start.
Managing a North Facing Garden (without Access to Southern Sky)
If you have no choice but to plant to the north, such as in a smaller yard to the north of your home (in a backyard, for example) you can still find success with gardening- it'll just require a bit of planning. When looking at your yard, plant as far away as you can from any structure. If you're maximizing morning sun, you want to make sure that you have access to the eastern sky.
Be sure to give your plants very generous spacing. Without access to the southern sky, light will be limited; you don't want to risk some of your plants being shaded by their neighbors when light is already quite limited.
You can add light reflecting surfaces to the garden, as well. Even a glossy white fence can help to reflect light towards your plants, or white plastic mulch. When used strategically, light can be reflected to the sides or underside of a plant, allowing it to photosynthesize light via leaves that don't have much access to light.
Even with light restrictions, it's possible to grow a thriving garden; it may require a little more planning, maybe even a few sacrifices, but it's not impossible.
