Sunlight

Summary

In this video, the importance of sunlight in growing plants is discussed. The key takeaway is that fruits and roots need full sun, which is about six hours of direct sunlight daily. The video explains the relationship between sunlight and plant growth, highlighting that fruits like tomatoes, peppers, and bananas need full sun, while leafy greens thrive in partial sunlight. The speaker also shares personal experiences about making a home more sustainable by cutting trees and replanting, promoting local food production. Lastly, tips for growing plants indoors or in shaded areas are provided, along with book recommendations on permaculture.

Takeaways

• 😀 If a plant fruits or roots, it generally needs full sun (at least 6 hours of sunlight per day).
• 😀 Fruits are not just things like strawberries and bananas; vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, and squash are also technically fruits.
• 😀 Some fruits, like coffee and paw paws, do not require full sun.
• 😀 Vegetables such as carrots, broccoli, and leafy greens typically thrive in partial sunlight.
• 😀 Leafy greens can grow bigger in partial sunlight as they increase their leaf size to capture more sunlight.
• 😀 It's important to study your landscape or balcony to understand how much sunlight your space gets.
• 😀 In the past, the speaker had to cut down trees in a forested area to increase sunlight for food production, even though it was a difficult decision.
• 😀 After cutting the trees, the speaker replanted more trees, increasing both biodiversity and food production, including fruits, vegetables, and nuts.
• 😀 Growing food locally reduces the need to clear natural areas elsewhere for agriculture, contributing to more sustainable living.
• 😀 Using mirrors, sun tunnels, and skylights can help supplement sunlight in shaded areas and allow for year-round growing inside your house.

Q & A

What is the basic rule regarding sunlight for growing plants?

The basic rule is that if a plant fruits or roots, it needs full sun. Full sun means six or more hours of sunlight a day.

What is considered a fruit in the context of this script?

In this script, a fruit is any plant that flowers, including familiar fruits like strawberries, bananas, and oranges, as well as less obvious fruits like tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, squash, pecans, and hazelnuts.

Are all fruits in need of full sun?

Most fruits require full sun, but there are exceptions, like coffee and paw paws, which do not need full sun.

How many hours of sunlight are considered 'full sun'?

Full sun is typically considered to be six or more hours of sunlight per day.

How do leafy greens respond to partial sunlight?

Leafy greens often grow larger in partial sunlight because the plant increases the size of its leaves to capture more sunlight, which helps it produce more food with less sunlight.

What challenges did the speaker face when trying to grow food in their area?

The speaker initially had a forested area with limited sunlight, which made it difficult to grow food. A friend suggested cutting down some trees to allow more sunlight, leading to a conflict between wanting to preserve the forest and needing sunlight for food production.

What did the speaker do after cutting down trees for sunlight?

After cutting down some young trees, the speaker replanted more trees and added a variety of structures and functions to the area. This increased the biodiversity of food production, wildlife, and the overall sustainability of the property.

What is the argument for growing food locally and sustainably?

The argument is that growing food locally reduces the need to destroy natural habitats elsewhere to produce food, making the process more sustainable and less reliant on agriculture that impacts distant ecosystems.

Which books does the speaker recommend for learning about permaculture?

The speaker recommends 'The Bio-Integrated Farm' by Sean Yanachek, a permaculture guide, and 'Gaia's Garden' by Toby Hemenway, which is a great beginner's guide to permaculture.

What should you do if your area is in total shade or has limited sunlight?

If your area is in total shade, you will be limited in what you can grow. You can either grow plants that tolerate partial shade (3-6 hours of sunlight per day) or use techniques like mirrors, sun tunnels, and skylights to reflect and amplify sunlight in your garden.