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Best Full Sun Vegetables for Your Garden

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Best Full Sun Vegetables for Your Garden

Do you have a part of your garden that gets sun most of the day and you’re looking for plants that can grow there? Then you’re in luck! These best full sun vegetables need plenty of direct sunlight to grow and will be perfect in your sunny garden.

Different Sun Requirements

When you’re getting ready to start a garden, it helps to understand what some of the different terms mean. As you’re picking out which plants to grow, you’ll notice some require full sun, some prefer partial sun, and others need full shade.

Here’s a breakdown of what those different sun requirements mean:

  • Full sun- Your plants need around 6 to 8 hours of sunlight.
  • Partial sun- Your plants should get around 4 to 6 hours of sunlight.
  • Full shade- Your plants only need about 2 to 4 hours of sunlight.

If you have a shady garden, don’t worry. You can still find plenty of vegetables that grow in shade. There are even fruits and vegetables you can grow inside when the weather isn’t good for growing plants outside.

Related: Best Cold-Hardy Vegetables to Grow in Winter

Why Sun Requirements Matter

When I first started gardening, I didn’t have a ton of success. Mainly because I put my plants wherever I wanted and didn’t pay any attention to sun requirements. After that first year of failure, I realized the importance of paying attention to the individual needs of each plant.

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I walked around my yard, took note of how much sunlight each area gets throughout the day, and then used this garden planner to create the ideal layout for what I wanted to grow. I cannot stress enough how important it is to have a good plan and the right organization to make your garden thrive!

Printable garden planner

The next year, I planted the vegetables that grow in shade in the shady parts of my yard, and I put the best full sun vegetables in the areas of my yard that get sun most of the day.

Since I have a container garden, I was then easily able to move plants around if I noticed they were getting too much or too little sun.

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Once I followed this plan, my garden did incredibly well. I was able to enjoy all the amazing benefits of gardening, including being able to provide fresh food for my family.

If you want to have a garden that produces plenty of food, choose some of these best full sun vegetables.

1. Tomatoes

Tomato Cherry Sweetie

Tomatoes are a classic garden plant that pretty much everyone can grow. Nothing compares to the flavor of a tomato right after it has been picked off the vine (after washing it, of course).

Tomatoes love sunlight, so they’re ideal for a sunny spot in your garden. When you’re deciding which type of tomato to grow, you can an incredible variety of choices.

You can get the small and sweet cherry tomatoes that go great with salads. You can also opt for slicer tomatoes that are excellent on sandwiches. Or you can decide to grow both and enjoy the best of both worlds!

No matter which variety you decide to grow, don’t forget that they need a tomato cage to offer the branches support when they’re full of fruit.

Related: 10 Essential Gardening Tools for Every Gardener

2. Eggplant

Black Beauty Eggplant Seeds

I love to grow eggplant for several reasons. First, it’s a plant that’s perfectly happy in either a container or a garden bed. The only thing it asks for is plenty of sunlight and some water to keep its roots moist.

The second reason I love to grow eggplant is because it’s such a versatile vegetable. You can use it in an incredible variety of recipes and it always tastes different because it takes on the flavors it’s cooked with.

Related: Why a Garden Hose Water Filter is a Must-Have Item

3. Corn

Every time I think of corn, I picture fields of tall stalks basking in the sunlight. That’s because it’s another one of those best full sun vegetables.

Sweet corn does best when it’s planted in rows because it needs the wind to pollinate itself.

You can also choose to grow colorful painted corn that makes a beautiful addition to your eco-friendly Halloween decorations or your sustainable Thanksgiving decorations.

Related: How Long Can You Store Seeds?

4. Squash

If you’re looking for a vegetable that can handle full sun and grows quickly so you can start getting food on your table right away, squash is the one to pick.

Yellow squash is an excellent option because it can be eaten raw, pickled, or cooked in an incredible variety of ways. Zucchini is another great choice because it’s a prolific producer and you can eat it raw, steamed, sautéed, in breads, and more.

Plus, don’t forget about delicious winter squash varieties like acorn squash, butternut squash, and spaghetti squash.

They’re not called “winter squash” because they need cool temperatures to grow. They actually get their name because they have a hard shell that makes them ideal for long-term storage over the winter months.

Related: How to Easily Attract More Bees to Your Garden

5. Peppers

Whether you love the spicy kick of jalapeno peppers or the mild taste of sweet peppers, you’ll find that all varieties of this sun-loving plant will do well in the bright spots of your garden.

They’re also a great choice for growing in a drought-tolerant garden because many different varieties can handle hot, dry conditions.

You can pick peppers when they’re green. However, when they change to shades of yellow, red, and orange, their flavor improves and their vitamin content increases dramatically. In fact, red peppers have more vitamin C than an orange, which is incredibly important if you’re looking for a natural cold remedy.

6. Cucumbers

In addition to being great full sun vegetables, cucumbers are also an excellent choice for a children’s garden to help get your kids interested in gardening.

Cucumbers come as two main varieties: pickling or slicing. Pickling cucumbers typically have drier and tougher skins that make them ideal for absorbing pickle brine. Slicing cucumbers usually have thinner skins that make them better for eating.

However, you can also find cucumber varieties that are good for both slicing and pickling.

7. Melons

Melons thrive in the heat, which makes them fantastic plants for sunny spots in your garden. One popular melon option to consider is the cantaloupe. You can also choose honeydew, which has green, sweet flesh. There’s also watermelon, which tastes even sweeter when it’s homegrown.

Related: Best Indoor Fruit Trees to Grow in Your Living Room

8. Beans

I love to grow this type of green bean in a sunny spot in my garden because it’s such a prolific producer. Not only does it give us enough green beans to enjoy fresh, but it also provides enough that I can freeze some for us to eat later.

If you’re thinking about owning your own homestead and you want to learn how to garden and preserve food before you actually start, this is the perfect green bean variety for you.

9. Peas

Like green beans, peas are one of the best full sun vegetables because they need plenty of light to grow. When you’re choosing peas for your garden, you have several varieties available.

Snow peas and snap peas have sweet, edible pods with tender peas inside. Shelling peas don’t have edible pods. They’re grown for the juicy, sweet pea that forms inside the pod.

10. Okra

Clemson Spineless 80 Okra Seeds

Not only is okra one of the best full sun vegetables, but it’s also one of the best vegetables to plant in summer because it loves the heat. The plant has a lovely flower that attracts pollinators and then turns into a dark green pod that’s full of flavor.

Growing Full Sun Vegetables

Just because you have a sunny garden, that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to grow your own food. Instead, all you need to do is plant some of these best full sun vegetables.

More Excellent Gardening Tips

Now that you know more about the best full sun vegetables you can grow, are you interested in even more great gardening tips? Then be sure to check out some of our other popular posts:

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