Exposure to sunlight to plants gives them good energy to grow. For example, tomatoes are plants which grow double in size in less than two weeks. For this, they require an abandoned amount of energy which they easily get from the sunlight, water and soil.
Of course, it is damn good if they get full sunlight, but tomatoes grow well, even in shades and adverse conditions.
So, how many hours of sunlight do tomatoes need? In short, the perfect average tomato plant sunlight requirement is eight hours but tomato plants require at least six hours of direct sunlight to produce enough fruits.
This article has covered many tips and ideas to help you grow your tomatoes even in partial sun or shade.
Different Types of Sunlight and Their Effects on Tomato Plants
Plants cannot grow without sunlight, but the question is how much sunlight is enough for the growth of plants.
- Full Sun
- Partial Sun
- Partial Shade
- Full shade.
The ideal sunlight required for proper growth and tomato plants is 8 to 10 hours of daily sunlight. If the plants do not get enough sunlight, it may adversely affect their growth and development.
Let us discuss the type of sunlights one by one.
Full Sun:
Tomato plants are sun loving plants and grow tremendously faster in Full Sunlight. Full sun area is only possible in open areas with fewer trees, plants or buildings.
If plants are grown in such areas, the chances of getting shade are very low, and they can enjoy full exposure to sunlight from morning till evening.
Therefore, tomato plants are said to be “Full Sun” plants and grow well with proper sunlight exposure.
Partial Sun:
There is a hairline difference between the partial sun and partial shade. Therefore, partial sun is ideal for plants which require partial shadow and partial sunlight.
For example, if tomatoes are grown in a partial sun location, they would grow fine, but the plant could not grow as much as it could have.
Partial shade:
Partial shade plants are totally opposite of partial sun plants. Due to this reason, partial shade plants are more sensitive to heat and cannot bear the heat of sunlight in the afternoon. So they love to be in the shade during the afternoon.
However, if tomatoes are grown in these areas, they never get 6 to 8 hours of sunlight, so they do not grow strong and cannot produce enough fruit.
Full shade:
Full-shade plants require less sunlight and thrive on the spot. They grow well when indirect light or less sunlight for a maximum of 3 hours is received. These types of plants are often found under evergreens and forests.
Tomatoes are suitable to grow in warm conditions. However, they struggle for healthy growth in full-shade sunlight as the plant does not get enough warmth.
As a result, they do not get adequate energy to produce fruit, and their quality is also compromised.
Furthermore, due to a lack of energy, plants do not get enough nutrients, preventing them from living long.
How Much Sun Do Tomatoes Need?
Tomato plants love to be in warm conditions, and they do not have anything better than sunlight to get warm. Of course, they need a minimum of 6 hours of daily exposure to sunlight.
But if they get at least eight hours of sunlight or even more than that, then it is a blessing for the tomato plant. In this condition, they grow tremendously and produce many quality tomatoes.
More exposure to sunlight is a boon for tomato plants and can enhance their growth. However, it is not necessary to provide continuous hours of sunlight to tomato plants.
For example, if your tomato plants get some of the morning and some afternoon sunlight, the overall sun exposure should be a minimum of 6 hours for their proper growth.
What Happens If Tomatoes Don’t Get Enough Sun?
Sun is one of the most important factors for the healthy growth of tomato plants. If they do not get proper sun exposure, you can notice slow growth. They produce less and bad quality tomatoes.
Due to lack of sunlight, they grow taller to get sunlight, and the stem and foliage become paler. These plants are more prone to disease and fungal infection as they get damp due to less exposure to sunlight.
In this situation, you should provide the tomatoes with good airflow to overcome the problem.
If you cannot provide even 6 hours of sunlight to your tomato plants. In that case, you can use a rich soil mix, ensure proper drainage of the soil, give proper watering and maintain an adequate amount of soil moisture for proper growth and development of your tomato plants. This way, you would also be rewarded with enough good-quality tomato fruits.
Can Tomatoes Grow in Indirect Sunlight?
It is a known fact that tomatoes grow best in direct exposure to sunlight. But what if we are not able to provide them with direct sunlight? Are they able to grow and produce quality fruits in indirect sunlight?
It depends on the sunlight quality and how much overall sunlight is provided to the plant. They grow well in bright sunlight and light shade sunlight. It is very hard for them to grow in heavy shades.
Tomatoes grown on the north side of houses or buildings or in dense areas must fight to get enough sunlight. But you can also notice tomatoes grown in indirect sunlight produce fewer fruits and slow growth.
Some of the tomato varieties, like cherry tomatoes, also do well in indirect sunlight. But, apart from this, other tomato plants varieties grow amazingly and produce enough quality fruits even in indirect sunlight.
Can You Grow Tomatoes in Shade?
Sunlight is the main factor for the better growth of tomatoes, but they can also be grown in the shade. Yes, you face many challenges while growing tomatoes in the shade, but it is not impossible.
We need at least dappled shade for growing tomatoes. If you cannot provide enough sunlight to your tomatoes, choose the varieties that are tolerant to shade.
However, we cannot deny the fact that tomatoes grown in shades grow taller and leggy and produce less yield than normal tomato plants. In addition, it is very challenging to bring your tomato plant to a flowering stage when grown in shades.
So, you need to ensure certain points while growing tomatoes in the shade.
- Due to less sunlight, the chances of soggy soil are more. Due to this, your plant gets various diseases and fungi. The use of trellises is recommended to overcome this situation.
- Special care should be taken while watering your tomato plants. Ensure that the lower stem and leaves do not get wet. This helps to keep your plant healthy.
- Ensure proper soil drainage as the soil gets soggy due to a lack of direct sunlight.
Sunlight is needed for tomatoes’ growing and flowering stages; however, they do not require sunlight to ripen the tomatoes. They easily ripe when given proper heat and ethylene gas.
Can Tomato Plants Get Too Much Sun?
It is a known fact that tomatoes grow well in full sun. But what if the tomatoes get too much sun? I have seen that the tissues of tomato plants start getting damaged due to excessive heat produced by the sun.
In this situation, the possibility of sunscald and curling leaves comes up, which is an alarming sign of damage to tomato plants.
This results in discoloration in tomato plants, and grey-white and yellow patches are noticed in tomatoes. This area attracts pests, and it brutally damages the plant.
Some important points to notice:
- Too much sun damages the plant tissues and causes susclad.
- Discoloration like grey-white and yellow patches are developed, which opens doors for pests and fungal diseases which damage the tomato plants.
- In this situation, try to keep your plant as healthy as possible by watering your plant and keeping the soil moist enough.
- Try to create a physical barrier to provide shade to your tomato plants. You can use clothes and a screen to protect your fruit and plant.
- It is advisable to pluck the affected fruits and let them ripen indoors and cut the sunscald-affected area from the plant. It helps not to spread this to the plant.
- Be proactive in protecting your plant if you expect any heat wave, which helps to keep your plant healthy and growing properly.
How Much Sunlight Do Tomatoes Need?
The ideal exposure to sunlight for tomato plants is 6 hours. It is an added advantage if they get 8 to 10 hours of direct sunlight. In this situation, the chances of getting fungus and disease are very less.
But in any way, if you cannot provide adequate sunlight to your plant, it can do better.
Tomatoes can be grown in shades too, but you should avoid irregular watering, prepare a rich soil mix, choose fertile soil and create a good drainage facility for the soil to grow your tomatoes even without enough sunlight.
Thus, it is difficult to grow your plant in the shade, but if other factors are taken care of properly, it is not impossible to grow them in the shade too.
Morning or Afternoon Sun: Which Is Better?
Whether morning sun or afternoon sun is good for the plant? It always depends on the climatic conditions and the growing season where your tomatoes are planted.
Morning sunlight is mild, which produces less heat and is best fit for tomatoes grown in hot climates. In this situation, plants do not become victims of excessive heat and benefit from high-intensity morning light.
Afternoon sun produces more heat which is suitable for tomatoes grown in hot climates.
Noon sunlight is as bright as morning sunlight and hotter than afternoon. This sunlight produces a lot of heat, which is dangerous for tomato plants in hot regions.
This sunlight damages the plants in hot climates and may cause sunscald. In addition, you can create some physical barriers by using clothes and screens to protect your plant from this situation.
If you have planted tomatoes in a cold climate, it is best to provide them both morning and afternoon sunlight. However, you should always avoid afternoon sunlight for plants grown in a hot climate.
Light Requirements For Tomatoes To Ripen
The thumb rule is that minimum sunlight required for healthy growth of tomato plants is 6 hours, and the maximum requirement is 8 to 10 hours.
The more sunlight your tomato plants get, the more they grow. The sunlight benefits the plant to get enough energy, which helps you grow high-quality fruits.
But the question arises do tomatoes require light to ripen? You would be surprised to know that sunlight does not play any role in ripening tomatoes. It is the heat and ethylene gas which helps to ripen up the tomatoes.
General Tips For Growing Tomatoes
There are different types of tomato plants, and the nature of their growth is also different. Some take less time to grow, and some need more time for proper development. So it is important to provide them with favorable conditions to grow according to their climatic conditions as it is planted in both hot and cold climates.
It is more likely to be damaged if faced with frost, as they love warm conditions to grow. So in cold climates, you should do planting at the start of summer or late spring.
Tomato plant requires much care and every factor needed for their cultivation and growth needs to be taken care of diligently.
So here are some tips and tricks which can enhance your tomato plant growth and produce more quality fruits:
- You should take special care of spacing during the seedling stage. Overcrowding leads to compromise the growth and development of your tomato plants.
- As tomato plants love to grow in warm conditions, cover the soil with red and black plastic. It helps keep your soil warm, supporting better plant growth.
- Tomato plants can also develop roots from stems, which helps deliver nutrients and water to plants more efficiently. So bury the stem of the plant while planting.
- Keep the habit of removing the bottom leaves of the plant when it reaches 3 feet high. It helps the plant to be away from disease and the good health of the plant is also maintained.
- Water the plant adequately. Always water your plant in the proper amount. Understand the climatic condition and situation of the plant while watering them.
- Arrange for a good drainage system of the soil. It prevents blossom end rot.
Summary – Do Tomatoes Need Full Sun?
The sunlight that tomato plants receive can greatly impact their growth and development. When grown in full sun, tomatoes typically produce the most fruit and vibrant foliage. However, it is important to ensure they are properly watered and protected from the intense midday sun to prevent wilting and sunscald.
Tomatoes grown in partial sun or shade will generally have more moderate growth and may not produce as much fruit as those grown in full sun. Finally, tomatoes grown in full shade will have the least growth and may not produce any fruit.
References
- Growing Vegetables: Tomatoes by Becky Sideman, UNH Cooperative Extension Professor & Specialist
- Growing tomatoes in home gardens by Cindy Tong, Extension horticulturist; Marissa Schuh, integrated pest management Extension educator; and Jill MacKenzie, University of Minnesota Extension
- Growing Tomatoes in the Home Garden by Gary Gao, Associate Professor and Extension Specialist, Ohio State University
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