Fix the point before counting
Observe the exact height and position where leaves will grow. A nearby railing, wall, tree, roof, or taller plant may create a different result a few feet away.
Count only direct sunlight
Record short intervals when a defined shadow is cast by direct sun. Bright sky, reflected light, and a sunlit building improve visibility but do not count as direct sunlight in the planner.
Add the intervals rather than assuming that morning and afternoon brightness form one uninterrupted period.
Repeat when the season or surroundings change
Sun angle, deciduous foliage, neighboring structures, smoke, shade cloth, and the crop canopy change exposure. Repeat the observation near the planned growing season and after a meaningful site change.
Use a band, not false precision
The planner uses broad choices because one cloudy day or phone reading cannot establish a permanent threshold. When the site lies near a boundary, choose the more conservative band and observe plant response.
Sources, scope and limits
Sources support the stated context. They do not turn a broad guide into individualized advice or transfer rights to reproduce the original material.
United States home food garden editorial synthesis — version 1
Global Garden Planner
Original seven-profile model and localized corpus. It remains an editorial draft until an independent U.S. agronomic review is recorded.
U.S. Climate Normals
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
Supports the use of long-period climate context and the warning that station and regional conditions vary; it does not supply operational month rows.
Regional Climate Centers
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
Supports directing people to regional and local climate expertise rather than claiming that a national profile resolves a site.