Yes, tomatoes do not grow well in shade or partial sunlight. About 3pm the shadow from the house starts ⦠Growing Tomatoes in the Shade. Most indoor settings only provide indirect light. * Carrots. The spot you planted was sunny when you chose it, but became shady when leaves grew thick on nearby trees later in the season, You planted too close to the house (or another building), You are growing indoors on a windowsill that doesn’t get enough sun, Choose a sunnier spot in your garden for next year, Move any potted tomato plants to a sunnier location, Trim back some of the branches on nearby trees, Plant on the south side of your house, if you want to grow close to the house, Move indoor plants to a windowsill on the south side of your house, you prune your tomato plants too aggressively, your plants are exposed to strong midday sun without any shade or protection, your plant’s leaves wilt due to lack of water, you use stakes instead of cages to support your plants. Tomatoes might still grow in indirect sunlight, depending on how intense it is and how long they are exposed. This is a big problem in climates with a short growing season! Garden writer Ciscoe Morris says tomatoes need warmth, not direct sunlight, to ripen. But some varieties of fruiting vegetablesâdeterminate or bush tomatoes, for example, and tomatoes adapted to cool conditionsâcan grow where there are as few as five to six hours of direct sun. This can lead to another problem that affects the fruit: sunscald. Indirect light is sunlight that either passes through a mediumâa window shade or the leaves of a treeâor reflects off another surface before reaching a plant. They are not shade-tolerant, and they prefer full sun (6 to 8 hours or more of direct sunlight per day). Like earlier stated, tomato plants require at least 6 hours of direct sunlight to grow and a maximum of 8 hours or more, But, if you are looking to grow your tomato plants entirely in indirect sunlight, the plants will not do well. Itâs now early November and itâs obvious to me that the outdoor tomatoes are a bust, and sadly they will not ripen before the frost thatâs forecast. If so, please share it with someone who can use the information. Noonday sunlight comes up between 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. The answer to this question can be yes and no. It comes up after 2 p.m. and is well desired by growing tomato plants. As a basic rule of thumb, vegetables that are grown for their fruit or rootsâsuch as tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, squash, potatoes, or carrotsârequire full sun, which is defined as a garden location that receives at least six hours of direct sun each day. These grow better in some climates than in others, but are a popular early spring and late fall harvest. A: Fertilizer spikes ⦠They canât grow or develop properly without the right amount of sunlight. Ah-ha! This one-two punch denies tomato plants the water they need to grow and produce fruit. Preferably at least 6 hours, minimum, per day, for best results, the more the better. These problems that plague tomatoes grown in containers can magnify in tropical or subtropical climates, where the humidity is turned up and pests ⦠The afternoon sun is the second optimal sunlight required by the tomato plants. According to the University of Arizona Extension: learn more about covering your plants in my article here. However, they will grow better and produce more with at least some direct sunlight. Like earlier stated, tomato plants require at least 6 hours of direct sunlight to grow and a maximum of 8 hours or more supply of direct sunlight. Or, instead of bright sunlight , you can make do with a few hours of indirect ⦠Keep your plants watered to ensure that the leaves do not wilt. However, they will still suffer if they get too much sunlight. If you want to read some of my most popular posts, check out the “Best of GreenUpSide” page here. Sunlight only plays a key role in the growth of tomato plants and in the production of tasty tomato fruits. This is a trick question. Want to learn how to plant sprouted potatoes to grow your own food? Let's solve your gardening problems, spend more time growing, and get the best harvest every year! Naturally, tomatoes thrive under direct sunlight for about 8 hours, but many people still want to know if tomato plants can grow in indirect sunlight. © 2020 Gardening Bank | All rights reserved. The answer to this question can be yes and no.