Measure the sun your garden actually receives.
Record up to three direct-sun intervals from a real observation day. Tiny Mustard Seed totals the time and turns it into a broad planning signal that can update a saved Garden Area.
Record when direct sun actually reaches the bed.
Use separate intervals when a tree, wall or building interrupts the sun during the day. The calculator adds the observed direct-sun time rather than assuming one continuous block.
Attach the observation to a real growing space.
Use the same area record for crop locations, watering, fertilizer and yield analysis. Sun exposure can change through the season, so update it when the garden changes materially.
No Garden Areas are saved yet. You can still use the calculator, then create an area in My Garden when you want to store the result.
Count direct sun, not just daylight.
Record when direct sunlight first reaches the growing space and when it leaves. If a building, tree or fence creates a shaded break, use another interval when direct sun returns. The total is the sum of those direct-sun intervals.
Repeat the observation at different points in the season when sun angle or foliage changes materially. A bed beside a deciduous tree can behave very differently in spring and midsummer.
Use the label as a planning signal, not a guarantee.
This calculator uses a simple observation-based guide: 6 or more hours is labelled Full sun, 3 to under 6 hours Part sun, and under 3 hours Mostly shade. Individual crops can need different light intensity, timing and duration, and bright open shade is not identical to deep shade.
Cloud cover on the observation day can also distort what would happen on a clear day. The most useful record comes from observing the physical shadow pattern rather than relying only on one cloudy-day light level.