Tomato plants, in general, need six to eight hours of direct, bright sunlight per day for healthy growth. Some varieties may be grown in lower levels, but they need as much light as possible because they are dense. Water, nutrients, and pruning are also all essential for maintaining healthy, fruiting tomato plants. Growing great tomato plants starts with understanding their ideal conditions. From growing them in pots versus in the ground, to ensuring they have the right fertilizer and soil, there's a lot to consider. Add to the list: direct or indirect sunlight. For tomatoes to really grow their best, and not get scorched or become leggy, they need the perfect amount of light in your garden. So we turned to gardening pros to find out whether tomatoes should be grown in direct or indirect sunlight for your best crop this season. Direct vs. Indirect Light: What Do Tomatoes Need? According to Kathi Rogers, writer and gardener at Oak Hill Homestead, tomatoes need six to eight hours of full, direct sunlight. "Sunlight is essential for photosynethesis, which is how tomato plants convert sunlight into energy to grow and and produce fruit (the tomatoes)," she says. "The plants use the sun's energy to grow deep roots, strong stems, leaves, and flowers and fruit." Lindsay Springer, Director of Plants, Nutrition, and Digital Agriculture at Gardyn, agrees, and says that eight hours of direct sunlight "will yield excellent plant growth, flowering, and fruit." "The UV spectrum of light is essential to sync the balance of sugar and flavor ripening processes—along with the development of healthy antioxidants," she says. Can You Grow Tomatoes in Indirect or Lower Light? In general, all tomato varieties should be grown in direct sunlight, and that is a basic requirement for the plant. However, Steven Corcoran, CEO of Lawn Love, says there may be a small handful of exceptions—with some caveats. "There are some variations that may be able to tolerate a bit more indirect light or shade than others, like cherry or Mama Leone tomatoes, but generally tomatoes like direct sun," Corcoran says. "These plants simply need that direct sunlight to thrive." Corcoran says that, because tomato plants can become dense as they grow, it's important to provide them with as much sunlight as possible to ensure enough filters through to the plant. "It definitely helps to prune them a little bit and provide them with support to allow more sunlight to filter in," he says. More Tomato Growing Tips Springer also had some other essential tips for growing your healthiest tomato plants this season: Tomato plants are heavy feeders, and will require lots of water and nutrients during their flowering and fruiting phases, Springer says. If you don't have an outdoor space, or don't have enough sunlight, Springer recommends using grow lights (which can even be used year-round indoors). To reduce the risk of disease, "water your plants at the base of the stem, not overhead on the foliage," Springer says. Prune branches that are rubbing against each other, are low to the ground, or have leaves that are turning brown, to ensure healthy airflow, Springer says.

Growing sunflowers in pots is easy, but you have to follow specific care requirements. Plant sunflower seeds in a pot that can handle your full-grown sunflowers, so you don't have to repot them. Sunflowers grow best in a full-sun spot on a south-facing windowsill, patio, or porch. When you hear "sunflowers," the idea of growing them in pots may be the furthest thing from your mind. But there are many types of sunflowers, and some of them perform admirably in a pot, provided that you take a few basic steps to ensure their optimal growth. Learn how to plant and grow sunflowers in pots, from sowing the seed to choosing the perfect location for the pot. How to Plant and Grow Sunflowers in Pots Sunflowers are easy to grow, but you can increase your chances of success in the project by taking the following steps: Select a suitable variety to grow in a pot. Select a suitable pot. At the most basic level, match the size of the container to the size that the plant will achieve at maturity. Fill the pot with a potting mix. Sowing seeds directly in the pot, rather than starting the plants on a windowsill and transplanting them later, to avoid transplant shock. Sunflowers grow vigorously enough that you don't have to bother starting them indoors. Provide adequate water. Thin your seedling by selecting the seedling that looks healthiest as the one to keep, then gently remove the rest. This avoids overcrowding. If you want to grow multiple potted sunflowers, buy multiple pots. Locate the pot in a sunny spot. Fertilize your potted sunflower. Deadhead the flowers to encourage further blooming. Want more gardening tips? Sign up for our free gardening newsletter for our best growing tips, troubleshooting hacks, and more! Sowing the Seed and Nursing the Seedlings The day before sowing seed, fill the container with potting mix (to within an inch of the rim) and sprinkle the surface with water to help it settle. You will be sowing a few seeds in the pot to ensure that something germinates, but you will be keeping only one seedling. Make your planting holes with a pencil, going down 1/2 inch. Drop a seed in each hole, then tamp down the soil to cover it. Water the soil lightly; do not make the soil soggy. After germination, irrigate regularly, but not excessively. The objective is to keep the soil evenly moist. Wait for the seedlings to put on a few inches of height before selecting the best one and thinning out the rest. The problem with thinning earlier is that young seedlings are particularly susceptible to damage from slugs and snails. A small plant can be decimated overnight by these pests. If you remove all seedlings but one too early, only to have that one destroyed by pests, you'll have to start all over again. Soil Sunflowers grown in containers need good drainage. This is why you'll be using a potting soil rather than garden soil: Potting soil is lighter and drains faster. Sunflowers are also heavy feeders, so they will require fertilization. A slow-release fertilizer is the safest type to use. You can also amend the soil with compost or aged manure. Light Sunflowers need full sun to grow properly. Station your pot in a location that, on a typical sunny day, gets six to eight hours of direct sunlight. Water Your goal in watering is to keep the soil evenly moist. It should not be allowed to dry out completely, nor should it be soggy. Potted sunflowers have to be watered more frequently than those grown in the ground, because containers dry out faster than the ground. But other factors, such as weather, also affect how often you will need to irrigate. To determine when it is time to water again, poke a hole an inch down into the soil: If it is not evenly moist down to that level, then it is time to water. Location In addition to choosing a location with full sun, select one that is sheltered from high winds. Potted sunflowers are very attractive on south-facing decks or patios. Best Sunflowers for Pots There are single-stem sunflowers and branching sunflowers. The single-stem types are great for cut flowers, as they bear large blooms on sturdy stalks. Branching types hold a charm of their own; some gardeners prefer them for patio displays, since they produce multiple blooms. Not all sunflower varieties grow well in pots. Large types, such as Helianthus annuus 'Mammoth,' are ill-suited for pots. Dwarf varieties are more suitable for pots; as a bonus, the shorter the sunflower, the less you will have to worry about it being buffeted by wind gusts. Find seeds for any of the more compact varieties of Helianthus annuus, which include: 'Firecracker': 2 to 3 feet tall, Firecracker is a branching sunflower. It has bicolored flowers (gold and reddish) with dark centers. 'Little Becka': 1 to 2 feet tall, Little Becka is a branching sunflower. It has bicolored flowers (gold and copper) with dark centers. 'SunBuzz': A shorter branching type (up to 20 inches tall), SunBuzz has yellow flowers with dark centers. 'Sunfinity': A taller specimen (up to 4.5 feet), Sunfinity is a branching sunflower that has golden flowers with dark centers. 'Teddy Bear': Teddy Bear is a single-stem type, sporting a large, golden flower that has a fuzzy texture. It stands 2 to 3 feet tall. Mexican sunflowers (Tithonia rotundifolia) are not true sunflowers, but they, too, perform well in pots. Best Pots for Sunflowers What makes a good container for sunflowers is one that: Has a large drain hole (to promote the excellent drainage that potted sunflowers need) Stays cool even while being pounded by the sun Has enough heft to offer stability Is big enough that the soil won't dry out too quickly yet not so big that the soil will retain excessive moisture Is made of a material that "breathes" Terra cotta pots are generally the best choice. Unlike plastic pots, they are porous, which allows for evaporation and keeps soil from becoming waterlogged.

Rhubarb is a cool-season garden vegetable that, once established, can produce a crop for up to 15 years, making it a particularly fruitful addition to any garden. Growing rhubarb from crowns is the fastest way to get new plants, but you can grow rhubarb from seeds, too; it will be several years before you can harvest the stalks. Here's how to grow rhubarb from seeds. Can You Grow Rhubarb From Seed? Yes, you can grow rhubarb from seed. The faster way to get rhubarb plants is to grow them from crowns, which can give you a harvest that same year. However, it's easy and cost-effective to start rhubarb plants with seed, you'll just have to wait three years to harvest. Rhubarb is hardy in USDA hardiness zones 3 to 8 and, starting with seeds, is grown either as a perennial or short-lived perennial in zones 1 to 8. Seeds started in zone 9 are grown as an annual crop with a single harvest from March to May. In hardiness zones with long, hot growing seasons, rhubarb is usually grown as an annual by planting new crowns every year. How to Grow Rhubarb From Seed In the right conditions, rhubarb germinates in 7 to 14 days. Seeds should be directly sown or started in pots in early spring in cooler zones, and in late summer or early autumn in warmer zones, depending on climate. How to Plant Rhubarb Seeds Seeds started indoors germinate best between 68°F and 74°F. For direct sowing into the garden, wait until soil temperatures reach between 60°F and 70°F. Soak seeds in warm water for several hours before planting. In the garden, choose a spot that receives six hours of sun exposure daily. Rhubarb needs well-draining soil with a pH of 6.0 to 7.0. In southern climates, provide afternoon shade. Work a good amount of aged compost into the planting bed. Sow seeds 1/2 inch deep and three feet apart in rows five feet apart. Cover with soil and water thoroughly. To germinate in flats use a 50-50 mix of compost and potting soil. Plant one or two seeds per cell, 1/2 inch deep, cover, and water thoroughly. Place flats in a warm location that receives plenty of indirect light. To grow rhubarb in pots, you'll need 10-gallon containers. Plants grow to four feet tall, requiring lots of space. Choose a container with plenty of drainage holes. Use a 50-50 mix of aged compost and potting soil, plant seeds 1/2 inch deep, and water thoroughly. Rhubarb Seedling Care Water the seedlings when the soil gets dry on top. Soggy soil causes dampening off. Harden off for a week to 10 days by gradually exposing flat-grown seedlings to outdoor temperatures and more sunlight before transplanting into the garden. In zones with short growing seasons, try solarizing to raise soil temperature. In hotter climates add a layer of mulch to keep soil cool. Do not fertilize the first year. Compacted soil can be amended with manure or aged compost in subsequent years. Remove flowering stalks throughout the growing season and brown and dried out foliage at the end of the growing season. Harvest Rhubarb Annual rhubarb grown from seed is harvested between March and May. Stalks are usually smaller and seldom develop the pink to red hues of perennial rhubarb. Perennial rhubarb is harvested in May, June, and early July from 3-year-old crowns when stalks reach between 7 and 14 inches tall. Harvest by pulling and twisting the stalk off at the base. Do not cut rhubarb which can damage the crown. Remove leaves which are toxic.1 When to Plant Rhubarb Seeds by Zone When and how to start rhubarb from seeds depends, not just on growing zone, but on frost dates, elevation, microclimate, and other growing conditions. Ideal conditions for growing rhubarb include 500 hours of winter temperatures between 28°F and 40°F. Plants break dormancy above 40°F and begin to die back once temperatures reach 75°F.2 Consider these planting dates a general rule of thumb. USDA zones 1 to 3: Start seeds indoors in flats or pots eight to 10 weeks before final frost, which occurs from early April to May. Transplant when soil temperature reaches 60°F. USDA zone 4: Direct sow two weeks before final frost, from late April to early May, or start seeds in flats eight to 10 weeks before final frost. USDA Zone 5 to 6: Direct sow in the ground two weeks before the final frost in April, or start seeds in flats eight to 10 weeks before the final frost. USDA zone 7: Plant seeds in flats from January to February or directly sow in September and October. May grow as annual or perennial depending on climate. USDA zone 8: Plant seeds in flats from December to January or directly sow in September and October. May grow as annual or perennial depending on climate. USDA zone 9: Plant seeds in flats or direct sow from August to September for transplant into the garden in December. One annual harvest from March to May.