光照不足，如何养植物？
刘立军 供稿
TRANSCRIPT
Some people might think that growing plants without much sun is a difficult, if not impossible, task. With little sunlight, gardeners may think they are faced with limited plant choices and no possibility for color.
However, that is not the case, says Jessica Damiano. She is a gardening expert for the Associated Press and recently shared suggestions on growing plants in low-light conditions, or shade.
Damiano says you just need to learn how to work with shady conditions. And, she adds, finding the right plants for the right places, can make all the difference.
What type of shade do you have?
The first step is understanding the type of shade you have. This is based on the amount of time that sun shines on the area.
She describes the three main types of shade. They are: part shade (3-6 hours of direct sun, usually in the morning), full shade (less than 3 hours of direct sun) and deep shade (sunlight rarely, if ever, gets through trees or past structures like buildings).
When sunlight shines through overhead tree branches and leaves, it creates an area with both light and shade. The light only falls in certain small areas and is called “dappled.”
Observe the area
After you choose the planting area, observe the light it gets during an entire day. Note how many hours of direct sunlight reaches the ground.
If you are still uncertain, buy a sunlight meter. Damiano says this device can cost as little as $20. Place the light meter in the planting area for a full day and then read the results.
Buy the right plants
When you know your shade conditions, find plants that suit them.
This information is available where plants and seeds are sold. You can also research that information online, in books or magazines. Experts at gardening stores are other sources of information.
And don’t forget about your local gardeners. When walking around a community garden or your neighborhood, take note of plants growing in shady areas. Talk to the gardeners. Learn about their successes and failures.
Shade gardens need different care
Damiano says there are things to know about caring for a shade garden.
For example, shady gardens usually take longer to warm up in spring. They also stay cooler on hot summer days. As a result, they will likely require more fertilizer, or plant food.
Also, they usually need less water. This is because the dirt stays wetter longer after a rainfall or watering than it does in full sun.
However, if the shade is caused by large trees directly overhead, some types of plants may need to be watered more often. So, she suggests that gardeners pay close attention to that.
She suggests adding a lot of compost to the soil at planting time. This will increase the amount of water the soil can hold. Compost will also add high-quality nutrients. And if the area has hard clay, compost will improve its drainage. Clay is a type of hard earth that drains water poorly.
Damiano also says to add material, or mulch, to the surface of the plant bed. This helps keep the soil wet and healthy.
Deep shade is the most challenging for gardeners. If you garden in a three- or four-season climate where deciduous trees block the summer sun, take advantage of springtime conditions by planting bulbs. They will grow into a colorful spring show before the trees become too leafy.
Ways to increase light
The gardening expert adds that painting nearby structures white reflects sunlight. Glass and mirrored objects can also reflect light around the garden.
If possible, carefully cut some tree branches. This is “to prune,” and it lets more sunlight reach the ground.
What to plant?
Damiano says to research the low-light plants suitable for your area. She also says to not give up on growing plants you can eat. Vegetables like tomatoes and peppers need a lot of sun. But leafy greens actually grow better in part shade. Asian greens, arugula, cilantro, spinach, and kale all grow well in dappled to part shade.
As for pests, Damiano says that some, like slugs and snails, like shade gardens. But most other pests are less of a problem in low-light conditions.
She also suggests another good thing about shady gardens ― you will sweat less while gardening!
And that’s the Health & Lifestyle report. I’m Anna Matteo. And I’m Jill Robbins.
VOCABULARY
1. dappled adj. marked with spots of color, or shade 有斑点的；斑驳的。例如：the cool dappled light under the trees树下凉爽斑驳的光点
2. compost n. a mixture of decayed plants, food, etc. that can be added to soil to help plants grow 混合肥料；堆肥。例如：potting compost盆栽混合肥料
3. drainage n. the process by which water or liquid waste is drained from an area 排水；放水。例如：a drainage system/channel/ditch排水系统/渠/沟
4. mulch n. material, for example, decaying leaves, that you put around a plant to protect its base and its roots, to improve the quality of the soil or to stop weeds growing 覆盖物，护根（用以保护植物根基、改善土质或防止杂草生长）
5. deciduous adj. (of a tree, bush etc. 树、灌木等) that loses its leaves every year 落叶的
6. bulb n. the round underground part of some plants, shaped like an onion, that grows into a new plant every year （植物）鳞茎，球茎，球根
7. leafy adj. having a lot of leaves 多叶的，叶茂的。例如：Eat plenty of leafy green vegetables. 多吃绿叶蔬菜。
8. prune v. to cut off some of the branches from a tree, bush, etc. so that it will grow better and stronger 修剪树枝。例如：He pruned the longer branches off the tree. 他把较长的树枝剪掉了。
9. arugula n. a plant with long green leaves that have a strong flavor and are eaten raw in salads 芝麻菜
10. cilantro n. (North American English) the leaves of the coriander plant, used in cooking as a herb香菜叶（用作调味香料）
11. spinach n. a vegetable with large dark green leaves that are cooked or eaten in salads 菠菜
12. kale n. (North American English) a dark green vegetable like a cabbage 羽衣甘蓝
13. slug n. a small soft creature, like a snail without a shell, that moves very slowly and often eats garden plants 缓步虫；鼻涕虫
QUESTIONS
Read the statements. Then listen to the news and decide whether the statements are true (T) or false (F). Then correct the false statements.
1. Some people might think that growing plants without much sun is a difficult task.
2. Jessica Damiano is a food expert for the Associated Press.
3. Part shade has less than 3 hours of direct sun, usually in the morning.
4. A sunlight meter can cost as little as $20.
5. Shady gardens will likely require less fertilizer, or plant food, and usually need more water.
6. Deep shade is not the most challenging for gardeners.
7. Painting nearby structures red reflects sunlight.
8. Carefully cutting some tree branches could let more sunlight reach the ground.
9. Another good thing about shady gardens is that you will sweat less while gardening.
KEY
Read the statements. Then listen to the news and decide whether the statements are true (T) or false (F). Then correct the false statements.
(T) 1. Some people might think that growing plants without much sun is a difficult task.
(F) 2. Jessica Damiano is a food expert for the Associated Press.（正确表达）Jessica Damiano is a gardening expert for the Associated Press.
(F) 3. Part shade has less than 3 hours of direct sun, usually in the morning.（正确表达）Part shade has 3-6 hours of direct sun, usually in the morning.
(T) 4. A sunlight meter can cost as little as $20.
(F) 5. Shady gardens will likely require less fertilizer, or plant food, and usually need more water.（正确表达）Shady gardens will likely require more fertilizer, or plant food, and usually need less water.
(F) 6. Deep shade is not the most challenging for gardeners.（正确表达）Deep shade is the most challenging for gardeners.
(F) 7. Painting nearby structures red reflects sunlight.（正确表达）Painting nearby structures white reflects sunlight.
(T) 8. Carefully cutting some tree branches could let more sunlight reach the ground.
(T) 9. Another good thing about shady gardens is that you will sweat less while gardening.
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