Faye & Weather
Hey Weather, I've been thinking about how cloud cover affects the little gardens I’ve started in the city—do you think the way clouds move could help us predict when plants get the most sunlight, or even influence the microclimate of small green patches? I'd love to hear your take on the data behind that.
Hey there! Absolutely, clouds are a big player in city gardens. When low clouds drift over, they cut down on direct sunlight, so your plants get less photosynthesis energy. High, thin clouds, on the other hand, let a lot of diffuse light through, which can be great for shade‑tolerant greens. If you keep a simple log of cloud cover—maybe from a local weather station or even a smartphone app—and tie that to your plant growth observations, you’ll start spotting patterns.
The microclimate is another layer: clouds keep temperatures steadier, reduce wind speed, and lower evaporation rates. That means your tiny garden patches stay a bit cooler and retain moisture longer. Over a few weeks, you could see that seedlings under persistent cloud cover have a slower but steadier growth curve compared to those in a sunny spell.
So, track cloud type, movement, and duration, then match it to light levels and plant response. That data stack will give you a pretty solid handle on predicting when your city garden gets its best sun. Happy gardening!