Thanks SE... not sure exactly how many hours they get each day to be honest, but if I have to estimate it I would say at least 8 or more. I found a decent sized clearing to start with but still had to cut 15 saplings and trees combined down to maximize the amount of light. The way I did it was to start in the morning sun cutting any blocking trees and saplings... then worked on digging... at noon I cut a few more... then back to digging and at 3pm cut a few more. Doing it this way allowed me to remove any direct shading trees and also get my holes dug and soil put down. It was a pain in the butt but worth it in my opinion... the area is secure enough to warrant doing the work.
Cheers,
BR.