Sadzonka poradzi sobie w cieniu.

Sadzonka is a seedling, sapling, cutting, or generally a young plant prepared for planting. The exact English word depends on context.

It is a feminine noun in Polish, which matters in some grammatical forms.

Because poradzić sobie is a fixed expression meaning to manage, to cope, or to do fine.

So:

• poradzić on its own can mean to advise
• poradzić sobie means to manage / cope

In this sentence, the plant is not advising anyone. It is coping well in the shade.

Here sobie is part of the expression poradzić sobie.

It does not translate literally as to oneself in a natural English way. Instead, the whole phrase means:

• manage
• cope
• do all right

So it is best to learn poradzić sobie as one unit.

This is because poradzić sobie is a perfective verb.

In Polish, perfective verbs do not have a true present tense. Their non-past form usually refers to the future.

So:

• poradzi sobie = he/she/it will manage
• not he/she/it manages in a general present-time sense

That is why the sentence means the seedling will cope or will do fine in shade.

Because w can take different cases depending on meaning.

Here it means in a place, so it takes the locative case:

• cień = shade / shadow
• w cieniu = in the shade

If there were motion into the shade, Polish could use the accusative instead.

Cieniu is the locative singular form of cień.

After w meaning in, Polish usually uses the locative:

• w domu = in the house
• w ogrodzie = in the garden
• w cieniu = in the shade

It most naturally means it will cope / do fine in the shade.

That suggests tolerance or ability to grow there, not necessarily that shade is its ideal condition.

So the nuance is closer to:

• The seedling will manage in the shade
• The seedling can handle shade

rather than:

• The seedling loves shade
• Shade is best for it

Because Polish has no articles.

So sadzonka can mean:

• a seedling
• the seedling

Which one is intended depends on context.

Not in this form.

In the non-past form, poradzi is simply 3rd person singular, and it can go with masculine, feminine, or neuter singular subjects.

So all of these would use poradzi:

• sadzonka poradzi sobie
• krzew poradzi sobie
• drzewo poradzi sobie

Gender shows up more clearly in the past tense, for example:

• sadzonka poradziła sobie — feminine
• krzew poradził sobie — masculine
• drzewo poradziło sobie — neuter

Yes. Sadzonka poradzi sobie w cieniu is a natural, neutral order.

Polish word order is flexible, so you could also say things like:

• W cieniu sadzonka poradzi sobie
• Sadzonka w cieniu poradzi sobie

But the original version sounds straightforward and unmarked.

Yes. That is a very natural alternative.

• poradzi sobie = will manage / will cope
• da sobie radę = will manage / will cope

Both are common. The meaning is very similar.

A rough pronunciation guide:

• sadzonka ≈ sa-DZON-ka
• poradzi ≈ po-RA-dji
• sobie ≈ SO-bye
• w cieniu ≈ f CHYE-nyu

A few useful notes:

• dz in sadzonka sounds like the ds/z sound in beds
• ci before a vowel often sounds like a soft ć, roughly like ch in a very soft pronunciation
• w is pronounced like English v, but before a voiceless consonant it may sound more like f, so w cieniu often sounds close to f cieniu

Usually you do not use it with a direct object the way English does.

Instead, Polish often uses:

• poradzić sobie z czymś = to cope with something

For example:

• Poradzi sobie z suszą. = It will cope with drought.

In your sentence, no extra phrase is needed, because the place w cieniu already gives the relevant context.