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Vegetables that need shade


Shade-Tolerant Vegetables and Herbs — Seattle's Favorite Garden Store Since 1924

Don’t give up on a vegetable garden because you have more shade than you would like. Many gardeners don’t have the opportunity to grow in the ideal 8+ hours of full sun, especially in the city. However, many veggies can tolerate partial shade; a few even appreciate it!

“Partial shade” refers to areas that are exposed to 3-6 hours of sunlight. Areas that receive dappled sun or filtered sunlight for most of the day are also considered to be in partial shade. Even in less-than-ideal sun exposure, you can still do some veggie gardening. Just try it out and see! Often, gardeners with shade garden success earned it with a little trial and error. 

Try these shade-tolerant vegetables in your garden:

Salad greens

arugula, endive, lettuce, sorrel, spinach

Salad greens generally do well in cooler weather and they welcome some shade! It can be tricky to grow them during the hottest part of the summer because these veggies go to seed (also known as bolting) more quickly with too much heat or sun. However, a  shadier spot can help extend their production. Salad greens tolerate 3-4 hours of sun per day very well.

Leafy greens

collards, kale, mustard greens, swiss chard

These leafy greens are often served cooked. With 3-4 hours of sun daily, they will grow more slowly but you can harvest them as “baby greens” and they will be tender and sweet.

Root veggies 

beets, carrots, potatoes, radishes, rutabaga, turnips

You can harvest root veggies before they reach their full size for "baby" vegetables, or wait a little longer for a fully mature crop. They’ll take a little longer to reach full size in 4-5 hours of sun, but partial shade will prevent them from bolting (going to seed) too quickly. Radishes especially prefer a bit of shade from the heat of summer, to keep them from turning woody and bolting. Consistent watering is also important to avoid woodiness and bolting. Keep in mind that you can harvest the delicious greens of beets, turnips, and radishes even if the root stays small.

Brassica veggies

Broccoli and cauliflower, brussels sprouts, cabbage

These veggies in the Brassica genus grow tighter heads and flower later with partial sun. With broccoli and cauliflower, you may be able to get a second smaller crop after you cut off the main central head. These cool-weather plants do well with 4-6 hours of sunlight daily.

Peas and beans

Being in a shaded spot will lengthen the growing season for peas and beans! These veggies can do well with about 4-5 hours of sun daily. Remember to pick peas and beans regularly to encourage continued growth. Read more tips in our blog post on how to grow peas. 

Leeks and onions

Leeks and onions do very well in cooler, moist environments. They can get by with at least about 4 hours of sun per day. 

Herbs

mint, chervil, chives, coriander/cilantro, oregano, parsley

Herbs make great additions to a shady veggie garden! Keep in mind these herbs will grow more quickly and densely with more sun, but they usually still do well with 4 hours of sun per day. Also, note that mint is such a vigorous grower that it’s best to put it in a container so it doesn’t take over your garden.

Meals are best when the ingredients are home-grown; don't let some shade stop you! Happy planting!

 

30+ Vegetables That Grow in Shade

Do you have an area of your garden that is shaded part of the day? If you think you can’t grow anything there, you are wrong. There are many vegetables that grow in shade. Some even thrive when sheltered from the intense rays from the summer sun.

Trees and buildings in and around your yard can make it difficult to choose a garden location. The shadows cast by objects change throughout the day and with the season as the sun shifts. Luckily, there are many edible plants that can thrive in partial shade, dappled shade, or in as little as 3-6 hours of sunlight a day.

I have trees all around the yard that shade different parts of the garden during the day. The south end of the vegetable garden starts out as full sun in the spring, and then changes to different degrees of partial sun as the sun shifts throughout the growing season.

I try not to look at the shaded areas as obstacles. Partially shaded places can provide a perfect microclimate for vegetables that prefer to avoid the strong midday sunshine of summer.

Understanding Sun Exposure:

There are three basic sunlight conditions that are used to describe the amount of sun during the prime-growing season:

Full Sun: Full sun areas receive direct sunshine for 6 or more hours per day between the hours of 10 am and 6 pm. In northern climates where the sun strength is weaker, plants requiring full sun do better with 8 or more hours per day.

Partial Shade: Partial shade or partial sun both refer to areas that obtain 3-6 hours of sun each day. Partial sun areas receive 3-6 hours of direct sunlight but are shaded the rest of the day. Partial shaded spaces are moderately shaded during part of the day or receive filtered or dappled sunlight all day. Dappled sunlight is where the light is filtered through the leaves of trees.

Full Shade: Full shade areas receive no direct sun or reflected light during the day. An area with deep shade is not a good place for growing vegetables. All plants need some light to grow.

Tips for Growing Vegetables in Partial Shade

A partially shaded section of your yard is different than one that receives full sun all day long. A shady spot is a microclimate that can be ideal for growing some vegetables that wither in direct sunlight.

Partially shaded garden areas provide an opportunity to extend your cool-season crops from spring into early summer. A little shade in late spring will help prevent your leafy greens from turning bitter and bolting as the temperatures rise.

Plant your fall garden under the dappled canopy of trees in late summer and the plants will be well established when the leaves fall in autumn. The extra available sunshine and cooler temperatures will catapult the growth of your autumn veggies.

A microclimate is the climate of a small area that is different from the area around it. Here are tips to help you embrace your partially shaded microclimate:

Use Good Quality Soil

If you are going to challenge your shade-tolerant crops to grow in partial shade, provide them with good-quality soil with plenty of nutritious compost. Here are 7 Tips to Build Healthy Soil.

If tree roots are a problem, consider growing vegetables in containers, or using a raised bed: How to Build a Square Foot Garden.

Adapt the Moisture Requirements

The watering needs of your shade garden will be different than a garden in full sun. Moisture doesn’t evaporate as quickly in shade so you may not need to water as often.

However, if your shade garden is near trees, you may need to water more frequently since your plants will be competing with trees for moisture. Also the leafy canopy can prevent rain from reaching your plants. Water when the soil feels dry and mulch to conserve moisture. 5 Ways Organic Mulch Helps Your Vegetable Garden.

Watch for Pests

Shady and cool areas are very welcoming to slugs and snails. Consider using a border of crushed eggshells to deter slugs or provide a hospitable living area to Attract Frogs and Toads to your garden.

Expect Slower Maturation Times

Vegetables that prefer more sunlight but can grow in shade will grow slower. Expect to wait for a little longer for the plants to mature than what is suggested on the seed package to make up for the less than ideal growing conditions.

Consider Starting Seedlings Indoors

Start your own transplants from seed indoors and plant them in your shade garden when space opens up with these 10 Steps to Starting Seedlings Indoors.

Direct Sow Seeds in Your Garden

Some crops are easy to grow from seeds planted directly in your garden. Here are 13 Easy Vegetables to Direct Sow plus tips on ways to plant seeds.

Succession Plant

Keep your garden beds producing throughout your growing season by succession planting fresh crops when space opens up. Here are 3 Succession Planting Tips to maximize your harvest.

30+ Vegetables That Grow in Shade

While the heat loving tomatoes, melons, and peppers prefer drinking in as much sunshine as they can get, some crops wither and die in hot, bright sun conditions. There are plenty of vegetables that grow in shade, dappled sunlight, or with as little as 3-6 hours of sunlight per day:

Vegetables that fruit from a blossom, such as cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, and squash are the least tolerant of shady areas. Plant these in full sun areas that receive the most direct sunlight per day.

Root vegetables, such as beets, carrots, and potatoes will grow in partially shaded areas that have less direct sunlight, but will appreciate at least a half-day of full sun and some partial shade.

Leafy vegetables, such as chard, spinach and salad greens, are the most tolerant vegetables that grow in shade. In fact, keeping these plants shaded as the season heats up will help them last longer. Plant these crops in areas on that are moderately shaded during part of the day or receive filtered or dappled sunlight all day.

Shady areas do present a challenge to growing a vegetable garden, but don’t let it stop you from growing food. Here are over 30 vegetables that you can grow in partial shade:

Arugula

Arugula is a cool season green that will appreciate some shade as the growing season warms up to extend the harvest. The foliage has a peppery flavor that spices up salads and soups.

Asparagus

Asparagus is a long-lived perennial vegetable grown for its tender spears that emerge as the soil warms in late spring and early summer. Harvest yields are higher in full-sun locations, but asparagus plants will also tolerate partial shade. Plan on growing more plants to accommodate the difference.

Beets

Beets are a cool season crop grown for both greens and roots. The greens thrive in partial shade. While the roots will be a bit smaller when grown in partial shade, they will be tender tasty. Enjoy fresh greens in salads, soups, and sautéing, and earthy roots roasted, boiled, pickled, or canned.

Bok Choi

Bok Choi, also known as pak choy and other names, is a cool season type of Chinese cabbage. Growing bok choi in partial shade can help prevent it from bolting, or going to seed as the season warms. Enjoy baby bok choi braised, roasted, stir-fried, grilled, or raw in salads.

Broccoli

Broccoli is a slow growing, cool season plant that will appreciate some shade as the growing season heats up. Broccoli is grown for its edible flower buds. Once the plant blooms, the flavor turns bitter. Growing broccoli in partial shade will slow the plant from blooming. Enjoy broccoli raw or cooked in salads, soups, and stir-fries.

Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts are a long season crop planted in spring for a fall harvest. Partial shade will help the plant endure warm summers. Brussels sprouts taste better after frost has a chance to sweeten them a bit. Wait until after several light fall frosts to begin harvesting.

Cabbage

Cabbage is a cool season crop that develops as round heads of foliage that wrap around each other tightly. Cabbage will grow well partial shade especially when the season warms up. Enjoy cabbage raw or cooked in soups, salads, stir-fry, and ferment as sauerkraut and kimchi.

Carrots

Carrots are grown for their sweet roots. There are so many varieties of carrots that grow roots in different colors, shapes, and maturity times. The colors range from purple, dark red, orange, to light yellow. Carrots will grow smaller in partial shade, and take a little longer to mature, but will produce a nice sweet crop even in warm weather.

Cauliflower

Cauliflower is grown for its flower head, which is also called the “curd.” Although white is the most common, there are also a wide range of colors, including purple, orange, and green. Cauliflower grown in partial shade will grow slowly, with smaller heads, but the shade will help prevent the heads from discoloring and flowering prematurely. Enjoy raw, steamed, baked, pickled, and in stir-fries.

Celery

Celery is a slow growing, cool season crop grown for its long, crunchy leafstalks. Too much heat will cause the stalks to become hollow. Although growing in partial shade may produce shorter and thinner stalks, celery prefers cooler weather and will grow healthier out of the heat.

Chinese Cabbage

Chinese cabbage is a cool season crop that has a mild, sweet flavor. It is also called Napa cabbage has a milder flavor than regular cabbage. It grows in a tall, elongated head of crinkled leaves. Chinese cabbage will not tolerate hot temperatures. Partial shade will help keep the foliage from bolting and turning bitter.

Garlic

Garlic is grown for its large bulbs that are made up of cloves. Garlic is grown from cloves rather than seeds and is planted in fall, allowed to over winter, and harvested in summer. Garlic grown in partial shade will produce smaller cloves, but they will be just as flavorful.

Horseradish

Horseradish is a cool season crop grown for its pungent roots that are used as a condiment. Although it is a perennial, it is best to grow as an annual because the roots become tough and fibrous the second year. Horseradish thrives in partial shade if planted in moist, rich, well-drained soil.

Kale

Kale is a cool season crop grown for its slightly bitter leaves. Warm weather can cause kale to become tough and very bitter. Grow kale in partial shade and it will produce leafy greens all season long. Kale is very cold tolerant, making it a great crop for fall.

Kohlrabi

Kohlrabi is an easy to grow cool season crop that forms a ball above the ground. It is in the Brassica family and tastes like a combination of cabbage with a mild spicy kick like a radish. Kohlrabi will grow smaller bulbs in partial shade, but will appreciate cooler temperatures when the summer heats up. Enjoy raw in salads or coleslaws, roasted, or added to soups and stews.

Leeks

Leeks are related to onions, but have a mild, sweeter flavor. They also don’t form a bulb like onions do making them a great candidate to grow in partial shade. Expect leeks to be a bit smaller when growing in partial shade. Use leeks in soups, meat, and vegetable dishes.

Lettuce

Lettuce is a cool season vegetable that will bolt, or go to seed in warm temperatures. Growing lettuce in partial shade will help keep the roots cooler allowing you to harvest longer as the summer heats up. Plant fall lettuce under a canopy of trees in late summer, and it will thrive once cooler weather arrives. All lettuce varieties can be harvested as baby greens, or left to mature fully.

Mizuna

Mizuna is a Japanese green with a slightly bitter, mustard flavor. It is best grown in cool weather, but unlike other leafy greens, it is slow to bolt when the weather turns warm. Growing with some shade may yield a generous crop even in the summer months. The texture of the lobed leaves blends well with salad greens and is crisp enough to hold up to steaming and stir-frying.

Mustard Greens

Mustard greens are a fast growing, cool season green enjoyed for it pungent, mustard flavor. Growing in shade will slow the plant from turning bitter and bolting. Harvest young for a peppery addition to salads, or enjoy mature leaves sautéed, boiled, or added to soups.

Parsnip

Parsnips are a long seasoned crop grown for their slightly nutty flavored roots. They grow best in cool temperatures and are harvested in the fall after frost sweetens their flavor. Parsnips will tolerate partial shade, which will help keep the roots cool and help prevent the soil from drying out. Enjoy parsnips roasted, pan-fried, and in soups and stews.

Peas

Peas are a cool season vegetable that will appreciate a partial shade as the weather heats up. Snow and snap peas are enjoyed for their crunchy pods and immature peas. Garden peas, also known as English or sweet peas are shelling peas that are removed from the inedible pod.

Potatoes

Potatoes prefer cooler weather. While potatoes will thrive in full sun, the plants will also tolerate partial shade as well. Expect a lower yield and smaller tubers when growing potatoes in partial shade.

Radish

This cool season crop will need partial shade to grow in warmer weather. Radishes are a great crop to succession sow and can be enjoyed for their roots and foliage. Enjoy raw in salads, and on a veggie platter. Try roasted, pan fried, and sautéed. The greens can be made into pesto, stir-fried, steamed, or added raw to salads.

Rhubarb

Rhubarb is a hardy, cool season perennial vegetable grown for its tart, tangy flavored leaf stalks. It doesn’t need a lot of care once planted and will continue to emerge from the ground and produce a harvest each spring. As a kid, we enjoyed the tart leafstalks raw, dipped in sugar, or sweeten and use in pies, jelly, syrup, or baked goods.

Rutabaga

Rutabagas, also known as a Swede, or Canadian or yellow turnips are grown for its large roots. It is a cross between cabbage and turnips. The roots are larger than turnips, and yellow fleshed with a purple top. Expect slower growth and slightly smaller roots when growing rutabaga in partial shade. Enjoy the roots steamed and mashed, roasted, or baked. The greens are also edible and can be steamed or sautéed.

Scallions

Scallions, also called green onions or bunching onions are grown for their green stalks and small bulb. They add a mild onion flavor to salads, cooked recipes, and stir-fries.

Spinach

Spinach is a cool season leafy green that will bolt, or go to seed once the weather begins to warm. Growing spinach in a partially shaded garden allows for a longer growing period for this cool-season crop. Toss spinach leaves into a salad, sauté with olive oil and garlic, or chop and add to spring soups.

Swiss Chard

Swiss chard is a leafy green that will produce harvests from early spring, though the summer, and on to fall. Chard is a great substitute when the weather is too hot to grow spinach. Enjoy the stalks and leaves raw, steamed, and sautéed. Toss the greens into salads, sauté with olive oil and garlic, and chop the stems and add to soups and salads.

Tatsoi

Tatsoi is a cool-season, Asian green with small, spoon-shaped leaves that grow in a rosette shaped plant. Growing tatsoi in partial shade will extend the harvest by slowing the plant from bolting in warmer weather. The mustard-like flavor mixes well in salads, stir-fries, and soups.

Turnip

Turnip is a cool season crop grown for both greens and roots. Warm weather causes the roots to be woody, so growing in partial shade will help extend the harvest. Plan on harvesting smaller roots when growing turnip in partial shade. Enjoy turnips raw in salads or a veggie tray, or cooked by roasting, boiling and mashing. Greens can be steamed or sautéed.

Experiment with a small shade garden and see which vegetables succeed. Also try growing in containers that can be moved to different locations. Knowing the type of vegetables that grow in shade will help you make the most out of your gardening space.

Do you have any other tips for growing vegetables in partial shade?
Did you find any of these tips worked especially well for you?
I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!

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What vegetables can grow and produce crops in partial shade? Greens, root vegetables, radishes, legumes, cabbage, etc. Photo - Botanichka

Vegetables, herbs and herbs do not have to be grown only in open sunny areas. Site conditions vary. Perhaps you are the owner of a secluded garden and strive to make the most of unoccupied areas in partial shade. Maybe you are setting up an ornamental garden, in which some of the beds are shaded by shrubs, trees, and buildings. Even for such conditions, there are many plants that give a good harvest. And it doesn't have to be spicy herbs or boring salads. In soft lighting, protected from overheating and drought, many traditional garden dwellers surprise only on the positive side. nine0003 What vegetables can grow and produce crops in partial shade?

Peculiarities of growing vegetables in partial shade

Gardens are traditionally planted on open, sunny areas. But the popularity of mixed garden design and ornamental vegetable gardens, this seemingly invariable rule, is just one of the options. Especially in small gardens, where every free meter of space is very valuable.

Places in shade, in soft scattered penumbra under deciduous trees or near buildings should not be considered “unsuitable” for growing vegetables and useful plants. As are those beds where larger crops create shading. Whatever the reason that prompted the cultivation of vegetables in partial shade, suitable species will always be found. They will also help out in situations where you need to make room for more sun-loving crops by moving shade-tolerant species. nine0003

Before looking for vegetable plants for shady areas, it is worth limiting the allowable shading to reasonable limits. Vegetables can be grown in partial shade, but not in dense shade. For full-fledged fruiting, the formation of tasty leaves or fruits, any plant needs at least 3-4 hours of sun per day for leafy and spicy crops and 5 hours for root crops and crops that eat fruits. Even the most shade-tolerant salads and herbs are no exception to these norms. And, of course, when changing the lighting from the usual bright, it is worth making sure that the soil and its characteristics fully comply with the individual requirements of each plant species. nine0003

Particular garden plants will thrive in partial shade: