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Many people have shady areas of their garden, yet the standard gardening advice is to grow most vegetables in ‘full sun’.
If you’re wondering how to grow delicious fruit and vegetable despite the shade in your garden, this video is for you. In it Ben explains 8 simple techniques you can use to make sure the shady areas are still productive.
If you love growing your own food, why not take a look at our online Garden Planner which is available from several major websites and seed suppliers:
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What brand is that beautiful wooden greenhouse?
This has given me so much more hope for planting in our shaded area. Thank you!
I love to planting my plants
Light coloured mulches to reflect light, it seems so obvious in retrospect, great tip. Thanks for sharing this important knowledge!
My god this man has done it best
I had a small garden area so I used what little space i have even in shade that only get less than 2 hours of sun. I noticed that indeterminate cherry, grape and other small tomatoes loves to grow in the shade until frost comes. Also Swiss chard, kale, water spinach, green beans, long beans, morning glory, sorrel, spinach, green mustard, carrots, beets, cucumber and peas grow in the shade. Last year I tried planting the sweet banana pepper in the shade and also the patio tomato and zinnias. They grow okay too. I hope this helps those who have shaded garden. This year I'm planting longevity spinach, basil and hardy kiwi in the same shaded area. ^_^
We have a kiwi fruit plant that was labelled as self fertile when purchased but despite plenty of flowers most years we are yet to see any sign of fruit starting to develop. We are in North Yorkshire, the plant has grown significantly in its large pot and most parts get plenty of sun. This year late frosts have damaged some of the new shoots but plenty of leaves are now developing. Do you have any idea how we might persuade this plant to produce fruit? Even 1 tiny fruit would be welcomed!
Thanks for more really practical advice in this video.
You have great tips and videos Ben! I really enjoy this subscription.
One of the best videos you've done Ben.
Can you please give an exhaustive list of crops that thrive in shaded areas. Thanks again for the wonderful content.
I always plant the mammoth sunflowers throughout my garden to give shade to other plants. This year in the drought, they are saving my veggies and fruit from 100 degree days
I think the best tip is to do a sun map (Gardener Scott's channel he did a good video on it). I didn't physically do that but did it in my head for the front yard food forest. It's on the south side of the house (in the southern hemisphere) so the last month of Autumn our forest is in 75% full shade and the other 25% full sun, this goes all the way until the third month of winter which by that time it swaps up until all of it is in sun in summer. So use that information, our deciduous plants, like apples and currents are planted in the area that sees full shade during winter, they don't need any light at all then, our citrus sits on the bit that gets full sun all year.
Here are some notes I kept on the subject. Enjoy… Growing food in the Shade
There are areas around the house, porch, under trees and on decks that only get 2 to 4 hours of light and can still produce a fair amount of food. If you understand how to adjust the variables and expectations you can grow very successfully in these micro-climates.
Soil needs in the shade:
The evaporation of moisture is minimal so the variable you have to address is soil that is too moist and creates disease or root rot. If you add a little sand and/or perlite to the soil when digging in your transplants to optimize drainage and hill up any plant that is susceptible to root rot such as strawberries then you will have great success with very little effort.
Water needs in the shade:
Don’t water as often as your other plants that get more sun. If you don’t know if it’s time to water then sink your finger 3 inches into the soil near the plant to detect if there is moisture. If it is dry then water. Otherwise the plants will tell you if they aren’t getting enough water. Use drip or soaker methods to water because the leaves will stay moist for long periods of time and become susceptible to disease.
Light needs in the shade:
Try to plant the determinate tomatoes, potatoes and zucchini in the area that gets the most light in the shade garden and if there is an option try for placement in the afternoon sun. Plant your leafy greens in the darkest areas and give every plant that tends to bolt a spot in the morning sun and dense afternoon shade to keep them cool and bolt free for longer. Some gardeners paint walls white to reflect more sun. Others use mirrors in the garden. Some even create beautiful pools of water next to the shade garden to reflect light to the plants. Although these steps are helpful they’re not necessary in most cases.
Temperature micro-climate:
Typically you’ll have multiple micro-climates around your house and when you identify them it allows you to choose plants that will thrive or tolerate that space successfully. As I mentioned earlier shade creates a cooler, more consistently moist climate that allows leafy greens, brassicas and all other plants that bolt or get bitter due to heat, an ideal growing space for most of your growing season.
Growing and spacing needs in shade gardens:
It’s always best to start your seeds indoors to create the optimal growth for a couple of weeks before transplanting them in the shade garden. Harden them off and expect the growth to slow down as soon as they are planted in the shade. You may want to protect the seedlings with clear plastic cups for another 2 weeks because slugs love the shade and are more active in those areas. You want to give your seedlings a bit more space to soak up the sun. You don’t want to crowd them and further restrict photosynthesis. If you have a wall to train perennials they’ll benefit by being espelliared against the wall. That’s a fancy way of training them flat against the wall with spacing between branches making a fan shape is most common.
Change of growth characteristics and harvest potential in the shade:
Add 15 days to the original harvest date due to slower growth.
For leafy greens such as cilantro, parsley, mint, spinach and basil the leaf structure becomes larger, thinner and more tender. The harvest is extended by at least a month if not longer.
Brassicas have a larger leaf structure and are less bitter when grown in shade.
Tomatoes, squash, potatoes and other heat loving plants will give a smaller harvest but worth the effort.
Tips from the pros. Is soak seeds before planting, give them an optimal situation to germinate and when they’re growing strong harden them off and plant into the shaded area. If you’re not sure how much sun they might need, plant them in a container such as grow bags, pots or crates and move around the space until you find a good spot for that plant. This helps to learn that microclimate more quickly with less plant failure.
Perennial fruit bearing bushes that are suited for shade are:
Currants
Grapes
Raspberries
Blackberries
Strawberries
Gooseberries
Sour Cherry
Paw Paw Tree
Rhubarb
Annual Veggies that thrive in shade are:
Lettuce
Spinach
Kale
Swiss Chard
Broccoli
Peas
Radish
Kohlrabi
Arugula
Sorrel
Endive
Celery
Collards
All forms of Brassicas
Garlic Mustard
Watercress
Chervil?
Annual Veggies that tolerate shade are:
Green Onions
Leeks
Garlic
Det. Tomato
Egg Plant
Artichoke
Potatoes
Squash (short season)
Beets
Bush Beans
Jerusalem Artichoke
Plantain
Hyacinth bean
Turnips
Rutabagas
Choy
Shade Tolerant Tomato Varieties
Black Cherry.
Evans Purple Pear.
Golden Sweet.
Ildi (Yellow)
Isis Candy Cherry.
Juliet Hybrid (Red)
Principe Borghese (Red)
Vernissage Yellow.
Herbs that Love (*) or Tolerate shade:
*Basil
*Mint
*Cilantro
*Parsley
Anise
Rosemary
Sage
Dill
AND OF COURSE MUSHROOMS LOVE THE SHADE.
Make compost bins in these non productive areas to produce nutrients for the productive areas. Gather and store rain water in the shade as it keeps the water cool and in good condition.
This is so helpful!! I think yours is my favorite channel. I love how upbeat and encouraging you are! Thank you ❤
I have a partial shaded veg area some parts get six hours some only about two, things take longer to mature and I was feeling despondent but you have given me encouragement for next season
This is such an underrated video. Many people don’t have the luxury of a full sun garden. Especially in urban areas, there is always a building, a fence, or something blocking their yard or patio. Thank you for the information. I really needed this.
most perennial herbs do fine in dappled shade.
Blackberries in the shade. Why have I never thought of that? They grow wild here in Florida, and almost all of them are at the edges of woodlands. My word, I have tried to grow them in the full sun and they never made it.. I may have to give that one another go round. Here is something I learned this past season. It shocked a lot of people, including myself. I had 3 extra okra plants and didn't want to toss them, so I threw them in the back in a 90% shaded area- in May. They grew very slow, but steady. I want you to know, that was the best harvest of Okra- in Sept, that I have ever grown. They were very slow at turning woody as well. I won't hesitate to pop a few in the shade again.
My family have a huge kiwi plant for years but only 2 tiny kiwi grew after 20 yrs!
I think it's a great video for balcony gardeners as well!
@2:11 what type of tree is growing fanned out up against the brick wall and does it grow well in shaded area Or about how much sunlight does it actually need,..hrs wise and whether that is morning Or afternoon sunlight thank you so much for such good ideas,…
Rhubarb?
This is my problem, the front yard is in shade by 10:30 and a large amount of the back garden is in shade by 11:30. I've still managed to grow all kinds of vegetables. Going to try growing my salads in the front this year.
There's such a thing as biodegradable paper mulch that is white.