Fresh Organic vegetable garden with raised beds. with beans for vertical gardening. homemade vegetables in a urban city. like tomatoes, bud, brussels sprouts, strawberry, kale

Growing vegetables in the shade

No Sun. No Problem. Don’t be discouraged if you’re longing to grow your own vegetables but don’t have enough sunlight. There are options! You may be surprised to discover that there are countless choices, like leafy greens, cool season crops and root vegetables, which grow well without a full day of sun exposure. With the right plants in the right place, you’ll have it made in the shade in no time!

Before getting started, evaluate your location

Gauge light needs as well as suitable soil and water availability. Observe the location and time of year to make sure that you will be getting some light. Many plants appreciate a little shade in the afternoons. If you’re planting near trees, look for the time of year when you can have the dappled sunlight in Spring before the leaves fully emerge to get seeds and starter plants going. The shade provided in Summer can extend the life span of crops, like lettuce, which may bolt or wilt in full sun. Late season gardens benefit from some sun after leaves fall and the days begin to cool off. A lot of gardening in the shade is just knowing what you’re growing and working with what you have available.

Now comes the fun part of picking out your plants! Here are some tips and suggestions when selecting your veggie plants.

Life cycle

Think about plants that have shorter days to maturity so that you can plant in spring and harvest before the sun and heat get too intense.

Look for varieties that require less sun.

Several root crops, like carrots, radishes and beets grow simply fine without full sun. Leaf vegetables such as lettuce and spinach perform well in shady spots.

Succession is key to green

Plant your lettuce, kale, or swiss chard in successions for fresh greens throughout the season.

Give them Shade

Cool season crop favorites including broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and even peas will thank you with a hefty harvest when provided with shade from the sweltering summer sun and heat.

Great vegetables to grow in the shade:

  • Arugula or rocket plant closeup
    Arugula
  • Organic farming asparagus in black soil
    Asparagus
  • Chinese cabbage,Bok choy or pak choi in a farm,organic vegetables
    Bok choy
  • Leaf of beet root. Fresh green leaves of beetroot or beet root seedling. Row of green young beet leaves growth in organic farm. Closeup beetroot leaves growing on garden bed. Field of beetroot foliage
    Beets
  • Broccoli cultivation in the vegetable garden. It is a green-yellow vegetable of Brassicaceae with high nutritional value. The flower buds and stems are edible, but the flowers are edible as well.
    Broccoli
  • Brussels sprouts plant after rain on a field in Northern Germany
    Brussels sprouts
  • Soft focus of big cabbage in the garden.
    Cabbage
  • Carrot vegetable grows in the garden in the soil organic background closeup
    Carrots
  • Cauliflower grows in organic soil in the garden on the vegetable area
    Cauliflower
  • Working in the garden. A garden bed of young green garlic.
    Garlic
  • Kale in the field, orangic, grow
    Kale
  • Kohlrabi cabbage growing in garden. Kohlrabi or turnip cabbage in vegetable bed.
    Kohlrabi
  • Freshly lifted leeks, allium ampeloprasum in a vegetable garden, variety Musselburgh.
    Leeks
  • A variety of salad greens, such as green oak, rat oak, butterhead and green coral are placed in a vegetable basket.
    Lettuce
  • Fresh mustard green at the market.
    Mustard greens
  • fresh parsnip in raised bed
    Parsnip
  • Pea plant and pea pods in the garden. Growing vegetables, gardening at home. Healthy food, blooming peas. Selective focus. Europe Hungary
    Peas
  • Red radish plant in soil. Radish growing in the garden bed.
    Radish
  • Close-up of rhubarb red stems in the vegetable garden with a nice contrast between red ans green
    Rhubarb
  • Close up of rutabaga in the rain (Brassica napobrassica)
    Rutabaga
  • Scallion, vegetables food organic Thai scallion in garden natural.
    Scallions
  • Spinach growing in garden. Fresh natural leaves of spinach growing in summer garden
    Spinach
  • Swiss Chard hydroponics in vegetable garden
    Swiss chard
  • Turnip in the ground
    Turnip

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