Steve,

What are your current temps, do you have watering capability? How much room, how many hours of sun?

David

Temperatures are 60-70's during the day and in the low 50's at night. I'm thinking 3 hours of good sun right now, gaining sun all the time but I still don't get any afternoon sun. I can water and I'm thinkin a 3x4 spot. thanks, steve

Steve,

A good broad leave mustard or greens type variety, or turnips should work well. Once you can, if you can get 6 hours of sun, probably any green will grow well. Radishes usually work well anywhere. I planted some Yates greens variety in mostly shade here in late August, it gets hot, but they handle it with adequate water.

David

David thank you for your thoughtful reply. That all sounds good and tasty. I've always wanted to grow some mustard here. I grew it once at another place I lived, really enjoyed it sauted in garlic and olive oil..tasty stuff that..thank you again..steve

Steve, how can you complain about SD weather.?
you can almost do gardening 12 monts a year. You have almost 6 months of perfect weather, less than three months some hot weather and three months cool(not really cold) weather. If you have good soil an can water your garden, you can grow just about anything.
I know this because I have relatives in SD an I talk to them an visit them.

Oh yeah, temps are good but my garden place is pretty shady until almost summer. I try not to brag too much here about the weather though. I know some people are still snowed in around the country..I might get thrown off the forum..steve

That's it, Steve. You've gone too far. We, in the rest of the U.S., don't need any more of your nice weather stories. You're out of here.

Jim

Gosh, I just wanted to talk about greens. seriously, the days are getting longer here by almost 2 minutes per day. In Minneapolis, minnesota, they are getting longer by over three minutes. So, you see, every place has its advantages. steve

I think you ought to talk to people who are growing vegetables out there. Take a trip to the Chino's Vegetable Shop at 6123 Calzada del Bosque in Rancho Santa Fe. The greens you'll see there will make you weep! Ask one of the Chinos for advice on what to plant now and what will do well with not too much sunlight. Also while in the area, go to the Del Mar Farmers Market some Saturday. Ask the growers for advice.

Lou

I've had good luck growing parsley, beets, potatoes, lettuces, arugula, spinach, peas and berries in 4-1/2 to 5 hours of sun.

Today I'm feeling I might have been to harsh with Steve, even though it was he who gave me the idea of throwing him off the forum. I just hope he refrains from inciting any more envy of his Socal weather, because the forecast is for gloomy, wet, windy weather here for another week at least.

Sorry I can't help with suggestions for shady vegetables, Steve.

Jim

The greens mixes (kales, mustards, assorted asian greens)in Johnny's catalog always get my juices flowing, harvest some for baby salad, let some grow for braising. Johnny's is kinda pricey, but you can't beat the quality...and those pornographic pictures!!!

Here is a link that might be useful: greens mix

I think you're on the right track with greens in the shade Steve. There are so many to choose from, and most of them will probably grow just fine in your part-shade. In fact, when the weather gets really hot, you may have an advantage because the shade may help prevent bolting. Not to mention, greens have probably the highest nutrient/health value of anything in the garden, so if you can only grow one thing, it's not hard to make the case for it being greens.

-Diggity

Here is a link that might be useful: Garden Imperative

"Really hot" doesn't exist in SD any more than "really cold" does ;) (Trying to remember WHY we moved back to NJ???)

I really want to thank you all for your humor and help. I think vikingkirken hit it pretty good, not too hot, not too cold, although a santa anna wind will cook a garden pretty fast because of the winds and extremely low humidity(gosh I forgot I wasn't gonna complain). I think this is more fun than I've had all winter. I just got home from work and all these nice people are trying to help me. thank you all so much..steve

Geee!!
I just looked up current weather.
Here in Atlanta, GA area, zone 8, it is currently 26F(feels like 6F burrr), while in Southen CT it is 38F. This is supposed to be SOUTH down here and NORTH up in Yankee state.
But 15 day extended forecast shows a steady warming trend. By mid March we will be out of the freezing range that started right around Thanksgiving. Thats 3 looong months.

I have one garden that only has sun until about 10am and just bit of filtered light thru the trees after that. Greens grow quite nicely there.

Lettuce and spinach, of course, but I also plant a good deal of bok choy in that garden. And, I just keep starting them and transplanting and thinning for a good long time before the humidity really drops and puts an end to the "greens season" . . . for several weeks. Then I can get a fall crop.

Another veggie that does fairly well there is the bunching onion. The green leaves tend to grow a little too long sometimes and the plant will kind of flop over. Leeks do okay out at the sunniest edge but these 2 are kind of marginal, so to speak.

digitSteve

Well - maybe I can help - a little. I'm a SD fella too, and have a bumper crop of cool ones going now.

My "shade" actually comes as a result of 2 VERY tall oleander bushes - 2 story now, but there is a lot of space between the tops and where my garden is. So - my sun exposure is very small now, especially because our winter sun is now "kissing" folks down on the Mexican playas.

So - yep, I'm growing Bibb type lettuce (all over the place), some very nice spinach (wish it were more), some broccoli that is just about done for. Some green onions, garlic, beets, snow peas (more sun here), celery isn't complaining, but small.

The cabbages are coming, but I put them where they would get more sun by next month or so when the sun leaves Mexico, and decides to visit here again. All of these salad plants don't seem to mind the shade - but do bolt if we get a Santa Ana or 2 - especially bok choy, Chinese cabbage and to some extent broccoli. So love your shade, because by next month, they may fade away FAST, with the first heat wave.

On the bright side, I'm starting tomato seeds indoors, will wait for peppers awhile. They say I can plant squash now too, and maybe I will. Squash is kind of tough, mainly because it grows OK, but just about the time the fruit is ripening, the summer fogs roll in, and the vines turn to mildew. Often wondered if planting real early might help avoid that.

I planted some tomatoes in various sunny locations this week, in hopes that I could beat the fog in June/July, when all of you are enjoying tomato ripening weather. Cuz, I have to wait for those greenies to get more heat - maybe in August then - bummer. Same with the peppers, although the plants like it here.

So - Steve - that's the best I have to offer for now - to my fellow San Diegoian.

On the bright side, the almond trees like it here - more sun on that side of the yard - and the macadamias are beginning to flower - with long strings of pink flowers on a stem - which then drop off, and small bumps form that become delicious nuts - 3 crops a year. They love it here. A banana - newly planted next to a warm south-facing wall isn't too sure yet, but I think it will make it.

So yes - plant those salad crops, especially, where there is light shade, you should be able to enjoy some every day -of course - until that one warm day comes along, and poof - they will leave you just like a fair-weather friend - or maybe foe.

By the way, did I tell you about my favorite web site for our particular zone - 23-24? It is Digitalseed. Google it for their really great vegetable seed planting schedule. I refer to it often, and like to recommend it to folks in our particular area. Planting times are so different here - but this takes out all of the guess work. Sorry I still don't know how to post a link - but it is easy to find.

Bejay

"... thank you all for your humor..."

Whew! I'm relieved that you took my corny, facetious posts that way, Steve, even without emoticons.

I really like this forum too.

Jim