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Vegetable Gardening

What Can I Grow In Half Shade?

RedSun (Zone 6, NJ)

9 years ago

This is a large are at the side of my yard. The photo is facing direct East. The old oak is on the north and the shed is on the south. The tomato cages get about full sun.

In the morning, the shed makes a long dark shade. By noon time, only the area directly behind the shed is in shade. By late afternoon, the shade goes to the east. By mid-day, even the shade is not dark.

So what can I grow in this area? I can put some herbs there. But there is still plenty space.

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Comments (7)

lazy_gardens
9 years ago
No photo :)

Practically anything. Leafy vegetable crops, like lettuce and spinach, can handle part shade.
RedSun (Zone 6, NJ)
Original Author
9 years ago
Sorry, here is the photo:

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From the shed to the wood chips, it is about 15' wide. I'll have more room when I use up all the wood chips on the left. This area gets decent sun during the day, except the area directly behind the shed. It gets bright shade.
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planatus
9 years ago
Keep in mind that shadows are longer now than they are in summer since the sun has already started sagging low on the southern horizon. In my landscape, the areas that get morning shade and afternoon sun are pleasing to raspberries, monarda (bee balm), foxgloves, peppermint and apple mint.
RedSun (Zone 6, NJ)
Original Author
9 years ago
I'm thinking of mainly herbs. Deer has access to that area.
Peter1142
9 years ago
If it gets at least 4 hours a day of good sun, you can grow just about anything, just without optimal results. Leaf crops and root crops do better in part shade than fruiting vegetables.

But, if deer have access, they will eat just about anything... herbs sounds like a good idea.
weedlady
9 years ago
Jerusalem artichokes and potatoes thrive in the back of my yard shaded most of the day by large trees.
Prachi
9 years ago
Deer will eat the Jerusalem artichokes... only reason why mine are only 5 ft tall is because the deer had been grazing on them.

My deer don't touch my garlic or onions... (in the dead of last winter only thing green was my garlic and they didn't come close to them of course they ate up the arborvite in my front yard).

I'd try hot peppers and cherry tomatoes... cherry/small fruited toms can tolerate a less than ideal amount of sun. I have small thai chillis that I planted in the wrong spot one year and they got shaded out pretty badly... the plant did fine though. (BTW these are two that I grow out in the open not in my deer protected area)

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