Topic: Crops for a shady site

[Garden Manager]

Most of my veg plot gets decent sunlight, yet I have one bed that due to the size and shape of the plot lies in the lee of a boundary hedge (which is northeast facing) and gets far less sun than the rest of the plot. I have had some limited sucess in this bed in the  past, particularly with potatoes and salad crops, but i know the light levels arent ideal for either. It restricts my crop rotation too, since i darent grow my beloved runner beans there.

Have any of you had sucess with any particular crop in a similar shady site? Are there any veg crops that do particularly well in partial shade? It doesnt matter if they are permanent/perennial.

Thanks

[Tulipa]

Richard, I am pretty sure there was a thread last year about this

http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/yabbse/index.php/topic,3365.0.html

Don't know if it will help!

[jennym]

There is another one here:
http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/yabbse/index.php/topic,15496.0.html

[Garden Manager]

Thanks for the links. Interesting stuff there. Not sure how i can apply it to my plot though, since some of the suggestions are for crops i dont partiularly like! Was intrigued by strawberies though. I always thought they wanted sun.

Might be an option for the future, but not now as i have in the last year started a new strawberry patch outside the veg garden (having previously had them growing in one of the veg beds). But when its time to renew the plants i shall think about it.

Since posting I have had a reevaluation of my veg plot as part of my planning for 2006. I found that with 4 other beds in the plot i can do without the problem one (which can either be used as a nursery for the ornamentals or sown with green manure as 'fallow ground').

If i can manage without it I can perhaps come up with some alternative plan/use for the bed in the long term. Permanent crops would be one option.

[Ceratonia]

I've got some beds which are partly shaded by trees and/or hedges.

f you wanted something other than veg, gooseberries seem to do OK in the shade and plenty of herbs seem to like it.  I have  mint, angelica & parsley growing in the shadiest of my beds.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Would a tall plant still be in the shade? If not, what about runner beans or Jerusalem artichokes?

[Garden Manager]

Would a tall plant still be in the shade? If not, what about runner beans or Jerusalem artichokes?

I think they need sun to crop best Robert. I know for a fact that Runner beans need a minimum of 8 hours sunshine a day when actively grrowing and cropping to do best.

Dont know about artichokes though.  ???

What about asparagus?  ???

[Larkspur]

My only experience of growing Jerusalem Artichokes has always been to put them in full sun. Since they are related to sunflowers I can't imagine they would like partial shade very much. Hope that helps a bit. Mick. :)

[Garden Manager]

My only experience of growing Jerusalem Artichokes has always been to put them in full sun. Since they are related to sunflowers I can't imagine they would like partial shade very much. Hope that helps a bit. Mick. :)

Thanks. It was just a thought I had.

It would appear then that 'leaf' crops (ie those where the harvested crops are the leaves rather than anything else) are the best for shade. Crops producing anything else prefer a bit more sun.  ??? Is this right?