When looking to grow edible plants like vegetables, fruit, and herbs, finding a full sun location is an important first step. Edible gardens should have at least six hours of direct sunlight daily to ensure healthy plant growth and productivity.
However, sometimes there is no full sun location to be found in the landscape. In these situations, what can be done? While maximizing sunlight exposure is key, there are a few edibles that can tolerate partial sun. No vegetable, fruit, or herb will be productive in full shade. In these situations, buying produce from a local farmer's market is a better use of your time and money. But if you have an area that receives partial sun (4 to 6 hours of direct sunlight daily), then there may be some edibles that can be grown with moderate success.
Considerations When Attempting to Grow Edibles in the Partial Shade
In general, vegetables and edible plants where leaves are harvested will be more productive in full shade than those that must flower and develop fruit. Leaning into the leafy greens and some herbs will be more successful than tomatoes or cucumbers.
Some cool-season vegetables may perform a little better in the middle of summer (July & August) in partial shade, which helps provide protection from the hot summer sun for these crops that don't like high temperatures. However, planting cool-season crops, like broccoli, radish, and kohlrabi, earlier in spring or later for fall harvest (and taking a break in mid-summer) is more productive than growing them mid-summer in partial shade.
When growing vegetables and other edible plants in less than ideal light conditions, it will take plants longer to produce a crop. Additionally, colors on the foliage of vegetables and many herbs will be more muted. Flavors may be less intense and the foliage may be larger and less turgid.
Try Containers
If a suitable garden bed cannot be found to grow edible plants, consider growing them in a container and placing the container in full sun. More information about container-grown edible plants can be found in these articles:
- Container Vegetable Gardening
- Growing Tomatoes in Containers
- Growing Herbs in Containers
- Growing Strawberries in Containers
Edible Plants For Partial Shade Locations
Vegetables
| Common Name | Light Shade (4-6 hours direct sunlight) | Moderate Shade (2-4 hours direct sunlight) | Heavy Shade (<2 hours direct sunlight) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arugula | x | ||
| Beans | x | ||
| Beets | x | ||
| Bok Choi | x | x | |
| Broccoli | |||
| Cauliflower | |||
| Coriander (Cilantro) | x | ||
| Kale | x | ||
| Kohlrabi | |||
| Lettuce | x | ||
| Mustard Greens | x | x | |
| Peas | x | ||
| Radish | x | ||
| Rhubarb | x | ||
| Sorrel | x | ||
| Spinach | x | x | |
| Swiss Chard | x |
Fruits
| Common Name | Light Shade (4-6 hours direct sunlight) | Moderate Shade (2-4 hours direct sunlight) | Heavy Shade (<2 hours direct sunlight) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blackberries & Raspberries | x | x | |
| Currant | x | x | |
| Gooseberry | x | x | |
| Strawberry | x |
Herbs
| Common Name | Light Shade (4-6 hours direct sunlight) | Moderate Shade (2-4 hours direct sunlight) | Heavy Shade (<2 hours direct sunlight) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basil | x | ||
| Chervil | x | ||
| Chives | x | ||
| Mint | x | x | |
| Parsley | x | ||
| Pineapple Sage | x | ||
| Sage | x | ||
| Scallions | x | ||
| Tarragon | x |
More Information
- Beginners Guide to Vegetable Gardening
- Growing, Harvesting, and Drying Herbs
- Planning Your Vegetable Garden
Photo credits: 1: Margaret Burlingham/AdobeStock