Dappled beats solid
Shade under a light tree canopy moves through the day and totals far more usable light than the same hours behind a solid wall. Dappled shade is much more workable than it looks.
Shade
Growing vegetables with less than full sun.
Most vegetable advice assumes six or more hours of direct sun, which a great many gardens simply do not have. The useful distinction is not sun versus shade but what you are asking the plant to produce: leaves tolerate shade far better than fruit.
Leaves, roots, fruit
Leafy crops are the most shade-tolerant, because you are harvesting the plant's solar panels rather than asking it to fund something expensive. Lettuce, spinach, silverbeet, rocket and most soft herbs will produce usably in four or five hours of sun, and some prefer shade in hot weather because it delays bolting.
Root crops sit in the middle. They will grow in partial shade but the roots stay smaller, because a root is stored energy and there is less energy to store.
Fruiting crops are the least tolerant. Tomatoes, capsicum, cucurbits and anything that has to flower and then ripen fruit need a lot of light. In deep shade they will grow leaves and produce very little worth eating, which is the most common disappointment in a shaded garden.
Crops that accept less than full sun
Every crop in the encyclopedia not marked as needing full sun. Those listed as part shade are the most tolerant; full-or-part will manage but generally do better with more light.
| Crop | Sun needs | Days to harvest | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| Angelica | Part | 365-540 days | Herbs |
| Balsam | Part | 70-100 days | Flowers |
| Chervil | Part | 40-60 days | Herbs |
| Chinese Celery | Part | 80-110 days | Herbs |
| Galangal | Part | 270-365 days | Roots |
| Ginger | Part | 270-300 days | Roots |
| Gooseberry | Part | 365-730 days | Fruits |
| Gotu Kola | Part | 60-90 days | Herbs |
| Lemon Balm | Part | 70-90 days | Herbs |
| Lovage | Part | 85-100 days | Herbs |
| Mizuna | Part | 25-45 days | Brassicas |
| Native River Mint | Part | 60-90 days | Herbs |
| Pak Choy | Part | 35-55 days | Brassicas |
| Pansy | Part | 70-90 days | Flowers |
| Shiso | Part | 60-80 days | Herbs |
| Sorrel | Part | 50-70 days | Herbs |
| Taro | Part | 210-300 days | Roots |
| Tatsoi | Part | 30-50 days | Brassicas |
| Torenia | Part | 80-100 days | Flowers |
| Turmeric | Part | 270-300 days | Roots |
| Vietnamese Coriander | Part | 40-60 days | Herbs |
| Viola | Part | 60-90 days | Flowers |
| Ageratum | Full/Part | 70-90 days | Flowers |
| Alyssum | Full/Part | 50-60 days | Flowers |
| Bay Laurel | Full/Part | 365-1095 days | Herbs |
| Bee Balm | Full/Part | 90-120 days | Flowers |
Tolerating shade is not the same as preferring it. Most of these will still be more productive in more light — the point is that they remain worthwhile without it.
Know what kind of shade you have
Morning or afternoon matters
A bed with morning sun and afternoon shade is often better in hot climates than the reverse, because plants photosynthesise in the cool part of the day and avoid the harshest heat.
Shade moves with the season
A spot that is sunny in midsummer can be shaded for months either side as the sun drops. Judge a bed across the season you intend to grow in, not the day you plan it.
Making a shaded garden work
Count actual sun hoursCheck the bed at intervals across a full day. Estimates are usually generous.
Choose by harvest typeLeaves for the shadiest spots, roots next, fruit only where light is best.
Give the sunniest bed to fruitIf anything gets full sun, spend it on tomatoes and capsicum.
Expect slower growthDays-to-harvest figures assume good light. Add time rather than assuming failure.
Use shade deliberately in heatAfternoon shade prevents bolting in leafy crops during hot weather.
Leafy crops earn their space
Cut-and-come-again leaves are both shade-tolerant and productive, which is a useful combination — see the easy high-yield guide.
Do not crowd to compensate
Packing plants closer in low light makes competition worse, not better — see the small space guide.
Check each crop
Sun requirements are recorded for every entry in the plant encyclopedia.
FAQ
Common questions from home gardeners.
What vegetables grow in shade?
Leafy crops are the most tolerant — lettuce, spinach, silverbeet, rocket, Asian greens and most soft herbs. Many will produce usably with four or five hours of sun, and some benefit from afternoon shade in hot weather.
How many hours of sun do vegetables need?
Fruiting crops such as tomatoes generally want six or more hours. Root crops manage with less but stay smaller. Leafy crops are the most forgiving and can work with four or five, particularly if the light is bright rather than deeply shaded.
Can I grow tomatoes in shade?
Not really, if you want fruit. Tomatoes need substantial light to flower and ripen, and in shade they tend to produce leafy growth with little worthwhile crop. If one bed gets full sun, that is where fruiting crops should go.
Is dappled shade better than full shade?
Considerably. Dappled shade under a light canopy shifts through the day and delivers far more total light than the same hours behind a solid structure, so it is much more workable than it appears.
Will shaded crops take longer to grow?
Usually yes. Days-to-harvest figures assume good light, so expect a shaded crop to take longer rather than to fail. Plan around a longer occupancy of the bed.
Is shade ever an advantage?
In hot climates, yes. Afternoon shade slows bolting in lettuce and other leafy crops and reduces heat stress, so a partly shaded bed can outproduce a full-sun one in midsummer.
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