10 Vegetables and Herbs PERFECT for SHADE Garden Spots

Lack of sunny garden spots got you down? We've got you covered! Here are 10 vegetables and herbs we've personally vetted will thrive - or at least tolerate - a partial or full shade location.

In today's video, we'll cover our top 10 choices for what to grow in the shadiest parts of your garden. You'll get planting ideas for the cooler months, the main Summer growing season, some perennial options, and even an ornamental plant for when all else fails.

Please join us we grow some amazing fruits, vegetables, and herbs in our shade garden!

Resources Mentioned in the Video
-----------------------------------------------

#gardening #gardeningtips #homesteading

Attributions
-----------------------------------------------

[TCMedicare]

Please add your growing zone and 1st/last frost dates to your 'about' page. That would be helpful to us in order to adjust our thinking and planning for our own gardens. Thanks!

[datboibutters]

Fall/Spring shade
0:38 arugula
1:29 frisée endive
2:36 carrot
3:28 macha greens

Summer shade
5:16 black cherry tomatoes
6:09 tomatillos
6:58 pole beams

Perennial shade
7:47 peppermint
8:23 blueberries
9:59 lemon balm

Bonus
11:36 Japanese forest grass

[melange]

The type of blueberry you should grow in shade is the Scandinavian Blueberry which is called Billberry in the US. It contains like 10 times more flavinoids than the American Blueberry, is nootropic and a MAOI which you supposedly can get high of if you eat enough of it.

[lumpychucks]

I did arugula in my half day sun, planter garden alongside spinach. The spinach bolted instantly, probably due to being sprouted in full sun, then thinking the season was ending with only partial sun, but the arugula has done pretty well with sun until only around noon.

[phantom]

An FYI for anyone interested in em. Peppermint (and mint of course) are both incredibly aggressive growers. I would suggest planting them in their own separate pots and or in a corner of your yard that you don't intend on growing anything else. They WILL out compete and actually kill other plants and are INCREDIBLY tough to remove once they've set roots. On the plus side of that they're incredibly resilient and continuously grow throughout all seasons (from my experience).

[MerryWidow]

I'm in the PNW and I always leave a couple of lettuce plants to bolt because the flowers come out very early in spring and the bees are ravenous for them.

[lettucesalad]

Best shade plant I've found is Garlic Chives - They're almost impossible to kill and require no care plus pollinators like the flowers.

[Pausereflectandbreathe]

I've been planting my tomatoes in the shade every year. They seem to like it especially the cherry and grape tomatoes. I even tried planting some big tomatoes and I was surprised to have a harvest last year also. The yard long beans, basil, water spinach, kale, sorrel and even peppers grow in my shady spot with only 2 1/2 hours sun.

[taliesin]

Hostas do well in the shade and the new spring buds taste delicious roasted like asparagus!

[sixthsenseamelia]

Edible shade flowers & "weeds".
Eg: Nasturtium. Violets. Dandelions. Nettles. Paint reflective walls matte white, it'll improve reflective sunlight. KiaOra from New Zealand.

[kirstenbotten]

Awww, you have a Rhodesian Ridgeback! I've had several over the years. Best dogs ever ❤

[katrussell]

In Michigan I have great success with parsley, strawberries, and rhubarb in shade. Kale and Collards do very well all winter as well.

[epistemialiliasmr]

Nasturtium really needs to be added to this list. Grows in full shade, through mild winters. Is both food and medicine. Grow extremely easy even in depleted soil. And It’s so pretty

[stealth_striker]

Try Perilla in the shade. I think it would do great and it’s full of benefits. Perilla grows wild and plentiful deep in the forest behind my house where there is no sun light due to the thick trees and brush.

[ardenthebibliophile]

I've also found thyme to be a great shade tolerant herb doesn't grow AS big, but it hangs in and provides some nice additional food/spice in the life

[backpacker]

Thanks for the video. I will have to give carrots and Tomatillos a chance in my more shaded area. I have at least 20 oaks plus numerous other tress so I have very little sunny areas in my yard,

[lynn]

I'm in 6b and cucumbers do alright in partial shade. They thrive on neglect once established.

[carsonrush]

In defense of the ornamental grass, bunching grasses are good nesting locations for ground beetles, which eat garden pests. So if you can't grow food there, you can use the area to grow support plants for your garden.

[kaptynssirensong]

I just subscribed!!!
I have a thing for gardeners that smile in their thumbnails in such a way that lets me know that they love gardening as much as I do :)

That’s how Jess from Roots and refuge got me. Her thumbnails are so joyful and jolly!

[bluemoon]

… don’t forget that the carrot tops are very edible … as are the leaves from many vegetables you wouldn’t think of !