10 Shade Tolerant Vegetables for That Shady Patch
There are two questions I get asked 100 times at every market. The first is 'Will these plants grow in a shady garden?' and the second is 'Which one of these varieties resists slugs?'. These questions give a perfect synopsis of the challenges of growing in a suburban back garden.
Here I'm going to begin to answer the first question with 10 vegetables and herbs that don't mind a bit of shade*
Broad beans
A hardy, heritage crop which has been grown in these parts since 12th century. With a pedigree like that it can definitely withstand a little shade. We have a short, bushy variety called 'Ratio' which is great for container growing or for anyone who wants to avoid staking their broad beans. Remember you can eat the shoots as well as the beans - they're delicious!
Chard
Another medieval marvel. Chard is an ancient leafy green which was feasted on by ancient Greeks and Romans and widely cultivated in medieval Britain. Colourful stemmed varieties like 'Fireworks' bring a pop of colour to a shady corner although white stemmed 'Swiss Chard' types tend to be more vigorous. Perpetual spinach (which has narrow stems) is also a type of chard - we stock 'Verde da Taglio' because we think it has the best flavour.
Beetroot
A bit of a marmite crop for many people but beetroot is undeniably one of the easiest crops to grow in our climate. If you get the seedlings off to a bright start in modules, they will happily grow in part shade. Our variety 'Wintersonne' is a deep turmeric-yellow which somehow feels a little less full-on to prepare in the kitchen compared to the finger-staining red varieties.
Mustard greens
I will be forever grateful to Joy Larkcom for introducing the UK to the diverse world of mustard greens. Mixed salads just would not be the same without her recommendations, which were collected in the 80s and 90s on adventurous campervan trips across continental Europe and Asia with her husband and two children. Varieties like 'Rouge Metis', 'Vivid Choi', 'Pizzo', Mibuna and 'Golden Frills' are both beautiful and tasty - as Joy puts it they feed 'both body and spirit'. Many of the vegetables in the brassica family are shade tolerant - kales and spring greens are also good ones to try if you want more substantial greens.
Lettuce
Lettuce just harvested from the garden is fresh, crisp and nutritious. As with many leafy greens, it is happy growing in part shade and even benefits from shade in mid summer. I'm a sucker for growing heading lettuce - butterheads like 'Roxy', gem types like 'Maureen' or batavian types like 'Blonde de Paris' which have a hint of Iceberg lettuce about them. To make the most out of your space, its best to harvest leaves directly off the stem rather than as whole heads. All the varieties we offer can be harvested this way for extended loose leaf salad harvests.
Radish
Having a shady garden can mean you can grow radishes for an extended season - bright crimson roots right into the summer. Our variety 'Saxa' has an really long harvest window - the roots can easily get golf ball sized without getting pithy.
Leeks
Leeks need less sunlight than their bulbing cousins, onions. As long as they have sunshine for half the day, they'll grow fine - if a little slower than when grown in full sun. There are loads of amazing varieties out there and our favourite for flavour is french heirloom 'Carentan'.
Carrots
If you're growing in a shady spot, expect your carrots to be a bit smaller. Embrace the small carrot and focus on growing varieties which make gorgeous baby carrots - try 'Little Fingers', 'Atlas' or 'Rothild'. Sow late May or early June to avoid carrot root fly.
Shade tolerant herbs
Most herbs originate from the Med and need all the sunshine we can muster. There are two herbs - namely chives and parsley - which enjoy a bit of shade. They also grow well in containers and grow brilliantly from seed. We offer standard species chives and 'Einfache Schnitt 2' parsley which is a full flavoured, vigorous flat-leaf parsley.
*N.B. There are different types of shade. None of these plants will grow in deep shade but they will happily grow in gardens where they get direct sunlight for half the day (such as gardens which are east or west facing).
- Ellen