Many of us have garden areas — or balconies/verandas — that are largely in the shade, which some people feel are not suitable for the cultivation of vegetables and herbs.

This, however, is not always the case as there are many varieties of vegetables and herbs that grow far better in partial — not full — shade than they do in a full day of direct sunlight. This is not to say that some of them won’t, especially in the winter months, grow and produce in direct sunlight as, quite often, they will but, unless they are treated to copious amounts of increasingly precious water on a daily basis, growth will not be as luxuriant as when cultivated in partial shade.

Basically speaking, the term ‘partial shade’ describes an area receiving between three and five hours of sunlight each day: less sunlight than this is described as ‘full shade’ and more than five hours of sunlight per day as ‘full sun’.

There are plenty of vegetables that will grow well without full sun

Having explained what is meant by ‘partial shade,’ let’s take a look at some of the edible plants that will thrive in these conditions and which, in our climate, transform shade from potential enemy to much loved friend.

VEGETABLES

Lettuce: This ever popular salad ingredient thrives in spots getting as little as three hours of sunshine per day. Grown in partial shade the leaves are crisp, always fresh and longer-lasting on the plant than when lettuce is cultivated in full sunshine. The tender plants also require far less water when cultivated in such a place than when erroneously located in a sunny spot.

Spinach: This has exactly the same growing and sunlight requirements as lettuce and, also as with lettuce, a small patch of it goes a very long way, over a long period of time, if it is carefully harvested one leaf at a time — outer leaves first — instead of cutting off an entire plant at once.

Chinese cabbage: The same goes for Chinese cabbage, apart from the fact that it is necessary to harvest full heads at a time.

Bok choy: An increasingly popular ingredient of salads and stir fries, Bok choy falls into the same category as the above mentioned vegetables and is best harvested leaf by leaf as this greatly extends its growing season.

Giant red mustard: As for lettuce, etc.

Mustard greens: As above.

Swiss chard/leaf beet: Also as above.

Carrots: These incredibly versatile root vegetables are — providing soil conditions are suitable — perfect for spots receiving just four to five hours sunshine per day.

Beetroot: Another great salad ingredient with many other uses too, it is perfectly happy with just four to five hours of sunlight.

Potatoes: Often regarded as a true sun lover, few people know that potatoes can, and do, grow well with just four to five hours of sunshine each day. The tubers may be smaller than those grown in full sun but they are bursting with goodness and taste all the same. In fact, it is true to say that smaller tubers have better flavour than large ones so this is a win-win situation as they need less water than sun-grown ones.

Runner beans: With a sensible selection of variety — scarlet runner beans being ideal — these are capable, in carefully prepared, well nourished soil/compost, of producing incredibly heavy crops with as little as five hours of sunshine per day and the pods are always crisp and fresh.

Radish: Sharp, crunchy and delicious, red radish, black radish and white mooli, all do well with four to five hours of sunlight per day, plus, truthfully, they taste far superior to those grown in areas with more light and, as another bonus, stay in the ground without going ‘woody’ for a much longer period of time than their sunnier counterparts.

Green onions: The same goes for those ‘cannot-do-without’ green onions which, with just three to four hours of direct sunlight, perform amazingly well on very little water indeed.

Cabbages: Always useful and always in season although varieties will change as the year rolls by, cabbages are at their very best on four to five hours ofsunlight a day providing that soil is rich in humus and associated nutrients.

Cauliflower: Exactly the same as for cabbage.

HERBS

Numerous varieties of herbs — for culinary and/or medicinal uses — thrive in partial shade with the following easy-to-grow ones all being highly recommended:

Coriander, mints of all kinds, chives, garlic chives, thyme, oregano, marjoram, borage, nasturtiums, cress, watercress, lovage, Plecanthrus, Agastache, comfrey.

Please continue sending your gardening queries to zahrahnasir@hotmail.com. It is important to include your location. The writer does not respond directly by email. Emails with attachments will not be opened. Commercial enquiries will be ignored.

Published in Dawn, EOS, November 26th, 2017