Everyone knows that plants need sunshine in order to grow – that’s a given! And for those who know anything about growing vegetables and fruits, you know that these plants tend to enjoy lots of sunshine. But there are actually some vegetables that grow well without direct sunlight, that are shade-tolerant.
A vegetable that requires full sunlight needs 6 hours of direct sunlight between 10 am and 6 pm in order to grow and thrive. Plants that enjoy partial sun need 3-6 hours of direct sunlight between 10 am and 6 pm. If your plant requires part shade, they also need 3-6 hours of sun per day, but additionally, they’ll require protection from the midday sun.
Partial Sun:
Partial shade or partial sun both refer to areas that obtain 3-6 hours of sun each day. Partial sun areas receive 3-6 hours of direct sunlight but are shaded the rest of the day. Partial shaded spaces are moderately shaded during part of the day or receive filtered or dappled sunlight all day. Dappled sunlight is where the light is filtered through the leaves of trees.
While the heat loving tomatoes, melons, and peppers prefer drinking in as much sunshine as they can get, some crops wither and die in hot, bright sun conditions. There are plenty of vegetables that grow in shade, dappled sunlight, or with as little as 3-6 hours of sunlight per day:
Broccoli
Broccoli needs partial sun, but definitely no more than 6 hours of direct sun every day. Full sun on broccoli will lead to rapid flowering (which ruins the taste) while partial sun encourages tighter heads and slower flowering.
Garlic
Garlic is incredibly easy to grow. It grows well in under 4 hours of sunlight a day and has no issue maturing in shady conditions. You can plant your garlic in the ground in early spring for a mid-summer harvest or in fall for a spring harvest. Garlic is a veggie that you can keep sowing and harvesting consistently. When you harvest in the fall, just set aside a few bulbs to sow again for spring.
Carrots
Too much sun and the carrot plant grows more foliage than root, so limiting sunlight means larger carrots. They grow well with under 4 hours of direct sunshine a day. They’re a good early and late season veggie to grow.
Spinach
Spinach needs cooler temperatures and less sun. Spinach tends to enjoy 3-4 hours of sunshine per day, but will grow just fine with shade the rest of the time. Pro tip: Spinach tends to become bitter when grown in mid-summer heat. Try to grow your spinach early and late in the growing season.
Potatoes
Potatoes can handle just about anything, either full sun or partial shade. Potatoes that you grow in partial shade may take a little bit longer to mature. You can still uproot them early, you’ll just have littler potatoes!
Cilantro
Cilantro needs special attention, especially if grown in mid-summer. It’ll bolt and turn bitter quickly in hot weather. This is a good early spring and late summer plant. If you do plant in summer, give it plenty of shade.
