Just because you have a shady yard doesn’t mean that you can’t grow your own food! There are actually quite a few vegetables and herbs that not only survive but THRIVE in a shady location. There’s hope for you!
I get it, when I started gardening, I thought I could only place my garden in a full-sun location and that was that. Since moving to our new homestead, I’ve been experimenting with planting in some pretty shady areas, and to my surprise, my plants are booming!
Of course, not ALL plants will enjoy shade. Things like tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers will throw a fit if you take their precious sunshine away, so you do have to be strategic when growing in the shade. In this article, we’ll zip through the top 15 vegetables and herbs that are a great choice for those shady spots. Let’s dive in!
*Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links to products (including Amazon). I’ll earn a small commission if you purchase through my link, at no additional cost to you! Regardless, I only link to products that I personally use on our homestead or believe in.
A Word About Sunlight
Before we jump into the fun stuff, it’s important to understand exactly what we’re talking about regarding “growing in the shade.” Plants need some sun (they won’t thrive in complete darkness), and not all sun is created equal!
- Full Sun: 6-8 hours of direct sunlight
- Part Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
- Dappled Shade: Direct sunlight that is filtered through tree leaves
- Full Shade: No direct sunlight (not much will grow here, sorry!)
We’re going to be talking about vegetables and herbs that will grow in part shade or dappled shade. Unfortunately, if you have a full-shade location, you’re SOL when it comes to vegetables and herbs.
Vegetables that Grow in Shade
#1: Leafy greens
Leafy greens like lettuce, escarole, endive, radicchio, and spinach absolutely thrive in shady locations. This would be my top choice! This group doesn’t tolerate intense sun and hot temperatures very well, which can rapidly trigger them to bolt. Once they’ve bolted, they turn pretty bitter and aren’t great for eating anymore.
Growing considerations
- Soil pH: 6.5-7.0
- Water needs: light to moderate
- Light: full sun to partial shade
- Fertilization needs: light to moderate
- Favorite Varieties: Green Star, New Red Fire, and Yankee Hardy Blend
#2 Rhubarb
Rhubarb is a well-loved favorite for those in northern climates. It’s incredibly hardy and does quite well in shady locations! My rhubarb has done the best in spots where there was mid-day shade. If you’re in a northern climate, definitely give it a try, and don’t forget to enjoy some rhubarb crumble as a delicious treat for all of your hard work in the garden!
Growing considerations
- Soil pH: 5.5-6.5
- Water needs: moderate and even
- Light: full sun to part shade
- Fertilization needs: low
#3 Asparagus
Asparagus is another favorite because it can produce for up to 15 years and it’s one of the first edibles to be plucked from the garden in early spring. While the leafy greens and rhubarb that we discussed above truly love some shade, asparagus is more on the tolerant side. It likes full sun, but it will tolerate part shade.
Growing considerations
- Soil pH: 6.5-7.5 (add some lime or wood ash if needed to get the pH up!)
- Water needs: heavy
- Light: full sun, but will tolerate part shade
- Fertilization needs: high
- Favorite Varieties: Jersey Giant, Jersey Knight, Jersey Supreme
*Interested in using companion planting for asparagus? It’s pretty picky! Don’t miss my article 5 BEST Asparagus Companion PLants (and 3 to AVOID!).
#4 Brassicas
I LOVE the brassica group! They are rockstars in my Minnesota garden (zone 3/4). Not only are they frost-tolerant, but they are shade-tolerant as well. The good news is that there are lots of brassicas to choose from for your shady locations: beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, kohlrabi, parsnips, radishes, rutabaga, turnips, and swiss chard.
Growing considerations
- Soil pH: 6.5-7.5
- Water needs: moderate and even
- Light: full sun, but tolerates part shade
- Fertilization needs: moderate to high
- Favorite Varieties: Belstar F1 Broccoli, Passat F1 Cabbage, Azure Star Kohlrabi, and Arun Kale
*Interested in using companion planting for spinach? Don’t miss my article 5 Best Spinach Companion Plants (and 2 to AVOID!).
#5: Carrots
Carrot seeds can be tricky to germinate – they need consistent moisture over a period of 1-3 weeks to germinate properly. Laying carrot seeds in a part shade location will keep the soil from drying out as quickly, improving your germination rate.
Once the seedlings are up, they don’t mind a bit of shade throughout the growing season, either! Give them a try and make sure to mulch them for that even moisture level that they love!
Growing considerations
- Soil pH: 5.5-6.5
- Water needs: moderate
- Light: Full sun, but tolerates light shade
- Fertilization needs: low to moderate
- Favorite Varieties: Scarlet Nantes and Bengala F1
*Looking for an EASY way to preserve your carrot harvest? Check out my tutorial How to Make Dehydrated Carrots!
#6: Celery
While celery does best in full sun, it can hang in there pretty well in part-shade locations, too! Since celery has a shallow root system, so adding some mulch can help modulate moisture levels and keep competing weeds at bay. Celery likes warm soil (60-70F) so be sure that your soil has sufficiently warmed before planting it!
Growing considerations
- Soil pH: 6.0-7.0
- Water needs: heavy and even
- Light: full sun, but tolerates light shade
- Fertilization needs: high
- Favorite Varieties: Tango
#7: Leeks & Onions
Leeks and onions and pretty picky about the soil that they are grown in, but not so picky when it comes to sunlight! As long as you are providing them with a spot with some sun exposure, they’ll grow just fine!
When it comes to soil, however, they like fertile, loose, workable soil that drains well and has lots of organic matter. They are struggling a bit in my heavy clay soil here at our new homestead, but I’m doing my best to loosen it up!
Growing considerations
- Soil pH: 6.0-7.5
- Water needs: medium and even
- Light: full sun, but tolerates light shade
- Fertilization needs: moderate
- Favorite Varieties: Sedona F1 Onion and Conservor F1 Shallots
*Don’t forget to braid your onions for long-term storage once you’re done curing them!
#8: Peas
Peas are definitely a favorite to grow, especially if you live in the north! You can direct seed it in soil temps as cool as 40 degrees and it’s one of the first things we can harvest at the beginning of the season. While peas love sunshine, they don’t need a whole lot. Don’t forget to add a trellis – they sure can climb!
Growing considerations
- Soil pH: 6.0-7.0
- Water needs: low to moderate
- Light: full sun, but tolerates partial shade
- Fertilization needs: low
- Favorite Varieties: Avalanche Snow Pea
#9: Potatoes
Once you try a homegrown potato, you’ll never be able to go back to storebought again! Plus, there are so many fun varieties to choose from that you’d never find at the store. Have a partial shade spot in your garden? No problem! This dependable crop will continue to chug away and you’ll have some delicious tubers to harvest in the fall.
Growing considerations
- Soil pH: 5.0-6.5
- Water needs: moderate
- Light: full sun, but tolerates partial shade
- Fertilization needs: high
- Favorite Varieties: Red Chiefton
*Looking for the recommend vegetable varieties that I have listed above? They are all from my favorite, organic seed producer High Mowing Seeds!
Herbs that Grow in Shade
#1: Chives
If you thought rhubarb was bomb-proof, chives are right up there, too! I’ve had my same clump of chives for 11 years and it was there when we moved into our homestead, so who knows how old it really is. It usually gets lost underneath my rhubarb plant and it doesn’t seem to mind the shade one bit!
Growing considerations
- Soil pH: 6.1-7.8
- Water needs: moderate
- Light: full sun to part shade (provide shade in zones 8-10)
- Fertilization needs: moderate
#2: Cilantro
I’ve never had luck growing cilantro, UNTIL I tried growing it in a part shade location. Now, I’m finally getting some success! Cilantro is one of those herbs that bolts quickly when the weather heats up. With some shade, the temperatures are cooler and with less spikes. I’ve been so pleased with the results!
Growing considerations
- Soil pH: 6.5-7.5
- Water needs: moderate
- Light: light shade
- Fertilization needs: low
- Favorite Varieties: Leisure
#3: Mint
Can’t get anything to grow in your shady spot? Give mint a try! It’s wonderful because it’s pest-free, prolific, and grows well in nearly all conditions but to a fault. Mint can quickly take over an entire garden bed if you aren’t careful!
Growing considerations
- Soil pH: 6-7
- Water needs: moderate
- Light: full sun to part shade (provide shade in zones 8-10)
- Fertilization needs: low
- Favorite Varieties: Peppermint and Spearmint
*Unsure if you should grow lemon balm or mint? Check out my comprehensive article Lemon Balm vs Mint: Which One Should You Use and Grow? to find out!
#4: Oregano
Oregano is another shade-loving perennial herb that does best when it’s just left alone in the garden to do its thing. I usually grow it in containers and notice that it always does better when I move it from a full-sun location to part-shade. Fragrant, delicious, attracts pollinators when in bloom, pest-free, what’s not to love?!
Growing considerations
- Soil pH: 6-7.5
- Water needs: low
- Light: full sun to part shade (provide shade in zones 8-10)
- Fertilization needs: low
- Favorite Varieties: Greek Oregano
#5: Parsley
I have to say that parsley is probably one of the easiest herbs to grow! It can grow pretty much anywhere in the garden (or in a container!) and it doesn’t neem much for water, either. I have it in my edible landscaping that gets the least amount of sun due to extensive tree shading and it’s still doing great!
Growing considerations
- Soil pH: 6.0-7.0
- Water needs: light
- Light: full sun to light shade
- Fertilization needs: moderate
- Favorite Varieties: Italian Flat Leaf
#6: Sage
Adding some sage to your shady vegetable and herb garden is always a delight! Beautiful, fragrant, and dependable. Plus, it brings in pollinators when it blooms. It also requires very little tending to! A true winner in a low-maintenance garden spot with little sunlight.
Growing considerations
- Soil pH: 5.5-7
- Water needs: low
- Light: full sun to part shade (provide shade in zones 8-10)
- Fertilization needs: low
- Favorite Varieties: Fanni Common Sage
*Looking for the recommend herb varieties that I have listed above? They are all from my favorite, organic seed producer High Mowing Seeds!
Watch Me Plant My Shade Garden!
Tips for Growing in the Shade
Tip #1: Be on the lookout!
Shady spots are prone to problem pests like slugs, which thrive in moist, cool, and shady locations. They can do a lot of damage in not a lot of time! Another thing to keep an eye out for is fungal growth such as powdery mildew and downy mildew.
Tip #2: Water less often
Direct sun exposure warms up the soil and speeds up moisture evaporation. So, in shady spots, make sure that you’re not watering as regularly as you do in your full-sun garden beds otherwise you might end up with root rot or fungal issues.
Tip #3: Be mindful of planting too early
Without as much direct sun exposure, a shady garden bed won’t warm up quite as quickly as a full-sun garden bed. While most veggies and herbs that tolerate shade are also pretty frost-tolerant, it’s important not to rush them out too quickly. A handy soil thermometer can help you decide when it’s time!
Tip #4: Ensure good quality soil
Growth might be a little slower if there’s less sunlight available. To compensate for this, work in lots of compost and ideally do a soil test to ensure that your plants have everything that they need to thrive.
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*Are you interested in starting a garden, but you’re overwhelmed with where to start? Or maybe you’ve tried a garden in the past, but it flopped? Definitely check out my course How to Plan a Garden: Step-By-Step! Don’t forget my discount code “GARDEN” for 10% off!
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