Types of Shade

Not all shade is created equal. Shade, like many other things in gardening can be thought about as a spectrum. It includes direct sunlight (defined as at least six hours per day in summer) and dense shade (defined as less than two hours per day).

There are plenty of places in between the full sun and dense shade. A shaded area may produce a dappled shade, which can flit between direct sunlight and shade as the leaves above move in the breeze.

There are also areas that are partially shaded that get bright sunlight but are protected from the direct sun. Remember that shade levels can vary depending on the season, angle of the sun, and whether trees are in full leaf.

What can you do with the more shaded areas of your garden? All it takes is what we grow.

These are the 8 Best Ways to Grow Shade.

16 April 2021 , written by Benedict Vanheems

Shade: For many, this is the problem area of the garden that we aren’t sure how to deal with. You might be surprised to learn that shady areas can actually be productive.

Shades available in different types

Not all shade is created equal. Shade, like many other things in gardening can be thought about as a spectrum. It includes direct sunlight (defined as at least six hours per day in summer) and dense shade (defined as less than two hours of direct sunlight per day).

There are plenty of places in between the full sun and dense shade. A shaded area may produce a dappled shade, which can flit between direct sunlight and shade as the leaves above move in the breeze.

There are also areas of light shade that get bright sunlight but are protected from the direct sun. Additionally, there are areas of moderate shade which receive some direct sunlight but remain shaded the rest of the day. Remember that shade levels can vary depending on the season, angle of the sun, and whether trees are in full leaf.

What can you do with the more shaded areas of your garden? All it takes is what we grow.

Fruits that are native to the woodland edge are happy with a little dappled shade

Shade-tolerant fruits

Most crops thrive in full sun, but some can be grown in partial shade. Fruits that are derived from woodland environments like raspberries, currants, and gooseberries, thrive in light shade. Morello cherries, a type of sour cherry, grow well against shady walls. Cooking varieties of apples should do fine in light shade.

A wall or fence can be used to train fruits, which will increase the amount of light that reaches the plants and encourage larger fruits.

Shade-tolerant Vegetables

For many vegetables, light shade is fine. This includes salad leaves, leafy veggies like chard, spinach, radishes and beets, as well as brassicas such cabbage, kale, and broccoli.

Leeks and carrots can survive in shade, provided they get some morning sunlight. Fava beans will thrive in shade. In the height of summer, dappled shade can be very useful as cool-season crops such as salads and radish will appreciate the cooler conditions.

If your garden is sunny and open, it’s likely that you will need to shade these crops in hot areas. You can either add shade cloth to your garden or grow taller crops on the sunny side for cool-season crops.

Get Climbing Crops

While some areas of the garden may be shaded from the ground, others receive lots of sunlight higher up. These areas are ideal for climbing crops such as beans and climbing peas. They can be started in a sunny area like a warm greenhouse and then moved to their final locations once they have grown tall enough.

Do not forget to climb fruits – Train grapevines, kiwifruits in the sun for their growth and production.

Use Tactical Sowing

Even though crops such as lettuce, carrots, and beets can tolerate shade, they still need adequate light to grow well. Shaded areas can still be sunny, even if they are shaded most of the year by shrubs and deciduous trees. This makes them an ideal place for cool-season crops.

Many trees will not reach full leaf coverage until late spring. This leaves plenty of time to sow seeds earlier in the season for those first harvests.

Start seeds in a nursery bed or pot

You can also start seedlings where there is warmth and light. Then, plant them when they are bigger and more robust and in a better place to withstand the sun. To transplant the strongest seedlings into their own pots or plugs, choose the best. Allow them to grow in sunlight and warmth until they have a strong root system. They will then be ready to transplant into pots or plugs once their growth is established.

Wait for the warmth

Shaded areas heat up more slowly in spring so take your time. Seedlings could die if they are sown too soon. You should wait a week before sowing in shaded areas or until frost is gone and the soil is not too cold. Crops will grow more quickly in warmer soil, and they should soon catch up to earlier sowings.

Improve soil structure

Your soil structure can be improved to help it warm up faster at the beginning of the season. To improve the soil’s drainage and open it up, add plenty of organic matter such as well-rotted manure or garden compost. Heavy soils are more susceptible to sunlight and dry out quicker in spring than well-structured ones. This makes them more receptive to the first warm rays of sun, which helps plants grow faster.

To reduce shade, reflect sunlight

Whitewashed walls or light-colored painted walls are reflective surfaces that can reflect light into darkened areas or in shaded gardens. Another option is to use lighter colored mulches, which bounce light back from the ground and into the canopy. You could also use straw-colored chips of wood around fruiting shrubs like gooseberries or white pebbles for container-grown plants.

You can have a successful garden even in the most shady corners with the right mix of crops and techniques.