GrowingHQ

Vegetables for a shady garden

A north-facing or overlooked garden is extremely common and most growing advice quietly assumes full sun. The division that matters is what the crop is grown FOR: leaves and stems do well enough on four hours of sun, while anything that has to ripen a fruit or swell a root mostly does not, which is why this list is largely salad and brassicas and contains almost no tomatoes.

How this list was built

Generated from the catalogue by the same engine that powers What can I grow? — 26 of the 47 vegetables qualify. It is published because it names a question people ask, returns enough plants to be useful, does not return most of the group it is about, and rests on fields that are actually populated. Lists that fail any of those are on the coverage page instead.

26 plants
PlantTypeLightSpacingMin. pot depthIn a container
Land cressBarbarea vernaVegetableStraightforwardPartial shade, Dappled shade, Full sun15–20 cm15 cmwell suited
BeetrootBeta vulgarisVegetableStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade10 cm20–25 cmwell suited
Broad beanVicia fabaVegetableStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade20–23 cm30 cmworkable
BroccoliBrassica oleraceaVegetableSome care neededFull sun, Partial shade30–45 cm30 cmworkable
CabbageBrassica oleraceaVegetableSome care neededFull sun, Partial shade30–45 cm30 cmworkable
CarrotDaucus carota subsp. sativusVegetableSome care neededFull sun, Partial shade5–8 cm30 cmwell suited
CauliflowerBrassica oleraceaVegetableDemandingFull sun, Partial shade60–75 cm40 cmmarginal
CeleriacApium graveolens var. rapaceumVegetableDemandingFull sun, Partial shade30–38 cm30 cmmarginal
CeleryApium graveolensVegetableDemandingFull sun, Partial shade23–27 cm25 cmmarginal
ChardBeta vulgaris subsp. vulgarisVegetableStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade25–30 cm25 cmwell suited
ChicoryCichorium intybusVegetableSome care neededFull sun, Partial shade25–30 cm45 cmworkable
EndiveCichorium endiviaVegetableSome care neededFull sun, Partial shade25–30 cm20 cmworkable
Jerusalem artichokeHelianthus tuberosusVegetableStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade30–45 cm40 cmwell suited
KaleBrassica oleraceaVegetableStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade45 cm30 cmwell suited
KohlrabiBrassica oleraceaVegetableStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade25–30 cm25 cmwell suited
Lamb's lettuceValerianella locustaVegetableStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade10–15 cm12 cmwell suited
LeekAllium ampeloprasumVegetableStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade15–23 cm30 cmworkable
LettuceLactuca sativaVegetableStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade15–30 cm15 cmwell suited
Pak choiBrassica rapaVegetableStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade20–25 cm20 cmwell suited
PeaPisum sativumVegetableStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade5–8 cm25 cmworkable
RadishRaphanus sativusVegetableStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade2.5–5 cm15 cmwell suited
RocketEruca vesicariaVegetableStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade10–15 cm15 cmwell suited
Runner beanPhaseolus coccineusVegetableStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade15–20 cm35 cmworkable
SpinachSpinacia oleraceaVegetableSome care neededFull sun, Partial shade15 cm20 cmwell suited
Spring onionAllium cepaVegetableStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade2–5 cm15 cmwell suited
TurnipBrassica rapaVegetableStraightforwardFull sun, Partial shade15–20 cm25 cmworkable

This is one cut through the vegetables, which compares every one of them on foliage, size and container suitability — including the ones this list rules out, and why.