All shade is not equal. Some shady conditions will yield much more produce than others will, while some areas are better left for hostas and moss. Gardeners should be familiar with the different types of shade, but should also keep in mind that measuring how much shade your garden gets isn’t always easy.
When you see a plant label requiring “full sun“, it means that the plant will benefit from a minimum of 6 hours of sunlight each day, though they will thrive with 8-10 hours of direct sunlight. Keep in mind that too much sun can be too much of a good thing! Even tomatoes prefer a little shade in the hottest of summers, a little something to prevent sunscalds. Another downside to planting in full sun is that your garden may need to be irrigated and/or shaded during the driest and hottest weeks.
Mediavine Trees, buildings, fences – they all provide varying levels of shade at different times of the day. So, if you have a shady patch in your garden, take advantage of all it has to offer, there are a plethora of vegetables that will enjoy it!