Though most plants thrive in as much sun as you can give them, you can have too much of a good thing sometimes. Get to know your shade-loving plants and give them the care they need.
Some examples of shady plants:
• Most greens, like lettuce, chard or spinach
• Some herbs, like oregano, parsley, mint or chives
• Peas
• Garlic
• Radishes
When it comes to shade-loving plants, the best scenario is a few hours of solid sunshine, and then light to heavy shade for the rest of the day. Being in shade all day is acceptable as long as it’s not too deep.
Understand though that there is a difference between plants that can tolerate shade, and those that truly need it. Plants like cabbage, broccoli, green beans, turnips and beets will all grow pretty well in the shade if they must, but will be better in the sun if you can manage it.
With plants that do better in the shade, you should plan
your garden accordingly. If you naturally have a spot on your garden that gets a large dose of shade through the day, that’s the spot for the lettuce or mint. If not, you’ll have to get shady on your own.
An upright piece of garden lattice works great to create light shade, as long as it’s secured in place. Something like that is prone to blow away in a strong wind otherwise. You can also make a more moveable shade cover with a picnic table umbrella and stand. For a more natural approach, arrange your shade plants next to something that grows tall, like pole beans. Once your beans are high enough, you’ll have some all-natural shade. A few decorative shrubs would also do the trick for this.