12 Fruits and Vegetables That Thrive in Shady Gardens

green peas in the garden — Credit:
Lavju / Getty Images

Despite what you may think, a shady garden is a great place to grow edible plants, whether it's tucked under a tree or next to a large fence. The one variable to pay attention to is just how much—or how little—light these plants are getting. Some leafy greens like spinach, lettuce, cilantro, and parsley do well in dappled shade, for example, while others may only need a few hours of sunlight a day to thrive. Here, experts recommended a handful of culinary delights perfect for gardens that don't get much sunlight.

Brooke Edmunds, associate professor and horticulturist at Oregon State University
Laura Irish-Hanson, horticulture educator at the University of Minnesota

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Peas

Garden peas have a very wide hardiness zone and are generally a cool-season crop. The common advice is that they need full sun, but they can grow in partial shade, too. “This past growing season, we had success growing these in a raised bed on the north side of a building that never received direct sunlight,” says Laura Irish-Hanson, a horticulture educator at the University of Minnesota.

Zones: 2 to 11
Size: Up to 16 inches tall
Growing conditions: Moisture-retaining soil, medium watering, full sun to partial shade

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Carrots

Carrots are perfect for soups, salads, and snacking, and they can thrive in a shady spot that gets some light. Just be aware that germination may take a little longer in a shadier spot, and your plants may not be as compact as they would be in full sun, according to Irish-Hanson. That doesn’t mean they won’t still be tasty, though.

Zones: 2 to 11
Size: 3 inches to 3 feet tall
Growing conditions: Well-drained fertile soil, medium watering, and filtered sunlight

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Scented Geraniums

Easily grown in the ground and perfect for containers, scented geraniums add small pops of color. Their leaves waft a citrus-like scent and can be used to infuse lemon or lime flavors into various recipes. You can grow them in full sun, but they'll also thrive in partial shade.

“I have a love affair with scented geraniums,” says Brooke Edmunds, an associate professor and horticulturist at Oregon State University. “They're great for flavoring cream, milk for custards, or ice cream. I also infuse them in a simple syrup that can be used for tea or mocktails."

Zones: 10 to 11
Size: 12 to 36 inches tall
Growing conditions: Medium watering required, well-draining soil, full sun to partial shade

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Garlic

A kitchen staple, garlic has fragrant leaves and, depending on the variety, may have large, bulbous, pink-and-white flowers. Edmunds says she keeps her garlic on her north-facing back deck, which only gets a few hours of direct sun and is otherwise in the shade for the majority of the day.

Zones: 4 to 11
Size: Up to 16 inches tall
Growing conditions: Well-drained fertile soil, full to filtered sunlight, medium water

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Cucamelons

Cucamelon on vine — Olga Rozhkova / GETTY IMAGES

Native to Central America, cucamelons look like small watermelons and have a tart flavor. Though it's often recommended that they grow in full sun, they really only need a few hours of direct sunlight a day to be happy. “[Our] cucamelons don’t make it out of the garden,” says Edmunds. “My kids and I snack on them right off the vine.”

Zones: 9 to 11
Size: Vines reach 5 to 10 feet long
Growing conditions: Well-drained fertile soil, partial sun

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Dwarf Peppers

If you have limited sunlight and space, consider dwarf peppers, a variety that can grow in light shade. These small vegetables can thrive in a larger container, under the leaves of a taller tomato plant, or in a shaded area of the yard. They can be a colorful addition to your yard and are also great for salads.

Zones: Varies
Size: 1 to 2 feet tall
Growing conditions: Well-drained Loamy soil, full to filtered sunlight

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Spinach

What summer salad would be complete without a few cups of spinach leaves? Spinach is perfect for a smaller garden, as it stays compact, and you can harvest the baby leaves to keep the plant even smaller. It can grow in partial shade, too—Irish-Hanson says she grew spinach in raised beds on the north side of a building, so the plant received only 1 to 2 hours of direct light during the summer.

Zones: 2 to 11
Size: Up to 1 foot tall
Growing conditions: Well-drained organic soil, partial shade, medium watering

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Cilantro

Cilantro is a must for those who enjoy fresh salsa—and it can grow well in light shade. Also, if you let the plant go to seed, you’ll have a large supply ready for the winter. It's perfect in a fresh salad or chopped up as a topping for tacos, says Edmunds.

Zones: 2 to 11
Size: Up to 2 feet tall
Growing conditions: Well-drained fertile soil, filtered sunlight

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Parsley

This low-maintenance, versatile herb adds flavor to many dishes and can even be dried for winter use. Parsley can grow in partial shade, but make sure that it doesn't get too stringy. To help avoid this, Irish-Hanson recommends giving each plant more space than you typically would in a full-sun area.

Zones: 2 to 11
Size: Up to 6 feet tall
Growing conditions: Well-drained fertile soil, medium watering, partial shade to filtered sunlight

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Bok Choy

Like spinach, you can grow bok choy as a smaller plant, harvesting the leaves when they are just a few inches. If you harvest them quickly, they won't experience any issues with insufficient light, Edmunds says, since they aren't growing to full maturity.

Zones: 2 to 11
Size: 6 to 12 inches tall and wide
Growing conditions: Well-drained fertile soil, medium watering, partial shade

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Ginger

Ginger is another great option for small gardens, and thrives in shaded areas— provided you have enough heat and humidity to keep it happy. The rhizomes, or roots, are perfect for teas and are often used in Asian cuisine. “I haven’t personally grown ginger or turmeric, but they are understory plants that tolerate shade,” says Edmunds. “Many folks will keep them in a container and move it to different areas of the garden.”

Zones: 9 to 12
Size: Up to 4 feet tall
Growing conditions: Well-drained fertile soil, heavy watering, shaded areas

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Raspberries

A member of the rose family, raspberry bushes are fairly adaptive and provide both native animals and people with delicious, tart fruits in the summer. They can grow in partial shade but will sometimes yield more fruit in full sun. Additionally, keep in mind that these shrubs need a fair amount of pruning to maintain their shape, and they'll take up a bit of space in the garden.

Zones: 4 to 8
Size: Up to 9 feet tall
Growing conditions: Organic, slightly acidic soil, full sun to partial shade