Shade and plant location

ScottinAtlanta · October 25, 2012

Folks, I have a progressively shady garden. Where would you put the following plants - from sunniest (6+ hours/day) to shadiest (4 hours/day) location?

Tomatoes
Ground cherries
Eggplants
Peppers
Okra
Squash
Pumpkins
Basil
Asparagus
Lettuce
Collards

Thanks for your help.

ContainerTed · October 25, 2012

My comments below take into count Atlanta's normal weather patterns. My gardens in Georgia were up in the Buford area, but it's still "Hot-lanta" there as well.

Okra - Doesn't really get going until the temps are up. The more sunlight the better
Pumpkins/Squash - Will need lots of sun and room to spread out
Tomatoes/Ground Cherries - Will still do well with some indirect sun in the shaded areas
Peppers - I've found that they do quite well with limited direct sun
Eggplants - Slows the growth, but reduces the sunscald when limited direct sun
Collards/Basil/Lettuce - Always do better with limited direct sun and cooler temps
Asparagus - never grown it.

Hope this helps

bower · October 26, 2012

hi Scott,

I can't speak to everything on your list, but even in the "not sunny or hot" north, leafy greens go in the coolest and shadiest spot. Basil does well in a shady spot in my greenhouse, but outdoors I would have to choose a sunnier spot because they like it warm and not too damp/wet leaves.

I can vouch that peppers have done amazingly well in shady and part-shady situations, both in my greenhouse and outdoors, as well as in windows indoors, so I'd put them next on the shade scale.

Tomatoes tolerate some indirect sunlight in my greenhouse, but tend to get leggier and to reach out until they get a full sun spot. I think some varieties are less tolerant of shade and do worse there. I've really packed tomato plants into a small space (in containers), in different configurations to try to maximize sun exposure, and there's no question, the more shaded positions are less productive for the same variety in most cases, and later to ripen. Overall, they definitely need more sun than peppers.

Squash need the sun but optimal fruiting temperatures are lower than tomato and can be planted for early fruit. I can tell you that they did not like being shaded by large tomato plants when they were overtaken in my greenhouse this spring. So if growing them near each other on the sunny end of your garden, I'd try to place the squash out of tomato shade.

Asparagus are a sun position crop here, but may tolerate a bit of shade too. The main consideration for the asparagus bed is that it has to be very rich, deep, and not to be disturbed around the roots nor overrun by weeds, since they're perennial and need deep, spreading roots to yield lots of spears. A border strip set apart from the cultivated area is a good idea, especially if you till. I can't speak to heat tolerance but since they like mulch and have deep roots, it may not be a problem.

Worth1 · October 26, 2012

Scott I would put the plants in just the way you have them with the tomatoes in the area with the most sun.

Worth

Deborah · October 26, 2012

So deep roots are why I can't grow asparagus in a half barrel?

October 25, 2012	#1
ScottinAtlanta Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 2,593	Shade and plant location Folks, I have a progressively shady garden. Where would you put the following plants - from sunniest (6+ hours/day) to shadiest (4 hours/day) location? Tomatoes Ground cherries Eggplants Peppers Okra Squash Pumpkins Basil Asparagus Lettuce Collards Thanks for your help.

October 25, 2012	#2
ContainerTed Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: 6a - NE Tennessee Posts: 4,538	My comments below take into count Atlanta's normal weather patterns. My gardens in Georgia were up in the Buford area, but it's still "Hot-lanta" there as well. Okra - Doesn't really get going until the temps are up. The more sunlight the better Pumpkins/Squash - Will need lots of sun and room to spread out Tomatoes/Ground Cherries - Will still do well with some indirect sun in the shaded areas Peppers - I've found that they do quite well with limited direct sun Eggplants - Slows the growth, but reduces the sunscald when limited direct sun Collards/Basil/Lettuce - Always do better with limited direct sun and cooler temps Asparagus - never grown it. Hope this helps __________________ Ted ________________________ Owner & Sole Operator Of The Muddy Bucket Farm and Tomato Ranch

October 26, 2012	#3
bower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 6,794	hi Scott, I can't speak to everything on your list, but even in the "not sunny or hot" north, leafy greens go in the coolest and shadiest spot. Basil does well in a shady spot in my greenhouse, but outdoors I would have to choose a sunnier spot because they like it warm and not too damp/wet leaves. I can vouch that peppers have done amazingly well in shady and part-shady situations, both in my greenhouse and outdoors, as well as in windows indoors, so I'd put them next on the shade scale. Tomatoes tolerate some indirect sunlight in my greenhouse, but tend to get leggier and to reach out until they get a full sun spot. I think some varieties are less tolerant of shade and do worse there. I've really packed tomato plants into a small space (in containers), in different configurations to try to maximize sun exposure, and there's no question, the more shaded positions are less productive for the same variety in most cases, and later to ripen. Overall, they definitely need more sun than peppers. Squash need the sun but optimal fruiting temperatures are lower than tomato and can be planted for early fruit. I can tell you that they did not like being shaded by large tomato plants when they were overtaken in my greenhouse this spring. So if growing them near each other on the sunny end of your garden, I'd try to place the squash out of tomato shade. Asparagus are a sun position crop here, but may tolerate a bit of shade too. The main consideration for the asparagus bed is that it has to be very rich, deep, and not to be disturbed around the roots nor overrun by weeds, since they're perennial and need deep, spreading roots to yield lots of spears. A border strip set apart from the cultivated area is a good idea, especially if you till. I can't speak to heat tolerance but since they like mulch and have deep roots, it may not be a problem.

October 26, 2012	#4
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	Scott I would put the plants in just the way you have them with the tomatoes in the area with the most sun. Worth

October 26, 2012	#5
Deborah Riding The Crazy Train Again Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: San Marcos, California Posts: 2,562	So deep roots are why I can't grow asparagus in a half barrel?