Vegetables That Grow Well in Shade

Leafy vegetables grow well in shade, and root and tuber vegetables and some brassicas are shade-tolerant. In full shade, which is two hours or less of direct sunlight each day, vegetables rarely grow well. Some grow in partial shade, which is two to fours hours of direct sunlight per day. Partial sun, which is four to six hours of direct sun per day, provides enough light to grow a wider range of vegetables.

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) grows well in partial shade and partial sun. Lettuce varieties include loose leaf, romaine, butter head and iceberg, and plants grow 6 to 12 inches tall and wide, depending on the variety. In some areas of the United States, lettuce is invasive.

Asian greens (Brassica rapa Asian Greens Group) are a large family of leafy green vegetables that tolerate partial sun and partial shade. Including varieties such as mizuna, mibuna, komatsuna greens, Japanese mustard, Japanese greens, and California peppergrass, Asian greens grow as 12- to 18-inch-tall and wide clumps of dark green leaves with thin white stalks. Asian greens are invasive in some areas of the United States.

Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris Cicla Group) is another leafy vegetable that grows in partial sun and partial shade. This vegetable provides rosettes of upright, crumpled, medium green leaves and long, wide stalks. Growing 12 to 24 inches tall and 9 to 18 inches wide, Swiss chard is a biennial plant that's grown as an annual.

Beetroot (Beta vulgaris) is a shade-tolerant vegetable that provides round, red roots. Beetroot is related to Swiss chard. Its leaves are edible, but it's usually grown for its roots. Growing 12 to 18 inches tall and 18 to 24 inches wide, beetroot tolerates partial shade and partial sun.

Carrot (Daucus carota var. sativus ) grows in partial sun. A biennial plant that's grown as an annual, carrot provides long, tapered orange roots, though sometimes carrots are harvested when young as baby carrots. The finely divided leaves of the plant grow in clumps 3 to 36 inches tall.

Turnip (Brassica rapa Rapifera Group) is a root vegetable that can be round, cylindrical or flat, and yellow, white, red, or purple, with or without green. Tolerating partial sun, turnip grows 12 to 18 inches tall and 6 to 12 inches wide. Turnip leaves are edible.

Taro (Colocasia esculenta) is a perennial tuberous vegetable that's hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 10 and tolerates partial sun and partial shade. Called elephant ears when grown as an ornamental plant, taro grows 3 to 6 feet tall and wide.

Broccoli (Brassica oleracea Italica Group) grows in partial sun. Providing large, tight heads of green flowerbuds and thick stems, broccoli grows 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 feet tall and 1 to 2 feet wide. In areas that experience hot summers, broccoli is a cool-season crop.

Cabbage (Brassica oleracea Capitata Group) is a biennial plant that's grown as an annual for its edible leaves, which are green or red, according to the variety. Cabbage grows in partial sun and produces a round head of leaves weighing 3 to 4 pounds. A cool-season crop, cabbage grows 1 to 2 feet tall and wide.

Add some shade-loving flowering plants to your garden as well.