You Are My Sunshine, My Only Sunshine ...
By Marie Anne
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
United States
April 30, 2008 8:11pm CST
... You make me happy, when skys are gray.
I'm definitely putting a few vegetables in containers to garden this year and I've got a small spot alongside the house for a few more, but I'm not really sure I should put them in there.
I know I'll get good sun for a part of the day as it travels across the sky, but since it will be up against the house, there will virtually no sun on the one side nor directly overhead for any length of time.
Will this be a problem? Will my plants grow leaning outwards, reaching towards the direction of the sun? I really want to get this stuff into the ground, but I don't want to lose what I've got started and have to start over either.
3 people like this
9 responses
@freak369 (5112)
• United States
1 May 08
I am running into the same thing with corn and tomatoes. They need more space than others so I am trying to find a spot that's best for them and I need to transplant the tomatoes soon because they are outgrowing the pots we started them in. Hopefully it won't frost over the next few weeks ...
My neighbor has more than just a green thumb and he says that as long as the plant or any part of it gets enough sun, it should be fine but if you are worried about it you can get some type of a reflector at the garden center to bounce some of the sun light back at the plants without burning them to a crisp.
1 person likes this
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
1 May 08
Thanks.
I'm hopeful that it will be enough. There are landscaping timbers marking the small part alongside the house that I want to put them in, so I will try to plant as close to the timbers/as far away from the house as I think I can to give them as much exposure as possible on the backside.
After all my efforts at babying these little things, I pray it works!
1 person likes this
@webeishere (36313)
• United States
1 May 08
Corn really does not need a large area as it will grow close to each other. I plant my seeds maybe 5 inches apart is all. They thrive in shade as well. But tomatoes do need a lot of sun. Usually if they get about 4 hours sun they will do good.
HAPPY POSTINGS FROM GRANDPA BOB !!~
@GreenMoo (11833)
•
2 May 08
What sort of veg are you planning to plant? There are plenty which will cope fine with a shadier spot. Brassicas will do well there, if you had any planned. You'll probably even find that your salad leaves and lettuce will do OK there, though they'll take longer to mature than they would in a sunny spot.
If this spot is next to the house, how about planting some beans and peas on trellises next to the house? They should do OK there, and they'll also make a lovely display.
The final thing to consider would be putting some herbs there. There are plenty which will tolerate a shady spot and having the lovely scents next to the house would be rather nice.
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
2 May 08
I know that leafy vegetables will do ok there, but I wasn't planning on planting any of that type.
I've got tomatoes and cucumbers and I know both require a lot of sun, and green beans and sugar snap peas. I had planned on putting the beans/peas there and utilizing the house to provide some support as you said, but the issue is whether that will be enough sunlight or not. The backside being towards the house, that side of the plants won't be getting much sun. I just don't know how much of an issue it will make.
@lucy02 (5015)
• United States
1 May 08
I planted a small garden by my house a few years ago. Like you, it only got a few hours of sun. Mine didn't do so well except for the peppers but I think it was because of the soil more than the amount of sun. The soil is mostly clay and sand
...not good for growing many veggies.
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
1 May 08
I'm pretty much ALL clay here, but we did get some garden soil and worked that in all over. I've been adding coffee grounds, eggshells and water from my cooked vegetables too, so hopefully that will be enough.
I do have peppers to put in, so maybe I'll relegate the peppers and just a tomato or two to that area.
1 person likes this
@lucy02 (5015)
• United States
1 May 08
Well I'm doing like you and using containers. I have planted tomatoes and peppers. I raked a little on the side of the yard a few days ago and decided it was just too bad to try to plant but I may change my mind. I know it will take a lot of work on that soil and don't know how fast I can do it. With the price of food going up everyday I really would like to have a decent garden.
@coolseeds (3919)
• United States
2 May 08
Plant are plants. They will grow. They will probably bolt toward the sun. Therefore you will have a bunch of stringy plants stretching for the sun. You will probably not get a lot of fruits and veggies but you should get some.
You should grow your tomatoes in full sun. I wouldn't bother to grow tomatoes close to a house like that. It sounds like more trouble than it is worth.
If you want to grow food in partial shade you should seek plants that like the area you intend to grow them and not try to force plants to grow in an area where they do not like.
Good luck.
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
2 May 08
Which is exactly why I started this discussion - thanks!
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
2 May 08
Sunlight is the issue, not warmth. Keeping plastic over them while the seeds are germinating is better for some, but once they are growing, covering them won't do anything unless it is actually cold out and they need protection from frost.
That's not my concern - direct sunlight is.
@RedFeather (427)
• United States
1 May 08
i would dedicate that spot for only shade loving plants to minimize disappointment.
i know this is not what you wanted to hear - but unless you can get some sun in there, most veggie plants are not going to like it
in googling it - found this from coopext.colostate.edu:
leafy vegetables are the most shade tolerant - broccoli/cabbage family are ok, too
i hope this helps...
@coolseeds (3919)
• United States
2 May 08
You should grow your beans in the sun too. You can grow lettuce. Even plant several types. Then cut what you need for fresh salads. It is very pleasing to eat a fresh organic salad that you grew yourself.
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
1 May 08
That's exactly what I've been feeling too, and I was hoping someone else would be able to give me different testimonial.
I'm not planting any of the leafy type vegetables, so that's not really going to help me there.
A few of my beans and such are more of the bush type rather than the tall ones, so I wonder if they would do ok there.
@webeishere (36313)
• United States
1 May 08
It should be no problem as they will do this in or out of the sun always reaching for the nutrients of the suns rays and the heat etc. Mine are getting quite large and hope we get a warm spell real soon so i can get mine in the ground as well. Here they are. Banana Peppers, Bell Peppers, and Tomatoes. Good luck.
HAPPY POSTINGS FROM GRANDPA BOB!!~
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
1 May 08
Thanks, Bob. I'm hopeful that it will work out ok.
Wow, yours are doing great! What did you do to them? I've got the same - banana peppers, multicolor bell peppers and tomatoes.
Mine are still scrawny little things.
@djmarion (4898)
• Philippines
1 May 08
any plant needs sunlight to be able to grow healthy, i am not very familiar with garden veggies but i think it has the same principle as the others. it needs sunlight, however i think you can still plant veggies that are not very sensitive like tomatoes and beans, i think they can stand less sunlight.
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
1 May 08
Most vegetables require a lot of sun, yes. That's why I was asking if the amount that I'm likely to get in that spot will be enough.
@nova1945 (1612)
• United States
1 May 08
I have found that almost all vegetables are very happy with morning sun. Afternoon sun, if it is intense, can be a problem for some of them. I have burned up some really nice tomatoes by letting them get too much sun from the West. I just put mine out in an area that only gets sun until about 11:00 a.m. They are growing nicely (so far) so you should be safe as long as they get some sun before afternoon.
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
1 May 08
That's another concern of mine. They don't get sun until midday and will be good for couple of hours, but then it drifts off to the front yard. I probably will be ok.
