So, I know the calendar says it's July and for lots of folks, the summer garden season is just beginning. We're a little wacky out here in Tucson from the heat; my tomatoes (the only thing I grew this year) are just about done unless I get a second crop in the fall when it cools down a little. I'm starting to think about what to plant next summer, as I'm getting more and more into veggie growing.
Does anyone have any suggestions for things that will grow well in heat with dappled (no direct) sun? About half of my current garden space is under a tree which provides nice dappled light. I've got tomatoes under there now which are producing, although slower and later than my full-sun bed. I want to expand my horizons and do some new things, but I'm just not sure what will be happy in such a spot.
Thanks in advance for any ideas!
Thinking ahead to next years' garden already...
you wont get your moneys worth or times worth if you grow in the shade. Production will be very little to almost none. Plus , trees take away alot of nutrients and water from other smaller plants. I personally will not grow veggies under a tree. Hard enough growing shade flowers. The shade flowers will not need as much nutrients and water that veggies do either. If I lived where you do, I would grow my veggies in an area that got evening shade and sun the rest of the time. (east side of building or home) or East side of that tree.
The good news is, it's a 3' high raised bed on an irrigation system, so I shouldn't have problems feeding/watering the veggies and not just the tree. And there is some sun, it's not deep shade, just not full sun.
Although I do agree with you totally that this isn't an ideal location, the bad news is, right now, it's about my only choice. Between where my house is on my lot, and where I can keep dog/kids away and still provide a reasonable water supply, I don't have a whole lot of other options (at least until kids are older!)
So, although I realize it's not great, I'm still persevering and trying to do at least something. I wouldn't have thought tomatoes would do as well as they have, and they continue to surprise me. Therefore, I'm on the lookout for other veggies as well.
Here's a pic; the bed on the left side gets pretty much ideal conditions (and will improve as the little tree to the west gets a tad bigger), while the bed on the right is the one with increased shade.
T-Jill,
Don't get discouraged. There is an entire forum on DG devoted to "Shady Gardens" (admittedly aimed more at flowers than vegetables, but there are also vegetables that will grow with some dappled shade and some greens that do very well in the shade). You've already proven you can grow tomatoes (a sun lover) and so that part of the garden can probably grow any vegetable that requires sun. Consider some of the endless varieties of lettuce and gourmet greens for some of the shadier parts of your garden, and I'm sure there are many other possibilities. Others will chime in here as well. We all need to make the best use of whatever garden space we have available to us, and that is exactly what you are doing. Bravo!!
I live in the desert - summer temps are usually over 100 (110*F earlier this week!). Some of the "sun lovers" like a little shade here. Although not as bushy as my full sun ones, basil, oregano and sweet marjoram are doing well in the shade of 3 tomato plants and some bearded irises and I will am getting good crops from them. The lemon balm definitely did NOT like the shade. My yellow wax beans are having heat stroke, so I think next year I will try them where they get a little afternoon shade. Good luck!
YOu might be able to grow some squash , radishes, leafy things, carrots, onions, garlic and try growing a tomato plant that requires less light like the Trust tomato. I have some seeds if you want to try some next year. It has a pretty good taste. Crossed to grow in greenhouses during Fall and Early winter when we have less Sun light.
That picture helped opinions.
Thanks, BDale, for the encouragement--I really appreciate it. I've already decided to try green leafies as it cools down (they bolt immediately in this heat, even in the shade). I hadn't considered that if tomatoes do well in that bed, most other things might be OK too, esp. since I don't mind if they come along a little on the slow side for their usual schedule. That helps!
Kmom, I've got my herbs in pots under the same tree, and I know exactly what you mean--they really are pretty happy down there. Last year I had a three-year old basil plant (never got the "I am an annual" memo, I guess) that I finally harvested and made into about a quart of pesto, and I'm trying some cuttings of my neighbor's "Kentucky Colonel" mint down there too. The lemon grass is also thriving, although cool-weather parsley and cilantro are going into the sulks. Haven't had such good luck with beans in the past, but I think the year I tried they went in late and I'm going to give it another shot.
Cricket, I really really like the idea of some squash in that bed! It's got some good space for draping over, and if I did it on a corner, it could drape and I could still get to it to harvest.
Thanks, all! I appreciate it!
Jill
Summer squash do well in semi shade for me. Not wilted everytime I go by. Go by Mesquite Valley Growers and talk to them. They know alot about growing in Tucson and are happy to help. I find alot of stuff that calls for full some is very happy with a little shade! If you still have tomatoes, you are doing things right.
Oooooh goody! An excuse to go to MVG! My happy place! Thanks, GrammysGardenAZ!
And thanks for the suggestion, too. Looks like I'm doin' summer squash next year! Maybe some of those cute little pattypans that are so yummy with butter... mmmmm.......
Because of our altitude here in Denver, lots of "full sun" plants need a little shade as well. My lemon balm here loves the dappled shade here and my herbs do well in the shade as well. Last year the full sun fried everything in my veggie garden so for me a little shade is a good thing. I think I had one tomatillo make it and a pumpkin that was it! But then I am a beginner.
We also live in an area with no humidity which I think makes a big difference in how we can grow things.
Mobi, I think you're right on both counts. The aridity makes a big difference, and I know I fry from the higher altitude in Denver, so why wouldn't our plants? I'm sure lots of people think we're slightly nuts for wanting to put some typically full-sun things in shade, but in a lot of cases for us, it beats the alternative!
I sometimes get "humidity envy" when I see the lush gardens of those that live in the east and the south. And I don't even live in the desert! However I don't envy the "wet heat" which is oppressive.
What are the temperature like where you live?
This message was edited Jul 8, 2007 10:36 PM
It is very arid here in the high desert, too. I have become a mulch fanatic. Keeps the sand cooler and I think it raises the humidity, too. I have found that scorpions will hang out in the bark mulch by trees away from the house, but so far, have only found one in the veggie garden. I think they don't like it because that one gets puttered in a lot and, this time of year, daily watering. The lizard seems to have accepted me as part of the goings on, and while I cannot make obvious advanced towards it, it doesn't freak out when my shadow crosses it any more. Drip irrigation helps, too.
You have one mellow lizard, kmom! They seem to like my raised beds, too (even before I started mulching), but boy do they panic when I come by!
I don't really envy the humidity, as much as the regular rainfall, but I suppose you don't get one without the other. What a tossup... :)
I was recently in Jackson, MS for business -- lush and 1,000 shades of green; delicious smell of rain in the air... of course, 95*F and 95% humidity -- I braved the humidity to take a short drive along the reservoir, and I would move back to The South in a heartbeat if my family would go, but it was nice to come back to our 9% humidity!
I've lived in coastal Texas, Chicago, New Jersey and Iowa, as well as Denver and Tucson. Gotta say, if I never live anywhere humid again, I'll be happy, and think good (mostly, at least!) thoughts about gardening in a desert!
T-Jill,
The nice thing about beans and summer squash is you have lots of variety to choose from. Squash, especially, come in so many shapes, sizes, and colors you can really have some fun growing them. As you know, they do take some space.
Tucsonjill wrote; "Maybe some of those cute little pattypans that are so yummy with butter... mmmmm......."
Humph. Make sure you pick one that knows how to read it's own pack. I planted Early Bush Scallop. It has done very well (and the white squashes are easy to find, mostly) but bush? NOT!! It stayed put for a while, but has crawled off it's bale, and is now creeping between the tomatoes, at about a foot a day. It's headed towards the house......
Margo
"Little Squash of Horrors" LOL!
LOL.
The plants in that part-shade bed look to me like they're doing pretty well, so I'd agree with those who say that a little shade in AZ can be a good thing for plants! I like the idea of using the vertical height of your bed for squash vines trailing over the edge... Cucumbers might work well also. Some of my most vigorous and productive cukes were growing in hills out between the fruit trees, where they got shaded a bit by some out of control grasses and "volunteers."
With tomatoes, I'm pretty sure that cherry varieties and currant tomatoes (such as the 'Wild Cherry' that pops up in my lily bed each year) require less sun than "regular" tomatoes. And it seems to me that I've read about runner beans doing well in part shade too.
Critterologist, do you think bush beans would take the shade as well as runner beans? I would love to try cukes, they'll definitely go on the list-yummy! Do you have any recommendations for things that are good for both slicing and pickling? I've never pickled, but would be willing to give it a try.
Catmad, that squash just loves you and wants to be with you.... a little co-dependent, maybe? :)
Anyone have any suggestions for things that need minimal care on a regular basis? The back of that bed is mighty hard to get to. I'm planning to use some of my space for pathways to make it a little easier to navigate, but I'll still have to climb in and out.
From what I've heard, bush beans need full sun but runner beans will tolerate some shade... However, you've got "need full sun" tomatoes growing in that bed, so you might give bush beans or pole beans a try some time.
I've come to prefer pickling cucumbers for all uses (slicing, salads, sandwiches, etc. as well as any kind of pickle)... they just seem crisper and sweeter in general than the slicing types. There are a lot of good varieties out there, so ask around and see what seems to be doing well for folks in your area.
Crisp is good... I'll check around! And I'll think about the edges of that bed for bush beans, give them as much sun as I can.
Thanks!
I grow vegetables in similar somewhat shady conditions that you have there tucsonjill.
My tomatoes LOVE this area. I get great production from them, they appreciate a reprieve from the sun in the dry weather we've had this year.
Vegetable leaf amaranth, all sorts of warm weather lettuces (quick successions so they stay sweeter!), eggplant in the brighter area, borrage, runner beans, climbing malabar spinach, - they are all doing OK.
I always think ahead this time of year. As a matter of fact, I ordered a whole new slew of seeds for next summers hot weather garden!
GGG
Critter,
Thanks for the info/opinion on pickling cucumbers. I'm going to try them next year, as I like crisp ones, too.
Karen
GGG, thanks for the great suggestions--as well as the confirmation that I'm *not* the only one thinking ahead! :) But alas, I'm still just thinking--you're doing!
My yellow wax bush bean plants are getting crispy-fried in full desert sun; the ones that get afternoon shade are doing much better. So maybe you could try a few bush beans, too. Temps over 100 for a week now - hit 110*F last week, but back down to a more seasonal 103*F yesterday. I like a little extra water and some afternoon shade, too :-)
Speaking of thinking ahead, I have already placed my garlic order for September planting.
Ugh, kmom, I feel for you in this heat. We've been right up there with you, but yesterday our humidity went way up so I think we might be officially in our summer monsoon season. Which essentially means we're hot and muggy, with sporadic and torrential rains. Whee!
Love love love yellow wax beans; they're going in for sure!
musssstttttt orrrrderrrrr ssssseeeeeedsssssssss :)