Do All Vegetables Need 'Full Sun' ?

I'm asking because here in my community, you are not allowed to grow veggies and crops in view of the street, so that leaves the sides of my house out which are perfect for full sun planting. So I am limited to my tiny back yard which has become a 'Potager' type garden.

cue-chick - I'm going to give you a one-word answer "yes." Lettuce and some herbs do well in partial shade. From what I have read, vegetable need at least six hours of full sun, although I don't think it needs to be a continuous six hours.

As Honeybee said, the basic answer is "yes". However, there are exceptions to the rule. For example, I live in Phoenix, in the desert. In the desert, 6-8 hours of full sun will fry anything but the most hardy native plants. Here full sun pretty much means partial shade - lol. My garden is covered with a shade structure throughout the summer months. Looks like we might hit 100 as early as next week. If that becomes the norm, the shade will go up and stay up until it comes down for my late summer/fall garden.That sun at high noon and the afternoon sun is a killer here. Without shade, my garden would be burnt to a crisp. So the answer to your question really depends on more than one factor. I know you are in a similar zone to Phoenix, but I also know your weather is a lot more humid than mine - lol - I grew up on the East coast. Check out your yard (where you plan to plant) at various times of the day to get an idea of where the sun does fall and when. Keep in mind, though, that where the sun falls and when will vary by season (ie: the summer sun and winter sun hit your yard at different angles). Once you have an idea you can always experiment with different crops to see what works for you. That is half the fun of gardening!! Good luck!! Kelly

thanks for the info! tho i already have quite a few veggies in the back, planted in full sun areas, was just wondering what might possibly grow just outside of those areas, but, I'll keep to what I have for now and see how those do!

Veggies where you eat the leaves, like lettuce, usually do okay in partial shade. If they do not get enough sun, it makes the leaves bigger, which is perfect, right. You can also grow plants in full summer that would bolt if they got full sun, like lettuce or perhaps cilantro.

Root crops, like radish and turnips, do less well in partial shade. They get too leafy, and the crop suffers.

Most fruit crops, like tomatoes, peppers and zucchini, need the sun.

If you are planning to grow cucumbers, they appreciate a little shade since they lose water through their leaves. I like to give mine morning sun and protect them from the hot afternoon sun.