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You can grow a lot more edible plants with a lot less light than you might think! I go through a list (see list below) of plants that can work with 2 - 5 hours of direct sunlight, and offer general tips for planning your shady garden. LIST OF SHADE/PART-SHADE-TOLERANT EDIBLES: Under 2 hours direct sun: - leafy greens (kale, lettuce, chard, arugula, spinach, bok choi, claytonia...) - soft leafy herbs (mint, parsley, sorrel, some basil...) - alliums whose green shoots are edible (chives, garlic greens/scapes, green onions) - pansies - alpine strawberries - rhubarb - mushrooms - nasturtiums 3-4 hours direct sun - all of the above, plus: - small root vegetables (carrots, radishes, garlic, Jerusalem artichoke, onions, turnip, beets...) - beans - peas (and you can eat the greens if they don't flower!) - brassicas like cauliflower, broccoli (again, eat the leaves if they don't set heads/flower) - stemmy green vegetables (rapini, broccolini, gai lan/Chinese kale) - shade-tolerant fruiting vines/bushes (hardy kiwi, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries) - rhizomatic herbs (ginger and turmeric) 4-5 hours direct sun - all of the above, plus: - cherry tomatoes - cucumber - sun-loving/woody herbs (thyme, tarragon, rosemary, oregano) - potatoes - small peppers