Location of veggie plot

wilroda

Hi
We ae thinking of using the top end of our garden to grow vegetables.
The initial plan is to use raised beds on the existing lawn.

I need your advice however!

The area gets only a little sun each day - barely three hours worth. It is sheltered from the wind though and the soil is good- but slightly acid.

Is it worth doing?......... I dont have anywhere else to grow veg in the garden

Lotus-eater

Obviously it's not perfect, but if you really don't have anywhere else to grow, you haven't got anything to lose by trying it and seeing what will grow.

Optimisticpair

Leafy and stem crops would cope best. You could try Salad Greens, Spinach, Kale, Land cress, Radishes and Swiss Chard. Not sure if there is enough light with 3 hours but you could try Broccoli, Cauliflower, Peas and Brussels Sprouts also.

tigress

just a thought but could you use reflectors made of tin foil to deflect more light in the garden ? they use it for seedlings etc to get them to grow straight

bottlehalffull

What's stopping the light? Just the way your garden faces or hedges?

We (My OH did all the hard work, but I like to claim some credit as I watched) cut our hedges just over a foot shorter. We get extra sun now in the late afternoon.

Do you have a front garden? I am not sure why people are afraid of growing veggies and other plants in the front. After all if it gets more sunshine then why on earth not?

LJM

we used to have 2 huge trees down the bottom of our garden which blocked alot of light but when these came down it opened it up loads more light, cant believe how much they actually blocked out,is there nothing you could trim back/cut down to allow more sun on the area

SuperMum2010

Great thread! Just wanted to ask some advice on a similar note - we are about to build two raised beds in our back garden using 4x4 posts and decking planks for the sides. These will sit on a gravelly area that used to be weedy but has now been cleared. Should we put a base down, or can they go straight onto the gravel, and should we line them compeltely with plastic, or just the sides? Many thanks.

wilroda

THanks everyone!

Unfortunately the area I have earmarked is by its nature shady. Our neighbours have trees along their boundary ( small ones..for now!) and there is a 6ft fence. ( also neighbours)along the back boundary.... none of my plants cast shade. We live in a forested area with lots of trees but none in my garden.

Our garden is south facing - and the area is at the other end. I am a keen gardener of plants and flowers, and dont want to dig up the garden near the house as it looks great.

I have been growing salad crops, toms,courgettes etc near the house but OH would like a vegetable plot to grow other things and it would be a great plan if only we had more sun there!

Wookey

Try some veg in amongst the flower beds, small fruit bush's, bush tomato's etc. You could also put some stuff that requires a bit more sun in pots and set them about the sunnier areas. Certainly lettuce and sprouts, scallions etc should do fine with limited sun.