Grow Your Own Magazine

Hi
We have a north facing bed at the side of our house which gets very little sun. Are there any veg that I could grow happily in this patch? It seems a waste to not use the ground? The bed is about 20ft by 3ft
Thank you!

I don't know of any Veg that will grow in the shade but you could plant Lettuce there & Morello Cherries alywas used to be grown on a north facing wall in walled gardens.

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ntg

Never be afraid to try something new.
Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark.
A large group of professionals built the Titanic

http://grief-encounters.blogspot.com/

Your best bet is lettuce and possibly potatoes, rhubarb, but how many hours a day of sun does it get? It must get some.

Found this on a website:

Not an ideal spot for growing vegetables, as you probable realise! If this is the only space you have available, then it is worth a try in the main growing season when light levels are generally higher. Lettuce (especially the 'loose leaf' types), beetroot, kale, spinach, kohl rabi and mange tout peas would be a reasonable choice. Two problems to watch out for - slugs are more likely to be a problem in a shady site; a bed next to a wall may be rather dry as the wall creates a 'rain shadow'.

Some herbs will do well, like mint but it will take over the ground.

Found this, this guy has a North facing garden but is doing well:
http://www.gardenopoly.co.uk/blog/

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Best wishes
Andrewo
Harbinger of Rhubarb tales

Thanks all - we do have a largeish veg patch at the top of the garden (4 beds) but just thought it would be good to try and use all the space available. Think I might try lettuce and maybe spinach as I don't have anywhere for these at the minute.

Good luck, let us know how it goes on.

__________________
Best wishes
Andrewo
Harbinger of Rhubarb tales

Most of the Saladins like it cooler, but then again, so do the slugs!

__________________
ntg

Never be afraid to try something new.
Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark.
A large group of professionals built the Titanic

http://grief-encounters.blogspot.com/

I think maybe you could try Asparagus and lettuce, Asparagus however will grow in partial shade however just not as prosperous as it would in full sun, you still get relatively big spears.
Good Luck....

Asparagus would be okay, just make sure you put plenty of grit in because it is north facing any water in the soil will freeze easier come winter, so you want good drainage.

__________________
Best wishes
Andrewo
Harbinger of Rhubarb tales