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Thu, Oct 9, 14 at 11:24
| I have a 25 ft by 3 ft raised bed planter which I didn't plan well before putting and now kind of regretting. in the summer it gets plenty of sun, but now in the winter since is situated next to the backyard brick wall that's share with the neighbor, it doesn't get sun at all, what vegetables can i grow with it? can I transplant vegetables to the planter if i start from a pot or something? any help is appreciated, thank you |
Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by daninthedirt 8b / HZ10 Cent. TX (My Page) on Thu, Oct 9, 14 at 13:24
| I'm having trouble with the geometry here. You mean the wall is a low wall (a few feet high) on the south side of the bed, and in the summer, the sun shines over it onto at least part of the bed, but not in the winter? I can't think of any vegetables that don't need any sun. You might consider setting up a trellis, and coaxing peas to grow high enough up where they could get some sun. Otherwise, leaf and root veggies do best in partial (but not complete) shade. 2-3 hours of direct sun. I've heard about reflective mulch, that takes the skylight that hits the ground and sends it back up toward the plant, but I've never used it. That might help a bit. |
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| Nothing. Don't waste time and effort. |
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| What is the sun like in the Spring? If you get good sun from May - August there's any number of things you could grow... (during that period.. not sure if that was the question, or only now) |
This post was edited by Peter1142 on Thu, Oct 9, 14 at 14:41
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- Posted by gardengal48 PNW zone 8 (My Page) on Thu, Oct 9, 14 at 14:57
| Lettuce and other greens are very tolerant of low light levels as well as light frosts. So are a number of root crops that are appropriate to fall/winter planting. And while the area may not receive direct sunlight in winter, it is quite possible that unless in direct shade (overhanging structures or plants) there is quite a lot of bright but indirect light. That opens up a much wider range. |
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- Posted by daninthedirt 8b / HZ10 Cent. TX (My Page) on Thu, Oct 9, 14 at 16:00
| I echo the good point made by gardengal. If you don't have a lot of overhanging stuff (bricks, foliage, etc.), and your bed has good exposure to the sky, you do get indirect sunlight. After all, when it's cloudy, indirect sunlight is all you get in a wide open bed anyway, and no one is going to tell you that things don't grow when it's cloudy. Of course, with a big brick wall behind you, your bed won't get exposure to much more than half the sky. So if that's the case, that your bed has decent sky exposure, you might do a test planting of some greens and some root crops. I wouldn't plant 25 feet of lettuce and beets just yet, but do try it. Again, a trellis would give you some opportunities. |
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- Posted by daninthedirt 8b / HZ10 Cent. TX (My Page) on Thu, Oct 9, 14 at 16:15
| P.S. No question that things grow better if they have direct sunlight. If it's always cloudy, things won't grow all that well. But they'll grow. |
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| You're in Tempe? I'm in Tucson and in late July I planted bell and superhot peppers and a variety of tomatoes, and planted them everywhere. In a very shady east end pocket (eight feet of width between a ten foot high house wall and a six foot property wall) I have excellent results with the hot peppers but everything else in that shady section is just getting spindly. Unless I find a whole lot of free mirrors, no more shade planting in the cool weather for me except I'm going to try peas there. Seed is cheap so it's worth a shot. Suggestion: try a little bit of everything. There's a change you won't get a frost until February, if then. |
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- Posted by theforgottenone1013 5b/6a MI (My Page) on Thu, Oct 9, 14 at 19:16
| If it's possible I'd move the bed to a better location. Rodney |
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| Collards will grow in no sun at all, and even give you nice plants, but it will take a lot longer than 60 days to mature. 100 days is more like it. |
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- Posted by daninthedirt 8b / HZ10 Cent. TX (My Page) on Thu, Oct 9, 14 at 21:15
| Nothing will grow in "no sun". The issue here is "direct sun" or "indirect sun". Sounds like the OP has lots of the latter. Put a cardboard box over them and then they'll be "no sun". Yes, leaf and root vegetables will probably survive with lots of indirect sun, but yes, I wouldn't count on them maturing as fast as they would in full sun, and I suspect their productivity would suffer. |
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| Not really. In fact a plant can be stimulated to put out more leaves by indirect light. It just takes longer. |
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- Posted by zensojourner (My Page) on Thu, Oct 9, 14 at 23:47
| @glib - taking longer is one way that production would be hurt. |
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- Posted by daninthedirt 8b / HZ10 Cent. TX (My Page) on Fri, Oct 10, 14 at 8:54
| This won't help much with vegetables, but of course many plants do BETTER in indirect light. Ferns, palms, African violets, philodendrons, and vines like pothos, for example. They really don't like direct sunlight at all. I think turtles eat pothos, but people shouldn't. Ginger root would probably do nicely. |
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| Talk about grasping at straws. |
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- Posted by daninthedirt 8b / HZ10 Cent. TX (My Page) on Fri, Oct 10, 14 at 13:21
| I think a 25x3 foot bed of ginger would corner the market! |
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| Nope. I have a family member with a 100 X 35 foot green house filled with ginger! |
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| Bury some hardwood logs in that bed and grow shiitake mushrooms, or pasteurize some straw and grow oyster mushrooms. You may find the sunless bed is the most profitable and enjoyable bed in your yard. |
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