I am trying to figure out if I can put a garden in an area bordered by trees. It currently has a lawn that grows quite robustly.

We have a side yard that would be an ideal location for a garden -- close to the house, close to the shed, not in the front yard.

But I am worried if it will get enough light. There are pine trees on the south edge and tulip poplars on the western edge. The poplars are nice because they give it afternoon shade.

I did a sun survey on March 23 of last year. The area got 5-6 hours of light. And it gets more in the summer as the sun goes above the pines. What I am worried about is if that is enough and if I should be worried as the pines continue to grow.

Is there a standard distance away to put a garden from trees? Can I somehow use the sun's angle and the pines to determine the light?

We grew a "test bed" on the western edge. It grew fine (although the plants did grow in towards the east)...there were tomatoes before the deer got them all. But we did have collards as late as November. One of the reasons to build the larger garden will also be to fence it.

Any help or advice to resources would be great. I couldn't find much on the web.