Question
Hello Mike,
I would like to try and plant a vegetable garden.  I live in Salt Lake City, UT and have a patch of dirt that gets sun from 9am to 1pm and the only thing growing in there now is weeds.  What vegetables do you recommend planting that may not need a lot of sunlight?

Answer
Michele, unfortunately, there are very few vegetables that will thrive in shady conditions.  Most vegetables need a minimum of 6-8 hours of sun per day.

Some exceptions include lettuce, spinach, swiss chard, radishes, carrots, and beets.  These varieties can still produce a favorable harvest in semi-shady areas (4 hours of sun per day).

As a side note, I would also recommend adding humus and/or compost to your soil.  Regular topsoil does not have the nutrients necessary to promote strong growth in vegetables, especially in low light conditions.  If you do not have compost or manure readily available, you can usually purchase bagged supplements at your local garden center.

Good luck, and thanks for writing.

Regards,

Mike