Q.
We have a patch of garden approximately 1.5 metres long beside the garage that gets very little sunlight. I would like recommendations on vegetables that require little sun and would be suitable for planting in this area.
A.
- You will find leafy vegetables are the best for shade rather than hearting type vegetables.
- Good reliable ones are spinach, silverbeet, rhubarb, Asian leafy greens such as bok choy, tatsoi and mibuna, parsley, leeks, mizuna, rocket, cress and Tuscan kale, lettuce also do well in shade in summer as too much sun can make lettuce bitter.
- Before you plant, dig in plenty of compost to replenish the soil with organic matter, this helps retain moisture and adds nutrients back into the soil.
- Plant into Tui Vegetable mix, it contains sheep pellets, blood & bone, a balance of fertilisers, dolomite lime and a starter fertiliser to reduce transplant shock. As the plants won’t get much sun, they will need good soil to thrive.
- Feed with Tui Vegetable Food every four weeks during key growth periods.
- Another easy and convenient feeding option is Tui Vege & Herb Superfood liquid fertiliser, apply weekly in the growing season.
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What vegetables will grow in a shaded area? Comments
I have two Kaka Beak which are just coming into flower although the flowers are very small. However my concern is something is stripping the leaves from the underside of the branches on one of the bushes. It is almost stripped bare in places and the tree has a yellow tinge to the leaves. The other one was healthy but I see some of the lower branches are starting to suffer the same fate. I wonder if you can advise me what could be causing this and how may I fix the problem. They are side by side and I would not like to lose them . Thank you
Vivienne Parker
Thank you, I thoroughly enjoy reading Tui Garden. Enjoyed the Dutch apple cake and Anabel L's items. Christine H
Christine Harrison
That is a brilliant recommendation, my choice totally, a great reply!
Tony Robinson
Hi Christine, that's fantastic to hear! Thank you for your feedback. Happy gardening and cooking! Jenna - Tui Team
jenna
I have the same problem, my red one is stripped bare of leaves while my white one is flourishing. They are planted close to each other so same soil, sun etc... Would like an explanation.
Roland
Hi Roland, thank you for getting in touch. Kaka beaks are just wonderful shrubs, and sadly a few insects just love them too, one being mites, another is thrips, caterpillars too can be a problem and believe it or not slugs and snails like them too. Suggest spraying now with a spray registered to control these insects. Check out our Plant Protection range here: www.tuigarden.co.nz/products/pest-disease-management With mites you need to make sure the spray gets on the underneath side of the foliage. Tui Quash slug and snail control will deal to the problem if it?s them causing the problem. All the best. Thanks, Jenna - Tui Team
jenna
Hi, I have potted Clianthus (Kaka Beak) and some leaves are slightly yellowing, what can I feed them with please.
Sue
Hi Sue, yellowing leaves can be a sign of the plant needing fertiliser, but can also be a sign of infrequent watering, the plant may have dried out at some stage or it could be over-watering. Feed your Kaka Beak with a nitrogen rich fertiliser such as Tui Novatec slow release fertiliser or a liquid fertiliser such as Tui Seaweed & Fish fertiliser. Make sure it is getting sufficiently watered, allow the soil surface to dry out between waterings, push your index finger into the mix, if it feels dry, water, if it feels damp, wait another day or two. Make sure your plant is planted into a free draining mix and has good drainage.
The Tui Team