Many crops require full sun (6 to 8 hours of direct sunshine a day) to create healthy plants that produce food. In particular, crops that are grown for fruit like tomatoes, beans, cucumbers, peppers and corn need full sun to bear fruit.
However, many of our tastiest food crops are grown for their foliage — it’s the leaves we eat, and usually we take steps so these plants are harvested before they mature. Think of lettuce and mustard and leafy herbs. Growers who are limited by a north-facing balcony or a neighbouring building that blocks mid-day sun, have lots of options for growing food in part shade (3-6 hours of sun). Here’s just a taste:
