I have this area in my backyard that has a fence around (like that when we bought it years ago). I was thinking about a food forest, but it’s pretty shaded by this big oak.
Not much. Everything that bears fruit struggles under that shade. Look how the bare ground isnt even covered in weeds. If you want a productive food producing garden that shade has got to go. Thin or fall your tree first.
indiscernable1
Plant a food forest.
Buddy-Brown-Bear
Its going to be tough to grow under shade…
Rhubarb will grow, but… that might be it..
Maybe mushroom spawn?
HellsHottestHalftime
Native stuff might work a bit better than vege if you have anything that does C3 type photosynthesis, or can otherwise handle a bit of shade and is local to your area. There are plenty of things that grow in partial shade just be careful not to plant anything that uses c4 photosynthesis in a part of the yard thats shaded a lot of the day. (Most grasses require full sun)
beaveristired
Gooseberries, currants, raspberries, blackberries, alpine and native strawberry can tolerate part shade. Rhubarb too. Paw Paws and serviceberries are edible, native, understory trees that can handle part shade. Blueberries will fruit in part shade but yields will be lower.
Note that I said part shade. This looks like deeper shade. Nothing is growing underneath, but that’s also because the tree roots take up a lot of water, and other plants can’t compete. If you don’t remove the tree, you’ll have to figure out a way to improve soil and increase moisture retention, maybe raised beds or something, not sure. The soil under oak trees is known to be particularly dry and difficult to grow in.
DenM0ther
Could be a good area for chickens 🐣🐓🐔🐤 They do ok with shade 😉
6 Comments
Not much. Everything that bears fruit struggles under that shade. Look how the bare ground isnt even covered in weeds. If you want a productive food producing garden that shade has got to go. Thin or fall your tree first.
Plant a food forest.
Its going to be tough to grow under shade…
Rhubarb will grow, but… that might be it..
Maybe mushroom spawn?
Native stuff might work a bit better than vege if you have anything that does C3 type photosynthesis, or can otherwise handle a bit of shade and is local to your area. There are plenty of things that grow in partial shade just be careful not to plant anything that uses c4 photosynthesis in a part of the yard thats shaded a lot of the day. (Most grasses require full sun)
Gooseberries, currants, raspberries, blackberries, alpine and native strawberry can tolerate part shade. Rhubarb too. Paw Paws and serviceberries are edible, native, understory trees that can handle part shade. Blueberries will fruit in part shade but yields will be lower.
Note that I said part shade. This looks like deeper shade. Nothing is growing underneath, but that’s also because the tree roots take up a lot of water, and other plants can’t compete. If you don’t remove the tree, you’ll have to figure out a way to improve soil and increase moisture retention, maybe raised beds or something, not sure. The soil under oak trees is known to be particularly dry and difficult to grow in.
Could be a good area for chickens 🐣🐓🐔🐤 They do ok with shade 😉