What can we grow in shade?

[mrsnesbitt]

Part of the area we are planning to dig over for veg is directly under an established sycamore tree. Is there anything at all veg wise which we could grow?
It is very shady.

[richard p]

before you go too far have you dug a couple of test hole uner the tree? you may find loads of tree roots, or the soil is very dry cos the tree is taking all the moisture, might be best to plant a seat in the shade for days like today, im off to see if the wireless laptop will connect out under my cherry tree, cos its getting too hot to work in here

[mrsnesbitt]

will go and check richard, thanks.
Would wildflowers survive?
I understand they like rough conditions???
I have wildflower meadow seeds and am itching to put them somewhere.
D

[richard p]

yeah its working im sat under the cherry tree , battery says its got over 2 hours life left , now wheres the cold drink..... only problem is the screen is a bit dim, though an extension lead will probably fix that, must get back to work

[MrsL]

Wildflowers as a rule need sunlgiht and open conditions. There qre a lot of plants that will grow in shade - ivies, pulmonarias, etc, but not much on the edible side. Possibly woodland strawberries.

[vivie veg]

Get a log burner and cut down the sycamore tree. Atleast that way it will be of some use

I would guess that VERY little is growing there at the moment, so you can't really expect anything to grow very sucessfully. However if you don't want to take up my first suggestion, why not put the garden shed...complete with verander..perfect for sitting on hot sunny days sipping Pimms. And/or your compost heaps (minimum of two) or try growing mushrooms which don't need light and prefer cool wet places. Even woodland? strawberries need some light, I suspect they tend to grow at the edge of woods or at the bottom of edge rows where they get light for some part of the day.

[peter]

Butchers Broom.
Lentern Rose.
Dogs Mercury.
Bluebells.
Primroses.

Should all cope with growing under a deciduous tree, where I used to live we had a charming medieval relic, the nutwalk, a half mile long wide stoney path with a ten foot thick hedge each side with a ditch outside that on each side. Part of this had become holly and everywhere the butchers broom flourishes. When I was a little boy it even flourished round the ten foot diameter elm trees. Makes a good christmas decoration, natural or sprayed silver/gold.

[Carole B.]

Deckchairs positively thrive under a tree...just ask Peter!Or possibly a raised bed with some salad leaves in.

[pillbug]

I have only ever lived once with a sycamore so this may just have been one sick tree so, we raised the canopy to reduce shade,grew shade tolerant plants but found that the leaves drop stickey sap on anything underneath or around.
I love trees even in the wrong place but would never again have a sycamore tree,we have also just dispatched a v.big ash tree so our log burner and onion patch are well set.

[peter]

Deckchairs positively thrive under a tree...just ask Peter!Or possibly a raised bed with some salad leaves in.

Cheek, I do not possess such an item.

[Piglet]

Peter wouldnt be seen dead with a deckchair.

You should see his outdoor layzeeboy chair though with built in fridge unit and bombay saphire dispenser. Cool

[Carole B.]

Cooo....Port out,Starboard home then Peter!

[vivie veg]

Pillbug,

OOOzing sap from sycamores is the norm, also lime trees can be a bu**er as well,

[peter]

Peter wouldnt be seen dead with a deckchair.

You should see his outdoor layzeeboy chair though with built in fridge unit and bombay saphire dispenser. Cool

Piglet, old chap, do not assume that the rest of us possess the same "gardening tools" as you.

I did buy a two seater metal swing seat, which is outside the backdoor on our covered terrace, to sit on it I would have to evict the wife and an offspring.

[pillbug]

Vivianne,have just read in gardening section of newspaper that `sap` from lime tree is actually produced by incontinent greenfly in the tree,it didn`t mention sycamores.Not practical information I know!