My only space is shady — can I grow anything?
Yes, but change what you grow rather than fighting the light. The rule is simple: if you eat the leaf or the root, shade is survivable. If you eat the fruit, it mostly isn't.
What actually works
Lettuce, spinach, chard, kale, arugula, mustard, most herbs — productive on **4 hours** of direct sun, and in hot climates they do *better* with afternoon shade because they bolt less.
Beets, carrots, radishes and potatoes manage on 4–6 hours, smaller and slower. Worth doing; adjust expectations.
Tomatoes, peppers, squash, melons and beans want **6–8+ hours** and will sulk, grow leggy and set almost nothing below that. No amount of feeding substitutes for light.
Stand in the space and note the sun at 9, noon and 3 across a season. Most people badly misjudge their own hours, in both directions.
Also searched as
shade garden vegetables · not enough sun · north facing garden · growing in shade · partial shade crops · trees shading garden