How to Grow Herbs in a Hot Shady Area

Successful gardening depends on many variables: geographic location, climate, soil type, water needs, and of course -- sunlight. Conventional gardening wisdom states that herbs need six hours or more of direct sunlight in order to thrive. While growing herbs in full shade is practically impossible, there are a number of herbs that grow very well in partial shade. Even if your garden only receives a few hours of direct sunlight a day, you can grow and enjoy fresh herbs.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Herb seeds OR
• Herb plants
• Plant soil
• Water
• Sunlight

1. Observe the spot in which you plan to plant your herbs and determine how much sunlight it receives on an average day, and how long the light lasts. Morning sun is often better for herbs, but as long as the garden gets a few hours of sun a day, you should be fine.

2. Choose herbs that can grow in shady areas. Some of these herbs include parsley, lemon balm, mint, wild ginger, chives, sweet woodruff and oregano. You can look online for a more definitive list of shade-tolerant herbs.

3. Plant the herbs according to directions on the plant tag or a resource with herb expertise. Water the herbs as directed.

4. Monitor the progress of the growth. If your herbs seem to be struggling, ask for advice from a garden center, or look for advice online. You may find that the conditions of your garden are simply not conducive to growing a particular herb.

5. Harvest the herbs regularly, and trim any flowers or overgrowth. This will encourage the continued growth and health of your plant.

Tips & Warnings

• Most shade-tolerant herbs need less watering than full-sun herbs.
• There are many shade-tolerant plants and flowers that can grow alongside shade-tolerant herbs.

References

• My Garden Guides
• Gardening Knowhow