If you look at the seed packets for just about every vegetable you might want to grow, you will probably see one common instruction on almost all of them:

Plant in full sun.

Don’t be fooled. There are a lot of nutritious, delicious veggies you can grow in light or partial shade.

One rule of thumb that gardeners often rely on is that if you are growing plants for the root or the fruit, you should plant them where they can get 3–6 hours of sun. That means a number of edibles such as squash, melons, and (I’m sorry to tell you) tomatoes, which are notorious heat-lovers, are not good candidates for a shady edible garden.

(Note that if you have a spot with at least 3 hours of sun but not a lot of heat, you may still be able to grow tomatoes.

But not to worry! Leafy green vegetables, for example, will thrive in partial shade. Even some root vegetables, such as radishes, beets, and carrots, can be grown in partial shade, as long as you’re content with smaller roots.

Following are four vegetables and one fruit you can successfully grow in light or partial shade. These aren’t the only edibles you can grow in shade, but I chose these because they are highly nutritious, easy to grow, and extremely versatile to incorporate into meals.

Growing notes for shade gardens

Before I get to that list, however, there are a few issues you should know to watch for when growing edibles in shade.

First, excessive moisture in shady areas can create an opportunity for fungal diseases to take hold, so while you can generally accommodate the lack of direct sunlight, when you couple that with poor soil drainage, you’re likely to have more trouble than success. If your soil does not drain well, you will do better by planting in containers or raised beds with a well-draining potting mix.

Second, good air circulation will also help to deter diseases, so don’t crowd your plants.

Lastly, watch out for pests that hang out in the shade, such as snails and slugs. Diatomaceous earth (DT) is a very good organic control for snails and other crawling pests. DT is made up of fossilized aquatic organisms; its sharp edges tear up the undersides of bugs crawling over it, leaving them susceptible to death by dehydration. It’s safe, however, for pets and people.

And now for the Fab Five of shade-tolerant edibles!

Kale

Whether you plant the curly-, crinkly-, or frilly-leaved variety, kale is a nutrient-rich green that can be used in salads, soups, or stir-frys or even baked into chips. It’s easy and quick to grow — some varieties are ready to harvest in just 25 days, although others may need between 50 and 70 days. This is a crop that prefers cooler weather so it’s best planted in late winter/early spring or late summer/early fall. Frost can actually sweeten the flavor.

Chard

Swiss chard is another versatile green that’s also a pretty addition to the garden. The heirloom variety has dark green leaves with white stalks but you can now find chard with bright red, pink, orange, or yellow stalks. They’re so pretty that you can tuck them in between ornamental plants and they look great. In areas with mild winters you can keep the harvest going for a year or longer by cutting only the outer leaves and leaving the inner stalks intact to keep growing. Plant between February and September and you can begin to harvest in about 50 days.

Spinach

I think spinach is a must-have in any edible garden. It’s an easy, quick crop to grow that you can start to harvest in as little as 35 to 40 days. It’s super versatile — use it in everything from soups, sautees, and salads to juices and smoothies. The one drawback is that spinach will tend to bolt when the heat comes on strong, so it’s best to plant in late winter/early spring or in the fall.

Scallions

Green onions/scallions are a good option for just about any recipe calling for onions, but unlike larger-bulbed onions, they don’t need all that sunshine. Most varieties can be planted from seed anytime from February through August. A few weeks after planting you’ll need to thin out the seedlings and those thinning become your first harvest — they taste great! It takes about 60–65 days from planting to harvest the full-grown version.

Alpine strawberries

Alpine strawberries are a smaller (about 1 inch) version of the bigger commercial berries we’re all used to but they’re very flavorful. There are red alpine strawberries but also pale yellow ones that have a little bit of pineapple flavor. Plant in late winter/early spring. The seeds can take up to a month to germinate but the plants will bear fruit the first year and continue to fruit for 2 to 4 years. Of course, the birds love them too so be sure to plant enough for them and for you!