:strip_icc()/bhg-vegetable-garden-in-shade-102155831-504fba9791d64c0aa8b11029fc9a9a4b.jpg?w=1920&resize=1920,1267&ssl=1 "Never Put Your Veggie Garden in These 8 Places (Plus What to Do Instead)")
Most vegetable plants need lots of sunlight and nutrients to be productive. If you have less-than-ideal growing conditions in your yard, you may still be able to keep a thriving vegetable garden filled with crops that tolerate some shade. However, there are certain conditions that you should avoid by all means because even with your best efforts, the plants will do poorly. Don’t place your vegetable garden in the following locations.
1. In Deep Shade
Most vegetables aren’t flexible about their lighting needs, and require at least 6 to 8 hours of full sun per day to grow. Putting veggie beds in locations that are shaded most or all of the day will result in an unproductive garden. The plants won’t grow, and some seeds may not germinate at all.
The Solution: If your yard receives a lot of shade, consider growing veggies in containers or small raised beds with wheels that are easy to move around your garden to take advantage of the sunlight. For any planting location that does not receive full sun, look for veggies that tolerate lower light levels, such as leafy greens and beets.
2. Under Black Walnut Trees
Black walnuts, butternuts, and a few other types of trees release a chemical compound known as juglone, which suppresses the growth of neighboring plants. Nightshade crops, such as tomatoes and peppers, and a few other veggies, are particularly sensitive to juglone. They may wilt or develop yellow leaves and even die if they’re grown near black walnut trees or in mulch made from black walnut bark or wood.
The Solution: If you have black walnuts and similar trees around, locate veggie beds at least 50-feet away from the trunks. You may also want to grow veggies in lined raised beds and select crops that are more tolerant of juglone, such as carrots, beets, melons, and squash.
3. On a Slope
Some trailing plants, such as pumpkins and melons, can be grown on sloping hillsides to save garden space. But for the most part, it’s best to avoid installing in-ground or raised bed gardens on slopes. Gardening on sloping ground is harder on your back and ankles, but it also leads to erosion issues and causes plants and soil to migrate to the lower side of raised beds.
The Solution: If you’re dealing with a slight soil incline, level bumps and ridges off with a shovel or rake. However, if you have a steeply sloped property, you may need to create a terrace for a vegetable garden or raised bed, which is more involved, or grow veggies in pots or containers to place on a deck or patio.
4. Directly Against the House
Positioning veggie beds right beside your kitchen door seems like a convenient idea. However, gardens located directly against buildings may not receive enough light. Even worse, they potentially become contaminated with lead from exterior paint and other materials that you wouldn’t want in your homegrown food.
The Solution: Studies show that placing gardens at least 15 feet away from old buildings and other structures can reduce lead exposure. However, you may want to position your garden even further away for safety. Also pay attention to which areas of your yard are shaded by your house throughout the day and avoid placing your veggie garden there.
Planting directly against a house foundation creates a moist, shady environment that may attract termites and other pests that may find their way inside your home.
5. Beside Busy Roadways
Roadways and driveways are often treated with road salt in winter to keep slippery ice from forming. But when warm weather arrives, spring rains wash leftover de-icing salt into gardens that are placed too close to roadways. This causes salt to build up in the soil, and may affect plant growth and even make garden beds infertile.
The Solution: If possible, position veggie beds far away from busy roadways and driveways, and avoid using de-icing products near your garden. Another way to limit road salt issues is to grow veggies in tall raised beds that keep road salt from splashing up on your plants. Installing fencing or temporary barriers made with garden stakes and burlap between roads and gardens also helps.
6. On Septic Systems and Leach Fields
Growing edible crops on septic systems and leach fields is not recommended because veggies and fruiting plants potentially absorb pathogens from leach fields that can make you sick. Aside from that, plants with long root systems may also disturb the soil in leach fields and cause damage that is pricey to fix.
The Solution: Don’t place edible gardens on top of or near leach fields. If you want to grow anything on leach fields, stick to turf grass or ornamentals with shallow root systems, such as bee balm, yarrow, and creeping phlox.
7. In Areas with High Winds
Vegetable plants can tolerate a fair amount of wind without issue. But locating vegetable gardens in an area that’s exposed to strong winds for extended periods can lead to plant stress and broken stems. Windy growing locations are even more challenging if you want to grow tall plants, such as corn or sunflowers.
The Solution: If your garden is exposed to a lot of wind, install a fence or other type of windbreak on the prevailing windy side of your garden to protect your veggies.
For an inexpensive DIY solution, make a simple fence or “dead hedge” by hammering wooden stakes in two parallel lines into the soil on the windward side of your garden. Then weave stems and twigs in-between the stakes to create a wind barrier. Dead hedges of this sort make excellent nesting sites for pollinators and birds, too.
8. On Hard Surfaces Without Precautions
Installing raised beds on top of hard surfaces, such as a patio or paved driveway, potentially leads to drainage issues and soggy soil because the surface does not absorb any water. Not to mention, hard surfaces may interfere with the growth of root veggies and lead to stunted or deformed crops if your raised beds are shallow. It is possible to install raised beds on a hard surface, but you’ll need to take some precautions.
Solution: If you want to install a raised bed on top of an impermeable hard surface, make sure the bed is deep enough to accommodate the root systems of the plants you’d like to grow. For raised beds on a deck, patio, or balcony, you may need to take additional precautions to avoid leaks and wood rot, such as sealing your decking with waterproof sealant.