Potatoes in the Shade

[rutters]

Running out of space to plant anything and all I have left is under trees in partial shade.

Does anyone know if potatoes need full sun or will they be OK?

cheers

[terrier]

I think I posted this about two weeks ago but my veg patch is tree shaded in part. Last seasons spuds were definately poorer nearer the trees, less foliage and poorer yield. It could also be that the trees were taking nourishment and moisture out of the ground and starving the potatoes.

[thecornflake]

I grew potatoes in containers last year and found they did grow in the shade but did much better in the sun when I moved them.

[Two_Sheds]

I think the trees will take too much water and nutrients from your potatoes. Have you got anywhere else you can put them? Even in a pot?

[fiveravens]

I have a raised bed about seven feet away from a twenty feet high Leylandii hedge. The hedge is to the South-west of the bed, but doesn't actually overhang it. I dug a trench about 18 inches deep between the hedge and the bed, and I've successfully grown potatoes, celery, onions, lettuce and beetroot in that bed. Every year it gets heavy dressings of good garden compost (and NO artificial fertilizer). The only extra attention it gets is lots of watering. Hereabouts the prevailing winds are from the South and West, and the hedge shelters the bed from most of the rain.