Growing on a north facing slope?

[Chestnut]

Do any of you grapes have experience of growing veg on a north facing slope?

About a quarter of our allotment is on a north facing slope, and this winter's project is to get it de-carpeted and ready for growing next season.

It is approximately 1in4 gradient, and is at the south end of our plot. It gets full sun at midday in summer, but no direct sunlight at all in winter. We have clay soiL


What vegetables, herbs, fruit or flowers Do you think might succeed there?

Also, is there anything I can do in terms of ground preparation, or perhaps increasing planting distances to maximise my chances of getting some useful produce from this patch?

Any thoughts or advice you can offer will be very gratefully received!

[Lardman]

Do any of you grapes have experience of growing veg on a north facing slope?

I grow on a North /North-West facing sandy slope which at points is 1:3.

I've had no problem with light, although it takes a little longer for the spring to kick in. Keep the taller stuff higher on the slope ( as planting a row of asparagus along the bottom would be oh so silly ) and it goes without saying plant across not down. Other than having to carry all the stuff up the slope the only really problem I've had is with water, it tends not to stay when you want it but that may be the soil rather than the topography.

You'll be fine, Id be far more worried about pests than geography.

[Penellype]

Quite a few vegetables will tolerate shade. My garden is bounded on the south side by garage walls and therefore much of it gets almost no sun, and the whole garden gets no direct sunlight from mid November to mid February. I grow potatoes, parsnips and brassicas against the walls, and carrots, spinach, lettuces, strawberries and blueberries in the shadier parts. Onions, leeks, peas and of course beans, courgettes etc and tomatoes prefer the sunnier parts.

You will find that water drains to the bottom of the slope, so you will need to water more at the top end (the clay soil will help) and be careful not to flood at the bottom, depending on whether the slope ends on your plot or extends beyond it.

You may find that plants grown in the shadier part grow taller, looking for light, but I have never found it necessary to increase spacing. Supports may be necessary for tall growing brassicas as the taller growth is a bit weaker, and I have to tie my potatoes back to prevent them blocking the path.

[nickdub]

A lot of soft fruit will grow and produce a crop in areas which are a bit too shady for good vegetable growing - if the soil does not dry out too much I'd try raspberries and/or black currants.

[burnie]

Rhubarb.............................................(I mean grow some, not a comment on others lol)

[Chestnut]

Thank you all, it sounds like It's not as complicated as I was trying to make it

There is certainly enough light even on the shadiest part to grow ground elder, with some nettles on the flatter/sunnier patches.

I am very tempted by some rhubarb for the very steepest parts, as They don't need too much regular attention/scrambling about !

[Scarlet]

If you have ground elder deal with it now as it's very difficult to eradicate....impossible even. When you have stuff growing it's even worse.