Trees or Vegetables?

We want to buy seeds and have a garden that will produce plenty of food for us to eat, can, and store. The problem is we live in a mostly wooded area and finding a place to put the garden where there will be enough sunlight is an exercise in futility. We have cut down a few trees but don’t want to cut down any more than we have to. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Dear LA—

The rule of thumb is if you grow a plant for its root or fruit, that plant needs full sun. If you grow the plant for its leaves, however, those will produce in partial shade. Here are some plants that will grow in a partially shady area:

Salad Greens ( leaf lettuce, arugula, endive, and cress, etc.)
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Peas
Beets
Brussels Sprouts
Radishes
Swiss Chard
Leafy Greens (collards, mustard greens, spinach, and kale)
Beans

You need to understand that no vegetable will grow in full shade. The above crops will need three to six hours of sunlight, even if it’s intermittent, during the day. Unfortunately, if you want any other crops you’re going to have to provide a sunny spot for them to grow, and that will mean taking down some trees.

The Editor

[Or maybe find a creative way to find sun without cutting down trees...like, turning your house's roof into a garden area.]