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Need Plant Suggestions: Edible, Indirect Sun, San Diego
We just moved a couple weeks ago and I have learned that you can grow food year-round down here in San Diego. Wild.
I was hoping to grow a citrus tree or two on my patio in San Diego but I realize after living here for a week that it gets NO direct sun. (I do have a small partial-sun balcony off the kitchen but I am saving that for basil and a tomato). I guess this is why this apartment is so nice and cool? Also, I found that apples need cold in the winter in order to produce fruit so those are out.
So any suggestions for edibles that will thrive in indirect sun and don't need the cold in the winter? Or searchable plant websites?
I have a 10 foot by 10 foot brick patio and I was thinking of putting large DIY cedar planters into three of the corners and putting a dining table out in the middle.
Re: Need Plant Suggestions: Edible, Indirect Sun, San Diego
Citrus trees can do well in shady spots, especially lemons. Here in the Bay Area, we aren't particularly sunny anyway, and I can think of at least three very productive trees in my neighbors' yards that get no direct sun. We got a lemon when we moved in though, and it's taken it 3 years to start producing, so you might have to be patient. For some reason, our orange started producing right away.
If you have a larger container, you might be able to do rhubarb there. My rhubard requires shade (the plants that got sun died). But they can get big. I had one go from a tiny little bare-root snip to outgrowing a 3ish-gallon container in a couple of months.
If you have a wall to cover or a trellis, you might be able to try an Arctic Beauty kiwi. They do OK in the shade, I've heard. I'm trying them for the first time this year in a shady corner, so I can't vouch for them personally, yet.
You could try some containers of lettuce. I'd probably stick in a few garlic cloves, just to see how they do as well. The worst that can happen is it doesn't come up.
Cool! And here I thought all citrus needed full sun. End of story.
Lemons were exactly what I was daydreaming about as I strolled through the plant section of the local big box store. They are just so exotic and luxurious in my mind. Avocados too.
Still in researching mode, but this could be fun.
I have no idea of the zone in San Diego, but there are blueberry bushes OK for Zone 9 (they grow as far south as central FL for a reference of hot/coldness). And, my book on blueberries say they can do part-sun (but of course produce more with full sun!)
That is, if you're looking for fruit.
Otherwise, there are some veggies (like lettuce) and herbs (mint, parsley, cilantro) that do OK with shade.