Can I grow anything here?

[AllysonB]

My new yard is surrounded by tall pine trees, so is pretty shady. All it has in it now is weeds, the front has a lot of sand, but the back has some soil. We are in NW FL so it stays pretty warm here, but my yard doesn't have full sun. What, if anything, will thrive in my yard? Is there hope?

[serenetabbie]

Yes! There are plants that will grow in your zone in the shade. If you can give us some more details as to what sorts of things you were thinking, we can give you a list. For example, are you looking for foliage, flowers, or edibles? Natives? Landscaping?

[AllysonB]

Oh gosh, I totally forgot that part. I was hoping for a vegetable garden, herbs, etc.

Any tips are appreciated.

[MissMommyNiceNice]

Well, most herbs & veggies require a minimum of 6 hours of full sun. You won't get super great crops, but you'll get some. 8 hours is more ideal. I'd really watch the yard closely for a couple of weeks at different times of the day to get an idea of which spot would be best. I used to sit and watch the yard for hours our first year in the house. In the end, we took down a tree.

[academama]

I have found that lots of herbs will flourish even without that much sun. Basil does better with more sun, but you can get some in partial shade; other herbs, like cilantro, parsley, dill, etc., have done well in containers on my porch before I moved to a house with a yard.