It is possible. In my area I can see a very marked difference in the position of the sun between summer and winter. Areas that are in full sun during the summer get only partial sun in the winter. Pay very close attention to your new yard. If there's an area that gets at least 6 hours of full sun in the summer, plant there, even if just in pots. If nowhere gets at least six, I'd be looking at cutting a few trees...but that's just me.

I do not know how steep the mountainside is, but right now the Sun is close to its lowest, which for Memphis should be 58 degrees from vertical. In June in Memphis it is within 12 degrees of vertical. So there is hope. Around April 21 you ought to take a good look. The Sun will be as high as on August 21, when presumably your peppers and tomatoes will be peaking. But you have to clear an area of trees, and fence it too. Those woods harbor all manner of critters who think highly of your veggies.

Unfortunately cutting trees isn't really an option. There's a pretty thick stand of forest behind us that isn't on our property (our house is at the very back of the property) and with the slope of the land they do a bang up job of providing shade. Should I even attempt a garden this year then if I need to wait to see if there are significant changes? The slope behind us is pretty steep - the properties across from us seem to have beautiful sun all day.

It will take a full year to really understand how your topography affects the crops that you can grow, but surely you will be able to plant something. If where you hope to garden this summer has any plant life on it now, there are surely some edible plants that will survive in the same location, and many vegetables will produce, albeit slowly, with as little as 3 hours of daily full sun.

The previous responses are great. It does take a bit of time to learn about your property, that is not saying that you should not do anything but rather keep your plans flexible for a year or so - next year you might want the garden 'over there.'

Are your neighbors friendly? If any of them garden I bet they can tell you something about how the sun hits your land during the spring and summer.

Last year I planted my small corn patch starting 4 feet from the North side of my barn, it grew great - the area is completely shaded for most of day now but when I planted only shade from the peak of the roof brushed the first plants in the rows (the peak is about 16 to 18 feet. I have a South facing slope and the people across the way (on a steep North facing slope) are in the shade all day now but by the time the weather warms enough they will have plenty of sun.

I don't think that you will have too much trouble gardening, but your property may actually have benefits that you can take advantage of. I have read that orchards sited on North facing slopes might be better able to weather a late frost because they would be more likely to bud later (which was a bit of a bummer for me with my S. slope, not that it stopped me). If the neighboring forest was toward your East or you had a West facing slope I think you would be in worse shape because you would be shaded every morning of the year and in the summer direct sunlight would hit you like a wave just when it is getting hot.

Welcome to the forum and congratulations on the new place! Keep us updated if you can.

Best of luck!

I was skeptical at first for the garden I started last year, as no area in the backyard really gets a long period of direct sun (maybe two or three hours at the most). But I was pleasantly surprised at the results.

One way that might help is to make a sketches of the backyard at 2 hours intervals; looking at the sun on the ground. Pick the area with the most sun. Keep in mind the change in the sun throughout the year.

Another helper is having plants in containers, especially those that might need more sun. Then you can move them around and keep them in the sunlight more.

There are 3 hours and 3 hours. I grow beautiful collards in beds that get a few hours (less than 5) until the trees leaf out. Then it is curtains until October, though it is open shade. But somehow those collards get the signal early, start fast out the gate, and keep on growing through the summer. The carrots are small but taste very good. The problem is that by "garden" people mean "tomatoes".

Well said. It wouldn't surprise me, though, if some company somewhere is busily pursuing that elusive 3-hour-tomato variety. There's gold in them thar hills.

If the sun comes up at 6am in the summer and then you have shade at 2pm...that's still eight hours of sunlight. You're also in Tennessee, so you should have a longer growing season...than I do, at least :)

I would think you could grow a lot of things, very successfully. Try to find a warm/sunny spot for tomatoes (as sunny as possible) and remember, lettuce, spinach and some other veggies like a little shade. Have fun trying different things and specialize in what does best in your area.

Remember, plant flowers and herbs to help bring in beneficial bugs and just make the garden prettier. And, if you have access to any aged horse manure, you might want to add some on the beds now. Your soil preparation is just as important as your sunlight and exposure. Best of luck with the new garden!

Thank you very much for all the wonderful advice and encouragement! My husband seems to think that the spot I have picked will work and we are going to go ahead and give it a try. I have made my list of things I want to grow - and of course tomatoes are on it - but I also have corn, peppers, squash, beans,spinach, lettuce, cucumbers and okra on there that I want to try! We have a few trees that have the big black tumor looking things on them that we are going to cut down and try planting some apple trees, and my mom is sending me home with blueberry bushes next time I go back to ga as well!
Lavender Lass - what types of flowers and herbs should I plant to bring the beneficial bugs? Also I don't have horse manure BUT I do have lots of chicken manure that I have been gathering from my chickies and composting. Will this work just as well?
Thanks again everyone!!! I'll post pictures as we get it started. =)

As seems to happen with all threads of any length, let's veer off-course for a second. Those "big black tumor looking things" you mention may in fact be what is known as a burl, and of some value. They are likely malformations caused by the invasion of the wood by some kind of insect or fungi. Most people are familiar with walnut burls, though they may not know it, because they are commonly used to create pipes for tobacco smokers. Many wood turners find these of real interest because burl wood is typically very dense and hard, and the patterns in the wood can make particularly attractive bowls. Hardwoods such as cherry, elm, beech, or walnut tend to be preferred, but birch and even pine burls can be crafted into beautiful objects. There may well be a woodworker in your area that would like to have them. Some very large burls are cut for veneer, and may be worth several thousand dollars.

Returning to the topic at hand, try to blend your enthusiasm with practicality. While I'm very much an advocate for legumes rather than lawns, it is a common mistake for beginning gardeners to bite off more than they can chew. This results in planting too much, or too much all at once, or building a garden that is simply more than you have time or stamina to maintain. The idea of planting into pots that you can move around to follow the sunny parts of your yard may in fact be a good solution, but how much time will you have to dedicate to having a portable garden? While your list of veggies is not overwhelming, you will want to plant rather a lot of corn to get an appreciable yield, whereas beans and spinach might give you more meals per square foot. Just a thought to bear in mind as you plan your garden.

Chicken manure is a good high nitrogen addition if it is composted. Fresh chicken manure is NOT recommended in vegetable gardens. Horse manure is often favored because it has better texture and is arguably less unpleasant to work with, but it has its' own set of problems - in particular, it can introduce weed seeds into the garden that survive the journey through a horses' digestive system... and if they can survive that, they'll likely flourish in your garden. I've built many gardens in my life, for myself and others, and all of them have included a comprehensive composting system. To me, that is always the first thing to do when starting a new garden, and you can do it at any time of year.

Good luck in your endeavors. This is a great place to come as questions arise - not everyone will agree, but you'll get lots of advice and ideas to choose from, and generally, encouragement.

Here is a link that might be useful: wierd wood

As far as composting the OP is OK. If he has chickens and leaves from the trees, all he needs is to make a few piles around the yard, not too close to the garden so that voles stay in the piles.

I like to add unfinished compost in late fall to those beds that are inactive for the winter (which are less than 50% due to all my winter and overwintering vegetables), almost finished compost for the spring beds in March, and just leaves as mulch under big plants in June. The earthworm density is amazing.

Gapeach- I don't have chickens, but I know Rosalind Creasy swears by chicken manure, for her garden. Here's a link :)

As for horse manure...of course it has weeds! Nothing in life is truly free, right? LOL But, those weeds are lush and beautiful (as is the garden) and I leave a few, to bring in ladybugs and other beneficials.

Beneficial bugs can be brought in all kinds of ways, but some of my favorites are catnip (we use Walker's Low...usually at Lowe's, ironically) and Hidcote Lavender for bumble bees. Catnip is also supposed to help squash and melons...I think it keeps away some of the bugs that bother them, though my squash and melons rarely have a problem, with our short growing season.

Alyssum is a great flower for bringing in smaller hover wasps, etc. I also like marigolds, zinnias, cosmos, stock and evening stock for the annuals and daisies, coneflowers, salvias, even shrub roses and butterfly bushes, if you have a border garden, nearby.

There are all kinds of books on beneficial bugs and companion planting (what plants help others do better) and I think you'll have fun, exploring at your library. There are also all kinds of articles, online. It's a fascinating subject, IMHO :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Rosalind Creasy

A much over-looked and under-used plant that is great for attracting beneficials is anise hyssop. It is easy to grow, self-seeds, has beautiful purple spiky flowers, and makes a delicious tea. Like lavender, it is nice in the garden because it scents the area as you're working there. Definitely among my favorite plants. Makes amazing ice cream, too.

Gapeach,
Looking at the list of things you want to grow, I would say the ones that need the most sun are corn, peppers and squash. They also take more space than others. I would not do all of these all at the same first year until you know more about the "sun". Too ambitious too soon can bring frustrations. Just my one cent.

Bi11me - thanks for the burl info... that's definitely what we have on this tree and it is COVERED with them. As soon as I can figure out how to post pics here I'll show you.
Thanks for all the info too lavender lass and bi11me on other helpful flowers to grow. I knew about the marigolds, but not about the others.
I know my list is long and seems ambitious... right now it's just a wish list - I still have to actually start digging (hopefully this week we'll get this done) I now have three different areas picked out to each have small (emphasis on SMALL) gardens. One for my blueberry plants, one for corn (maybe), squash and peppers and one for the others. I was digging through my compost pile of kitchen compost we don't feed to the chickens, and the straw/manure from the chickens and was thrilled to find it chock FULL of some of the biggest worms I have ever seen! How long do I need to let it all compost before it is ready to use?
Once again I can't thank y'all enough for all the wonderful advice!! =)

Oooh, how pray tell do you use anise hyssop to make ice cream, Bi11me?

Recipe for Anise Hyssop Ice Cream
You need an ice cream maker to make this. Or you can use anise extract (1 teaspoon anise extract = 3/4 cup anise hyssop flowers
You need:

1 cup whole or 2% milk
2 cups cream
1/2 cup sugar

1 cup anise hyssop flowers, with 1/4 cup reserved
1 vanilla bean

Directions

Split open vanilla bean and remove seeds by running a knife across it. Set aside.
Remove flowers from stem by grasping the stem at the bottom and pulling the bud between your fingers. Do this into a deep bowl or you will have purple flowers all over the kitchen. If the flowers are not young, you will likely have some seed in there as well, that won't affect the taste Set aside.
Heat milk and cream in a pot. Add sugar, vanilla bean and seeds and 3/4 cup of flowers. Continue cooking on medium heat and stirring for about 10 minutes. Do not let milk boil. 175 degrees is a good target.
Remove pot from heat. Allow contents to reach room temperature before straining into another container and placing in fridge until cold. Once cold, stir in the remaining flower petals and transfer to ice cream maker and follow directions per your machine.
For richer ice cream you can add 2 or 3 egg yolks. To do so, whisk the yolks with the sugar and a pinch of salt. Make sure the sugar is dissolved. Slowly add the heated cream to the yolks, stirring it constantly (this is known as "tempering" and is easier with a helper to pour or stir). pour the mixture back into a saucepan over LOW heat until it starts to thicken, then pour it through a strainer and allow it to quickly cool. For stronger flavor, add 1/2 to 1 cup finely ground star anise seed. Chopped figs make a nice addition, too. 1 or 2 plants will provide enough flowers for 1 batch. The leaves can be used as well, earlier in the season, if you don't want to wait for the flowers, but the flavor is less intense and, to my taste, not as complex. A few spoonfuls of one of the many licorice-flavored liquors will also boost flavor complexity, but will alter the texture and freezing rate. Black Sambuca, Pernod, Galliano, or Absinthe are good places to start if you want to experiment. Add liquor during the churning process in your ice-cream maker. Some people like the flavor of anise with chocolate or coffee - I like those flavors unadulterated.

If you use eggs, you can make the base for custard or creme brulee as well. The standard recipe is

6 egg yolks
6 tablespoons white sugar, divided
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons brown sugar

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees. Mix everything except the brown sugar in a bowl and prepare as above. Fill a 2" deep baking pan with about 1/2" water and put that in the oven. After heating and straining the mix, pour it into oven-proof ramekins and set these in the water. Bake for about 30 minutes, then remove from the oven and allow to cool at least 1 hour - overnight is better, but cover with plastic film (not touching the custard) so it won't form a skin or absorb flavors. Let it come closer to room temperature when you re ready to serve it. Sprinkle the brown sugar on top - I like Turbinado best, for the texture - and caramelize it with a torch or under a broiler. Serve with a glass of Essencia Orange Muscat.

Thank you. I may experiment doing it with either coconut milk ice or some nut milk. I am planning on putting anise hyssop near the grapes I hope to plant this year.

Old thread, but my vegetable garden only gets 4 hours of direct sun, if that, during summer, due to it being north-facing AND blocked by deciduous trees, plus the shadow of my house, which was still the most . At about 1pm, the sun moves enough to hit it, and by 6pm, it wanes at the absolute height of summer. In earlier summer, it has a later time when the sun hits, about 2pm.

Nevertheless, I was easily able to grow lemon cucumbers, lacinto kale, curly kale, two kinds of tomatoes (both heirlooms, one was Marvel Stripe and the other was Cosmonaut Volkov), basil, fairytale eggplant, marjoram, and zucchini, all of which produced fruit. I found they just took a bit longer, that's all, but were otherwise pretty abundant. It was my first year growing in this plot, and I planted late. I'd make sure to plant starts in early May or so here, maybe even mid-April (I am in a zone 9b but fairly far North, by San Francisco).

We also often just have morning fog until 12pm or so.

I got powdery mildew eventually, but otherwise everything did great!

The sun has shifted lower but the leaves still haven't fallen off the maple trees in late October (they should in a few weeks), but I have Brussels sprouts, Swiss chard, and beets now over there and looking forward to the leaves falling so the light comes back (it's not clearing the tree tops now). I even have bearded irises doing well in the bed.

That's just to say that oddly, it can be done. My tomatoes were seven feet high. Lemon cucumbers produced huge amounts. Zucchini was prolific, although more so when I pruned back the tomatoes, which were shading a lot. I know people say it can't, but that's just not my experience. We have redwood forests out here with heavy shade to dappled light at best, and even then I see vegetable gardens here and there. I wouldn't try growing corn or anything asking for 8 hours of sun, but that afternoon sun must be strong enough in the summer. Hoping for good winter sun soon as well, but even with only what looks like kind of ambient light or dappled sun for a few hours, the vegetables I'm growing now are doing wonderfully.