hello,

Following your helpful suggestions about weed membrane and asparagus, I have another Q.

I know that some plants prefer shady conditions, especially here in mid France when the summers can be a little longer and hotter than the U.K.

I am planning to grow many shade-loving plants completely outside of the square foot beds, because I am also starting a small forest garden (next year). However, I would prefer to grow things like lettuces etc in the square foot beds so I can keep a good eye on them.

I have the option of putting a 4x4 bed in a separate, shady spot. This would be completely separate from the rest of my square foot garden.

Alternatively, I could incorporate the extra 4x4 bed into the rest of the garden, and put things like lettuces on the shady side of taller plants (peppers? corn?) during the mid summer season.

I slightly prefer the second idea, because that would enable me to keep to a good rotation pattern, and be much more random in my plantings for future years. Otherwise the shade-loving plants would end up being grown in the same bed year after year.

But this is my first time growing a square foot garden, and so I would appreciate your thoughts.

Thank you.