[Gareth W-D]

Have finally got my allotment!
 
A third will be in semi-shade from an ash tree-any suggestions as to soft fruit and veg for this area?

[Ice]

How big is the tree?  Who's land is it on?  Can you get permission to cut out a few branches to let more light in? :?:

[Gareth W-D]

Tree is about 60 foot high on the allotment land, but in a conservation area! Will enquire as to lopping!

[Yorkie]

Ash trees are a nightmare, they self-seed like nobody's business.

Whatever you manage to grow in the undoubtedly drier / shadier soil, keep an eye out for seedlings and hoik them out pronto   :bom:

[vegmandan]

Some veg that will tolerate some shade are:Lettuce,beetroot,radish and broccoli.

As for fruit I have Rhubarb,raspberries,gooseberries and blackcurrants shaded by a hedge which dont get any sun at all after 1pm and they do perfectly well.

[Dominic]

Encourage the tree to cease shading your plot?

I'm told drilling a hole into the base and filling it with diesel works wonders...

I'm fairly sure most soft fruits like raspberry normaly live in woodland anyway, so can deal with heavy shading from trees.

[penance]

Any work to trees in conservation areas requires planning permision from the local authority.
There is a penalty of up to £20,000 or a jail term, Dominic take note!

[woodburner]

Can they, maybe, coppice it? After all that is a traditional method of cultivation.

[penance]

Not without planning permision.

[Trillium]

I know a lady whose whole garden gets a lot of shade and she gets incredible crops, thanks to the loads of horse manure she adds from her own horse. Everything she grows is in shade, it just takes a bit longer to mature. But soil drying out is a real problem for her due to the trees.

[Gareth W-D]

Thanks for all the advice!!