How to Grow Edible Vine Vegetables in the Shade

Choose an area of the ground that offers partial shade for growing your edible vine vegetables, such as near the back of your house or along a shed in your backyard. Otherwise, purchase 12-inch tall containers for growing vine vegetables, and plan to keep these containers near the house or in a partially shady area of your yard.

Collect a sample of your ground’s growing soil and take it to your local extension office for testing to make sure your soil’s pH level -- level of acidity and basicity -- is about 7. If not, ask the extension office what amendments you need to add to the soil to make it appropriate for growing your vine vegetables.

Dig a hole in the ground that is slightly deeper than the height of your vine vegetable starter plant container. Combine organic matter with the soil you removed from the hole, such as sphagnum peat moss, if your soil test results recommend this, as organic matter enriches the soil and improves your vegetables’ success. Put this amended soil back in the hole, and create a hole that accommodates the size of your starter plant. If planting in a container, fill the container about two-thirds full with potting soil, and dig a hole that fits your starter plant.

Put the starter plant in your planting hole so that it grows from a slightly deeper point than it did before, and cover the roots with soil. Combine a tablespoon of an 11-48-0 fertilizer with a gallon of water, and pour a cup of this mixture on your plant roots.

Apply mulch such as sawdust, paper or straw to the ground planting area, which helps retain water and protects your vegetable plant roots from outside temperatures.

Place a stepladder near your shade vegetable growing area to serve as a trellis that helps support your vegetable vines. Allow the weak-stemmed vegetable vines to grow up the ladder’s rungs, and let the vegetables rest on the ladder steps for support during the growing season.