Conventional wisdom says vegetable gardens need full sun, but a productive garden doesn’t always require the recommended six to eight hours of direct sunlight.If fences, trees or your house cast shade on your soil, growing vegetables won’t be out of reach if you stick to plants that are grown for their leaves, stems or roots, rather than those grown for their fruit, like tomatoes, cucumbers, squash or peppers.To be clear, by “hours of sunlight,” I’m referring to the length of time the sun reaches the soil each day as it moves across the sky, unobstructed by buildings and other structures that cast shadows. These plants can thrive or at least get by with less sun Most leafy greens are exceptionally shade-tolerant, thriving in as little as three to four hours of sunlight. Arugula, bok choi,