r/gardening•
Toriningen

What to do about a garden filled with concrete and too much shade?

I unfortunately got into gardening too late after my dad removed the vast majority of dirt in the backyard to replace it with concrete years ago. He did the same with the front yard, and the lawn was covered with turf which ended up just getting grass and weeds popping up through it anyways, so it was pointless. The only intact areas with in-ground dirt suitable for a garden are either adjacent to a fence, under the patio, or under a tree with significant shade and will not receive sufficient sunlight.

The more I try to figure a solution, the more of a headache I get. The only idea I have that I think can work is a mix of a few raised garden beds on the concrete with a way to allow drainage from the soil, and a ton of pots of all sizes at key points for sunlight. My biggest trouble is trying to plant things that best need in-ground and sunlight (which is not possible) or are going to grow too wide or deep for pots.

Any advice would be appreciated!

Posted Apr 6, 2026, 1:02 AM UTC

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