If you garden in a community plot, you get what you get. If you have a choice, put the garden in the open, in full sun. Most vegetables, herbs, and fruits want that. A lot of leafy crops will still produce in partial shade.

The rule for a green thumb

If you grow it for the fruit or the root, you need full sun. If you grow it for the leaves, stems, or sprouts, partial shade is enough.

Think beyond in-ground beds. Grow bags and fabric pots are easy to move and they drain. A bag of kale on a sunny step is a garden.

Keep the garden close to water. Tree and shrub roots will compete with your plants. Deep, rock-free soil is a gift; shallow or rocky soil can be improved with compost and, if needed, raised beds. Near housing built before the 1970s, test for lead. Lead from old paint stays in soil and can end up in food. It is especially harmful to young children. A university extension service can advise on tests.