The concept of “in season” describes when a crop reaches its peak flavor and nutritional content, resulting in superior taste and lower cost due to efficient local production. The sheer size of Texas, however, prevents a single, unified growing calendar. Seasonal availability is highly dependent on the state’s diverse geography, creating a complex and shifting pattern.
Understanding Texas Agricultural Regions
Texas spans multiple agricultural zones, making a single planting and harvest schedule impossible to follow. The northern section, including the Panhandle, experiences a shorter growing season with hard freezes, placing it in the cooler USDA hardiness zones. This region’s last frost date can occur as late as April, demanding careful timing for warm-weather plantings.
Moving south into Central Texas and the Hill Country, the climate becomes milder, offering two distinct growing seasons—spring and fall—separated by summer heat. Soil types also vary, from the fertile Blackland Prairie clays to the shallow, rocky soils of the Edwards Plateau. This soil diversity affects nutrient availability and water retention, influencing which crops thrive naturally.
The Gulf Coast and South Texas, especially the Rio Grande Valley, represent the state’s warmest zones, where frost is rare or nonexistent. This environment allows for year-round agricultural activity, focusing on cold-sensitive crops during the winter months. Summer heat, however, is a limiting factor statewide, forcing a mid-summer pause in production for many common garden vegetables.
Spring and Early Summer Produce
Spring is characterized by an abundance of cool-weather crops that must mature before the summer heat arrives. Planting begins in Central and South Texas as early as February, a full month or more ahead of the northern regions. Leafy greens such as lettuce, spinach, and kale thrive in the gradually warming soil and cooler night temperatures of March and early April.
Root vegetables like carrots, beets, and radishes are harvested during this period, with spring-planted onion sets maturing into full bulbs by late spring. English peas and snap peas are often the first crops ready for harvest, peaking in April statewide. This early season sees an overlap between the harvest of winter-planted greens and the first spring root crops.
Once the danger of frost passes, the transition to warm-weather crops begins. Early-season tomatoes, squash, and cucumbers, often started indoors, are set out in March in the south and April in the north. The short window before 90-degree Fahrenheit temperatures arrive means these crops must quickly set fruit before the summer slowdown. Strawberries also peak during May, benefiting from the mild temperatures and ample spring sunlight.
Late Summer and Fall Produce
Late summer is dominated by vegetables that flourish in high heat. Okra, highly tolerant of heat and drought, produces continuously from June until the first frost, thriving in temperatures that cause other plants to wilt. Peppers and eggplant also hit their peak production during July and August, as they require warm soil to set fruit effectively.
Many growers plant a second crop of tomatoes, choosing varieties bred to tolerate high temperatures. This allows for a second, smaller tomato harvest in the early fall. Melons, including watermelons and cantaloupes, are ready for harvest across the state from July through September, utilizing the long, sunny days to develop high sugar content.
September signals the second planting window, aimed at a late-fall and early-winter harvest. Cool-weather crops like broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower are planted now, requiring 60 to 80 days to mature before the first hard freeze. Success relies on estimating the region’s first frost date, ensuring crops are fully developed as temperatures begin to drop. Collard greens and Swiss chard are also planted in late summer, benefiting from cooling nights to develop a sweeter flavor profile.
Winter Harvest and Year-Round Staples
For much of the state, the winter harvest focuses on hardy crops that can withstand light freezes, or on root and bulb crops planted for the following spring. Hardy greens such as kale and collards are often harvested throughout the winter, as a light frost triggers the conversion of starch to sugar, enhancing their taste. Beets and radishes, planted in the fall, can also be pulled throughout the mild winter months in Central and Southern Texas.
The Lower Rio Grande Valley, benefiting from its subtropical climate, offers a winter growing season that supplies fresh produce to markets across the country. Commercial growers in this region harvest cold-tolerant vegetables, including cabbage, carrots, and celery, throughout the colder months. This area is also renowned for its winter citrus production, with Texas grapefruit and oranges ripening from October through April.
Garlic is planted in the fall, typically in October or November, and spends the winter developing roots before forming bulbs for a late spring or early summer harvest. Certain herbs, like parsley and cilantro, can also be grown almost year-round in milder Texas climates, providing continuous harvests as long as they are shielded from extreme summer heat and deep freezes.