Fall gardening in Texas is a rewarding opportunity to extend the harvest season, taking advantage of the state’s mild winters. This second growing season allows cool-weather crops to flourish once the summer heat has passed. Planning must begin early, often requiring seeds to be started indoors or in shade during the intense heat of late summer (typically August and early September). Successful fall planting relies on precise timing and techniques that manage the transition from extreme heat to winter cold.
Understanding Texas Regional Planting Zones
Texas’s massive geographical area means a single planting calendar cannot apply to the entire state. Planting dates are determined by the average first frost date, which varies significantly across the three primary gardening regions. Gardeners must use their local expected first frost date as the main reference point.
In North Texas (including the Panhandle and Dallas-Fort Worth), the first frost typically arrives earliest, often in late October or early November. This shorter growing window requires planting starts in mid-to-late August. Central Texas (covering areas like Austin and San Antonio) experiences a more moderate climate, with frost generally occurring in late November or early December.
The South Texas and Gulf Coast regions (including Houston and the Rio Grande Valley) have the mildest winters. The first frost is often delayed until late December, or sometimes not occurring at all. This prolonged growing season allows for the latest planting and a greater variety of crops to be sustained throughout the winter.
The Essential Fall and Winter Vegetable List
The cool season in Texas is ideal for growing crops that prefer cooler soil and air temperatures for optimal flavor and texture. Many vegetables tolerate light frost, which can enhance their sweetness by encouraging the conversion of starches into sugars.
Brassicas
The Brassica family forms the backbone of the fall garden, including broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage. These crops require a long growing period and must be started earliest, often needing 80 to 100 days to reach maturity before a hard freeze. Brussels sprouts are cold-tolerant, with flavor often improving after the first light frosts.
Leafy Greens
Leafy greens are a staple of the Texas cool season, including spinach, Swiss chard, kale, and collards. Kale and collards are notably hardy, capable of surviving temperatures down to 10°F if properly acclimated. Lettuce, mustard greens, and chard are slightly less cold-tolerant, preferring temperatures above 25°F, but they benefit from light frost.
Root Crops
Root crops such as carrots, radishes, and beets are excellent choices, as they are best planted directly into the garden soil. Cool soil temperatures prevent bolting (when the plant prematurely goes to seed), improving the quality of the root. Radishes mature quickly, sometimes in under a month, making them ideal for succession planting.
Alliums
The Alliums—specifically garlic and bulb onions—are unique fall plantings grown for a spring harvest. Garlic cloves should be planted in October or November, requiring the cold winter period (vernalization) to develop large, segmented bulbs. Onion sets are planted around the same time, growing throughout the winter to produce bulbs in late spring.
Optimal Planting Windows and Seed Starting
The primary rule for fall planting is ensuring crops reach maturity before the average first frost date, which means planting 6 to 8 weeks prior. The major challenge is that this timeframe requires planting during the high heat of late summer, when daytime temperatures often exceed 90°F. Many cool-season seeds, especially lettuce and spinach, will not germinate if the soil temperature is above 80°F.
For long-maturing crops like brassicas, starting seeds indoors or in a shady, protected area is the most reliable method. Transplants are set out when they are four to six weeks old, allowing them to establish roots before the weather cools. Transplants need consistent moisture to survive the transition from a cool indoor environment to the intense outdoor heat.
Direct-sowing root crops and leafy greens requires actively cooling the soil to encourage germination. Applying a 40% to 50% shade cloth over the seedbed reduces soil surface temperature and water evaporation. Covering the newly planted row with wet newspaper or burlap is another effective technique, holding moisture and keeping the seedbed cool until seedlings emerge. The cover must be removed immediately once seedlings appear to allow for light exposure.
North Texas gardeners must transplant brassicas in mid-to-late August, while South Texas gardeners can wait until mid-to-late September. Applying chilled water or placing ice cubes over the seed row can provide the necessary temperature drop to encourage heat-sensitive seeds to sprout.
Protecting Cool-Season Crops from Erratic Weather
Once the cool-season garden is established, the primary focus shifts to protecting plants from the sudden, severe cold snaps characteristic of Texas winters. While the overall season is mild, an unexpected drop below 32°F can damage or kill less-hardy plants. Preparation for this erratic weather involves both preventative maintenance and active protection strategies.
Before any expected freeze, thoroughly watering the garden is important. Moist soil retains and radiates heat better than dry soil, providing a small amount of insulation. Applying a thick layer of organic mulch, such as straw or shredded leaves, also helps regulate soil temperature and protects the root zone. Raised beds lose heat faster than in-ground gardens and may require extra mulching along the sides.
For active protection when temperatures are forecast to drop below 32°F, covering the plants becomes necessary.
- Floating row covers, frost cloth, or even old sheets and blankets can be draped over hoops or frameworks.
- Prevent the fabric from touching the foliage.
- The cover should extend all the way to the ground to trap the heat rising from the soil, creating a warmer microclimate.
More sensitive crops like lettuce, chard, and cauliflower need protection when temperatures drop into the mid-20s. Highly tolerant crops like kale and collard greens can often withstand temperatures down to 15°F without covering. It is important to remove the protective covers once temperatures rise above freezing the next morning to allow sunlight and air circulation, preventing the plants from overheating or developing fungal issues.