Texas Vegetable Planting Calendar: What to Plant Now
Month-by-month planting calendar for Texas. 157 crops with sow windows for a spring-and-fall, hot-summer climate.
This is our Texas vegetable planting calendar. It starts with what vegetables to plant now in Texas, then goes through the whole year, with planting windows set for a climate that is hot in summer, with spring and fall growing seasons, across USDA zones 8a to 10a. Further down you will find a sowing chart for popular vegetables, local timing notes, frost dates by ZIP code and a season-by-season guide, all from the same data that runs the Planting Season app. Texas is big, and this calendar follows the Central and East Texas pattern, so check the ZIP code frost dates further down if you garden in the Panhandle, the Hill Country or the Rio Grande Valley. This is a first-pass calendar built from regional extension guidance and under local review, so treat it as a strong first draft.
Monthly Planting Calendar
Texas is huge and spans several climates; this calendar is anchored to the Central and East Texas pattern (around USDA 8). Hot summers split the year into a spring season, planted after the last frost in early March (later in the north of the state), and a fall season planted in late summer, with a mild winter for cool-season crops. The Rio Grande Valley and deep South Texas grow citrus and tropicals the rest of the state can't, and we'll add Texas sub-regions over time. These windows are a first-pass estimate from Texas A&M AgriLife guidance and are being reviewed locally.
Month-by-month vegetable planting calendar for Texas
Every vegetable in our Texas calendar, grouped by the month you can sow or plant it. Each month links to its full page with herbs, fruit and flowers.
| Month | Vegetables to sow or plant | Count |
|---|---|---|
| January | Asparagus, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Garlic, Globe Artichoke, Horseradish, Kohlrabi, Mustard Greens, Onion, Sunchoke | 11 |
| February | Arugula, Asparagus, Beet, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Broccolini, Cabbage, Carrot, Cauliflower, Celery, Chicory, Collard Greens, Daikon, Endive & Escarole, Fava Beans, Fennel (Herb), Florence Fennel, Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli), Globe Artichoke, Horseradish, Kale, Kohlrabi, Komatsuna, Lettuce, Mibuna, Mizuna, Mustard Greens, Peas, Potato, Radicchio, Radish, Rutabaga, Shallot, Snow Peas, Sorrel, Spinach, Sunchoke, Tatsoi, Turnip, Watercress | 40 |
| March | Bell Pepper, Bitter Melon, Bush Beans, Cantaloupe, Chayote, Chili Pepper, Cucumber, Edamame, Eggplant, Green Onion, Luffa (Loofah), Popcorn, Shallot, Squash, Sweet Corn, Swiss Chard, Tomatillo, Tomato, Watermelon, Zucchini | 20 |
| April | Amaranth, Brazilian Spinach, Bush Beans, Cantaloupe, Cucumber, Edamame, Ginger, Green Onion, Hyacinth Bean (Lablab), Jicama, Lima Beans, Malabar Spinach, New Zealand Spinach, Okra, Peanuts, Pumpkin, Sorghum, Southern Peas, Squash, Sweet Corn, Sweet Potato, Swiss Chard, Taro, Turmeric, Water Chestnut, Watermelon, Yardlong Beans, Zucchini | 28 |
| May | Amaranth, Brazilian Spinach, Ginger, Hyacinth Bean (Lablab), Jicama, Lima Beans, Malabar Spinach, New Zealand Spinach, Okra, Peanuts, Sorghum, Southern Peas, Sweet Potato, Taro, Turmeric, Water Chestnut, Yardlong Beans | 17 |
| June | Amaranth, Brazilian Spinach, Hyacinth Bean (Lablab), Jicama, Lima Beans, Malabar Spinach, New Zealand Spinach, Okra, Peanuts, Pumpkin, Sorghum, Southern Peas, Sweet Potato, Water Chestnut, Yardlong Beans | 15 |
| July | Bell Pepper, Bitter Melon, Chayote, Chili Pepper, Eggplant, Luffa (Loofah), Popcorn, Tomatillo, Tomato | 9 |
| August | Bell Pepper, Bitter Melon, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Bush Beans, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Celeriac, Chayote, Chili Pepper, Cucumber, Edamame, Eggplant, Green Onion, Hamburg Parsley, Kohlrabi, Leek, Luffa (Loofah), Mustard Greens, Napa Cabbage, Parsnip, Popcorn, Salsify, Scorzonera, Squash, Swiss Chard, Tomatillo, Tomato, Zucchini | 29 |
| September | Arugula, Beet, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Broccolini, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrot, Cauliflower, Celeriac, Celery, Chicory, Collard Greens, Daikon, Endive & Escarole, Fava Beans, Fennel (Herb), Florence Fennel, Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli), Hamburg Parsley, Kale, Kohlrabi, Komatsuna, Leek, Lettuce, Mibuna, Mizuna, Mustard Greens, Napa Cabbage, Parsnip, Peas, Potato, Radicchio, Radish, Rhubarb, Rutabaga, Salsify, Scorzonera, Snow Peas, Sorrel, Spinach, Tatsoi, Turnip, Watercress | 44 |
| October | Arugula, Beet, Bok Choy, Broccolini, Brussels Sprouts, Carrot, Celeriac, Chicory, Collard Greens, Daikon, Endive & Escarole, Fennel (Herb), Florence Fennel, Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli), Garlic, Hamburg Parsley, Kale, Komatsuna, Leek, Lettuce, Mibuna, Mizuna, Napa Cabbage, Onion, Parsnip, Potato, Radicchio, Radish, Rhubarb, Rutabaga, Salsify, Scorzonera, Shallot, Sorrel, Spinach, Tatsoi, Turnip, Watercress | 38 |
| November | Garlic, Onion, Shallot | 3 |
| December | No vegetable sowings this month | 0 |
Texas vegetable sowing chart
36 popular crops, with the months you can sow or plant them in Texas. Shaded months are open planting windows, and the last column spells them out. Where our data says a crop is set out as transplants, the window is the transplanting window.
| Crop | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Sow or plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Mar and Jul to Aug | ||||||||||||
| Bell Pepper | Mar and Jul to Aug | ||||||||||||
| Chili Pepper | Mar and Jul to Aug | ||||||||||||
| Eggplant | Mar and Jul to Aug | ||||||||||||
| Zucchini | Mar to Apr and Aug | ||||||||||||
| Squash | Mar to Apr and Aug | ||||||||||||
| Cucumber | Mar to Apr and Aug | ||||||||||||
| Pumpkin | Apr and Jun | ||||||||||||
| Sweet Corn | Mar to Apr | ||||||||||||
| Bush Beans | Mar to Apr and Aug | ||||||||||||
| Peas | Feb and Sep | ||||||||||||
| Snow Peas | Feb and Sep | ||||||||||||
| Okra | Apr to Jun | ||||||||||||
| Southern Peas | Apr to Jun | ||||||||||||
| Lettuce | Feb and Sep to Oct | ||||||||||||
| Spinach | Feb and Sep to Oct | ||||||||||||
| Swiss Chard | Mar to Apr and Aug | ||||||||||||
| Kale | Feb and Sep to Oct | ||||||||||||
| Collard Greens | Feb and Sep to Oct | ||||||||||||
| Broccoli | Jan to Feb and Aug to Sep | ||||||||||||
| Cabbage | Jan to Feb and Aug to Sep | ||||||||||||
| Cauliflower | Jan to Feb and Aug to Sep | ||||||||||||
| Carrot | Feb and Sep to Oct | ||||||||||||
| Beet | Feb and Sep to Oct | ||||||||||||
| Radish | Feb and Sep to Oct | ||||||||||||
| Turnip | Feb and Sep to Oct | ||||||||||||
| Onion | Jan and Oct to Nov | ||||||||||||
| Garlic | Jan and Oct to Nov | ||||||||||||
| Potato | Feb and Sep to Oct | ||||||||||||
| Sweet Potato | Apr to Jun | ||||||||||||
| Basil | Mar to Apr | ||||||||||||
| Cilantro | Feb and Sep to Oct | ||||||||||||
| Parsley | Feb and Sep to Oct | ||||||||||||
| Strawberry | Feb and Oct | ||||||||||||
| Watermelon | Mar to Apr | ||||||||||||
| Cantaloupe | Mar to Apr |
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Frost dates, climate and USDA zones in Texas
The climate in Texas is hot in summer, with spring and fall growing seasons. Across the region the average last spring frost falls around March 1 and the first fall frost around November 28, which leaves a growing season of about 272 days for frost-tender crops such as tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash and basil. Those are regional midpoints: a frost pocket, a slope or a warm wall can shift your own dates by weeks.
Frost is local, so here is what the ZIP code records show for a few places across Texas:
- Houston (77002): typical last spring frost February 2; typical first fall frost December 25; a growing season of about 327 days.
- Dallas (75201): typical last spring frost March 2; typical first fall frost November 29; a growing season of about 272 days.
- Austin (78701): typical last spring frost March 10; typical first fall frost November 17; a growing season of about 252 days.
- San Antonio (78205): typical last spring frost February 25; typical first fall frost November 28; a growing season of about 277 days.
- Lubbock (79401): typical last spring frost March 24; typical first fall frost November 11; a growing season of about 233 days.
- El Paso (79901): typical last spring frost March 2; typical first fall frost November 20; a growing season of about 261 days.
Enter your own ZIP code in the Frost Lookup for your typical last and first frost. ZIP code figures come from the nearest weather station in the NOAA 1991 to 2020 Climate Normals, at the 50 percent probability level, so in one year out of two the last frost comes later.
USDA hardiness zones: our Texas region spans zones 8a to 10a. Your zone tells you which perennials, shrubs and fruit trees survive a normal winter; it does not tell you when to sow, which is why this calendar follows frost dates and summer heat instead. Zone pages: zone 8a, zone 8b, zone 9a, zone 9b, zone 10a.
Planting zones and frost dates for Texas cities
Texas is big, and frost dates swing by weeks from one city to the next. These are the ZIP code records for six Texas cities, and every one of them maps to our Texas planting calendar. Figures come from the nearest weather station in the NOAA 1991 to 2020 Climate Normals at the 50 percent level, so in one year out of two the last frost comes later. Enter your own ZIP code in the Frost Lookup.
| City | ZIP code | USDA zone | Last spring frost | First fall frost | Growing season | Planting calendar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas | 75201 | 8b | March 2 | November 29 | About 272 days | Texas (zones 8a to 10a) |
| Houston | 77002 | 9b | February 2 | December 25 | About 327 days | Texas (zones 8a to 10a) |
| San Antonio | 78205 | 9a | February 25 | November 28 | About 277 days | Texas (zones 8a to 10a) |
| Austin | 78701 | 9a | March 10 | November 17 | About 252 days | Texas (zones 8a to 10a) |
| El Paso | 79901 | 8b | March 2 | November 20 | About 261 days | Texas (zones 8a to 10a) |
| Lubbock | 79401 | 7b | March 24 | November 11 | About 233 days | Texas (zones 8a to 10a) |
On hardiness zones: the USDA zone column gives the zone of each city's ZIP code on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University), and each zone links to its zone planting calendar. The six cities run from zone 7b in Lubbock to zone 9b in Houston, and Texas ZIP codes as a whole run from zone 6b to zone 10b. Our Texas calendar follows the Central and East Texas pattern, and our region data places it in USDA zones 8a to 10a, the range shown in the last column. Look up the zone for any ZIP code with our zone lookup. For a vegetable garden, the frost dates in the table are what set the planting windows.
Texas planting seasons: a season-by-season guide
The calendar above, read by season. Counts and crop lists come straight from the Texas planting windows, so they change only when our data changes.
Spring in Texas (March to May)
38 vegetables can be sown or planted at some point in spring. Planting windows that open: in March, Tomato, Bell Pepper, Chili Pepper, Eggplant, Zucchini, Squash, Cucumber, Sweet Corn, Bush Beans, Swiss Chard and 9 more; in April, Pumpkin, Okra, Southern Peas, Sweet Potato, Amaranth, Brazilian Spinach, Ginger, Hyacinth Bean (Lablab), Jicama, Lima Beans and 8 more. Last chance before the season ends: March for Tomato, Bell Pepper, Chili Pepper, Eggplant, Bitter Melon, Chayote, Luffa (Loofah), Popcorn, Shallot and Tomatillo; April for Zucchini, Squash, Cucumber, Pumpkin, Sweet Corn, Bush Beans, Swiss Chard, Watermelon, Cantaloupe, Edamame and 1 more.
Summer in Texas (June to August)
44 vegetables can be sown or planted at some point in summer. Planting windows that open: in June, Pumpkin; in July, Tomato, Bell Pepper, Chili Pepper, Eggplant, Bitter Melon, Chayote, Luffa (Loofah), Popcorn and Tomatillo; in August, Zucchini, Squash, Cucumber, Bush Beans, Swiss Chard, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Brussels Sprouts, Celeriac and 10 more. Last chance before the season ends: June for Pumpkin, Okra, Southern Peas, Sweet Potato, Amaranth, Brazilian Spinach, Hyacinth Bean (Lablab), Jicama, Lima Beans, Malabar Spinach and 5 more.
Fall in Texas (September to November)
47 vegetables can be sown or planted at some point in fall. Planting windows that open: in September, Peas, Snow Peas, Lettuce, Spinach, Kale, Collard Greens, Carrot, Beet, Radish, Turnip and 21 more; in October, Onion, Garlic and Shallot. Last chance before the season ends: September for Peas, Snow Peas, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Celery, Fava Beans, Kohlrabi and Mustard Greens; October for Lettuce, Spinach, Kale, Collard Greens, Carrot, Beet, Radish, Turnip, Potato, Arugula and 25 more. Fall is also garlic planting time here; see how to grow garlic.
Winter in Texas (December to February)
42 vegetables can be sown or planted at some point in winter. Planting windows that open: in January, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Onion, Garlic, Asparagus, Globe Artichoke, Horseradish, Kohlrabi, Mustard Greens and 1 more; in February, Peas, Snow Peas, Lettuce, Spinach, Kale, Collard Greens, Carrot, Beet, Radish, Turnip and 21 more. Last chance before the season ends: January for Onion and Garlic.
Growing Guides
In-depth guides for the most popular crops and techniques. These guides adapt to your region.
Free Monthly Planting Calendar
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Open the App →Planting calendars for other US regions
Gardening somewhere else? Each region has its own planting windows, frost dates and month pages. For every region side by side, see what vegetables to plant now across the US, or find your region by ZIP code.
- North Florida vegetable planting calendar
North Florida: USDA zones 9a to 9b, frost window February 15 to December 5. - Central Florida vegetable planting calendar
Central Florida: USDA zones 9b to 10b, effectively frost free. - South Florida vegetable planting calendar
South Florida: USDA zones 10a to 11a, effectively frost free. - Gulf South vegetable planting calendar
Gulf South: USDA zones 8a to 9b, frost window February 25 to December 1. - Desert Southwest vegetable planting calendar
Desert Southwest: USDA zones 7a to 10a, frost window February 5 to December 5. - Southern California vegetable planting calendar
Southern California: USDA zones 9b to 10b, effectively frost free. - Mid-South vegetable planting calendar
Mid-South: USDA zones 7a to 8b, frost window April 10 to October 25. - Pacific Northwest vegetable planting calendar
Pacific Northwest: USDA zones 6b to 9a, frost window March 25 to November 15. - Northeast & New England vegetable planting calendar
Northeast & New England: USDA zones 5a to 7b, frost window May 10 to October 15. - Mid-Atlantic vegetable planting calendar
Mid-Atlantic: USDA zones 6b to 8a, frost window April 15 to October 25. - Midwest & Great Lakes vegetable planting calendar
Midwest & Great Lakes: USDA zones 5a to 7a, frost window April 30 to October 15. - Upper Midwest & Northern Plains vegetable planting calendar
Upper Midwest & Northern Plains: USDA zones 3b to 5a, frost window May 15 to September 25. - Mountain West vegetable planting calendar
Mountain West: USDA zones 5a to 7b, frost window May 5 to September 30. - Southern Plains vegetable planting calendar
Southern Plains: USDA zones 5b to 7b, frost window April 10 to October 30. - Northern California vegetable planting calendar
Northern California & Central Valley: USDA zones 7b to 10a, frost window February 28 to November 17. - Hawaii vegetable planting calendar
Hawaii: USDA zones 11b to 12b, effectively frost free. - Alaska vegetable planting calendar
Alaska: USDA zones 1b to 7b, frost window May 15 to September 10.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do I plant a vegetable garden in Texas?
In two windows: spring, after the last frost in early March (later in the north of the state), and fall, planted in late summer (August to October) for a harvest before winter. The hot summer is hard on most crops in between.
What about the Texas summer?
Lean on heat-lovers like okra, sweet potato, southern peas and Malabar spinach through the worst heat, and save the main planting for spring and fall.
How accurate are these dates, and what about my part of Texas?
These are a first pass anchored to Central and East Texas, based on Texas A&M AgriLife guidance. We are reviewing them and plan to add sub-regions (the Panhandle, Hill Country, Gulf Coast and Rio Grande Valley grow on different schedules).
What vegetables can I plant now in Texas?
It depends on the month. Going by our Texas calendar, in spring (Mar to May) you can sow Zucchini, Squash, Cucumber, Sweet Corn, Bush Beans, Okra and Southern Peas; in summer (Jun to Aug) you can sow Tomato, Bell Pepper, Chili Pepper, Eggplant, Bitter Melon, Chayote and Luffa (Loofah); in fall (Sep to Nov) you can sow Lettuce, Spinach, Kale, Collard Greens, Carrot, Beet and Radish; in winter (Dec to Feb) you can sow Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Asparagus, Globe Artichoke, Horseradish and Kohlrabi. The What to plant in Texas now section at the top of this page always shows the current month, and each month page lists every crop.
When is the last frost in Texas?
Across Texas the average last spring frost is around March 1 and the first fall frost around November 28, a growing season of about 272 days. ZIP code records for Houston (77002) give a typical last spring frost of February 2 and a first fall frost of December 25. Check your own ZIP code with the Frost Lookup.
When should I plant tomatoes in Texas?
Our Texas calendar has tomatoes planted in March and July to August. More in how to grow tomatoes.
When should I plant garlic in Texas?
Our Texas calendar has garlic planted in January and October to November. More in how to grow garlic.
What planting zone is Houston, Texas?
Houston is in USDA hardiness zone 9b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, going by the city center ZIP code 77002. Other ZIP codes around Houston can fall in a different half zone, so check yours in the zone lookup. Our zone 9b planting calendar lists what to sow each month. What sets vegetable planting dates in Houston is frost: the ZIP code record for Houston (77002) gives a typical last spring frost of February 2 and a first fall frost of December 25, a growing season of about 327 days. Houston gardens on our Texas planting calendar.
What planting zone is Dallas, Texas?
Dallas is in USDA hardiness zone 8b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, going by the city center ZIP code 75201. Other ZIP codes around Dallas can fall in a different half zone, so check yours in the zone lookup. Our zone 8b planting calendar lists what to sow each month. What sets vegetable planting dates in Dallas is frost: the ZIP code record for Dallas (75201) gives a typical last spring frost of March 2 and a first fall frost of November 29, a growing season of about 272 days. Dallas gardens on our Texas planting calendar.
What planting zone is San Antonio, Texas?
San Antonio is in USDA hardiness zone 9a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, going by the city center ZIP code 78205. Other ZIP codes around San Antonio can fall in a different half zone, so check yours in the zone lookup. Our zone 9a planting calendar lists what to sow each month. What sets vegetable planting dates in San Antonio is frost: the ZIP code record for San Antonio (78205) gives a typical last spring frost of February 25 and a first fall frost of November 28, a growing season of about 277 days. San Antonio gardens on our Texas planting calendar.
What are the planting zones in Texas?
On the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, Texas ZIP codes run from zone 6b to zone 10b; among the cities in our table, Lubbock is in zone 7b and Houston in zone 9b. Our Texas calendar follows the Central and East Texas pattern, and our region data places it in USDA zones 8a to 10a. The Panhandle, the Hill Country and the Rio Grande Valley grow on different schedules, so check your ZIP code in the zone lookup and your frost dates in the Frost Lookup. Across the cities in our table, the typical last spring frost runs from February 2 in Houston to March 24 in Lubbock.