Are you looking for the most productive Fall Garden Vegetables for Texas for a bountiful harvest? Read on for a complete list!
Discover the best picks for Fall Garden Vegetables for Texas that thrive in Lone Star State’s unique climate and conditions.
Check out Fastest Growing Trees in Texas here
Texas Weather and USDA Zones
Texas spans several USDA hardiness zones, which range from Zone 6a in the northern Panhandle to Zone 9b along the southern coast. Each zone represents an area of winter hardiness for the plants of agriculture and our natural landscape. The USDA zones in Texas include:
- Zone 6a: Minimum temperatures of -10 to -5 degrees F
- Zone 6b: Minimum temperatures of -5 to 0 degrees F
- Zone 7a: Minimum temperatures of 0 to 5 degrees F
- Zone 7b: Minimum temperatures of 5 to 10 degrees F
- Zone 8a: Minimum temperatures of 10 to 15 degrees F
- Zone 8b: Minimum temperatures of 15 to 20 degrees F
- Zone 9a: Minimum temperatures of 20 to 25 degrees F
- Zone 9b: Minimum temperatures of 25 to 30 degrees F
When it comes to planting vegetables, the hardiness zone can provide guidance about which plants are most likely to survive winter in that area. However, for vegetables, it’s also important to consider the length of the growing season and the average temperatures in different seasons.
In Texas, cool-season vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, radishes, and turnips can usually be planted in late winter or early spring for a spring harvest or in late summer or early fall for a fall harvest. Warm-season vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and beans are generally planted after the last frost in the spring for a summer harvest.
Note: For the most accurate planting times, it’s a good idea to check with a local extension service or garden center.
Fall Garden Vegetables for Texas
1. Tomatoes
Botanical Name: Lycopersicon esculentum
First on the list of fall garden vegetables for Texas, tomatoes withstand the lingering warmth of the season and thrive in the state’s sunny and hot climate, producing juicy, flavorful fruits that can be enjoyed in salads, sauces, and various culinary delights.
Learn Secrets to Growing Tomatoes in Containers here
2. Spinach
Botanical Name: Spinacia oleracea
Spinach is a great choice for Texas’s fall gardens, as it thrives in cooler temperatures and can tolerate mild frosts, making it ideal for the state’s climate. Its tender leaves provide a delicious and nutritious addition to salads, soups, and various dishes.
Learn Growing Spinach in Containers here
3. Cauliflower
Botanical Name: Brassica oleracea var. botrytis
In Texas, if you’re planting in the fall, you’d typically plant the seeds or seedlings in August till early September if you’re in a cooler zone. In warmer zones (USDA 9 to 10a), you can plant caulfilower as late as mid October.
Learn about Growing Cauliflower in Containers here
4. Carrots
Botanical Name: Daucus carota subsp. sativus
Carrots thrive as one of the best fall vegetables in Texas, with their sweet and crunchy roots perfect for a variety of dishes. Just like turnips, they can handle some shade, but they really love a lot of sunlight, water, and good soil to grow well.
Here’s everything you need to know about growing carrots
5. Onions
Botanical Name: Allium cepa
Onions are an excellent choice for fall gardens in Texas, as these root vegetables prefer the cooler temperatures and shorter daylight hours of the season to develop their bulbs. The state’s diverse climate, ranging from mild to colder regions, is perfect this time for their growth.
Learn Everything About Growing Onions In Pots here
6. Radish
Botanical Name: Raphanus sativus
In Texas, radishes can be planted from late winter to spring for a spring harvest and from late summer to fall for a fall harvest. It’s often possible to plant successive crops every 2-3 weeks for a continuous harvest, making them one of the great fall garden vegetables for Texas!
Here is Everything About Growing Radishes In Containers & Pots
7. Cabbage
Botanical Name: Brassica oleracea var. capitata
If you’re planting in the fall, you’d typically plant the seedlings in September to November, and then harvest in January to March. If you’re planting in late winter/early spring, you would typically plant in January to February and then harvest in April to May.
Here is How to Grow Cabbage in Pots
8. Garlic
Botanical Name: Allium sativum
Next on the list of fall garden vegetables for Texas, garlic benefits from the cooler temperatures and mild climate during this season. Planting garlic in the fall allows it to develop strong roots and yields flavorful bulbs.
Check These 9 Garlic Growing Hacks and Never Buy Garlic Again
9. Turnip
Botanical Name: Brassica rapa subsp. rapa
In Texas, turnips are typically planted from late summer to fall for a fall/winter harvest or late winter to early spring for a spring harvest. They tolerate frost but should be harvested before the ground freezes in winter or before the heat of summer sets in.
Here is How to Grow Turnips in Containers
10. Lettuce
Botanical Name: Lactuca sativa
Lettuce is a cool-season crop, and it generally thrives in cooler temperatures, making it suitable for planting in the fall and early spring in Texas. Fall provides a great opportunity to grow lettuce as the temperatures begin to cool down after the hot summer months.
Find How to Harvest Lettuce So that It Keeps Growing here
11. Kale
Botanical Name: Brassica oleracea var. sabellica
Like lettuce, kale loves the slightly cool weather of fall too. Autumn provides an ideal growing environment for kale in Texas, as the climate starts to cool down after the hot summer.
Here’s How to Plant Kale in Containers
12. Beets
Botanical Name: Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris Conditiva Group
Last, on the list of fall garden vegetables for Texas, you can grow beets in both spring and fall. However, fall is a better time because the beets grown then are sweeter and more tender compared to those grown in spring.
