With the third hottest summer on record and a week full of 100-degree-plus temperatures forecast, there is hardly any motivation to get out and dig in the garden. But cooler temperatures are around the corner and if you wait until the first cool front to arrive, you'll have waited too long to start your fall garden.
Temperature lows in Central Texas are in the 70s and with an occasional breeze, it's perfectly fine weather to get out and do some preparation. The first thing to tackle is the removal of the spring and summer vegetation that did not do well or has quit producing. If you want to create a compost program, don't throw this material away.
What to Plant
Planting guides base their planting dates on regions of the country, called zones. Most Central Texas counties are located in Texas Region III or USDA Hardiness Zone 8. While knowing which zone your garden is in will not guarantee a bountiful harvest, it will stack the cards in your favor.
If the dates recommended below for seeding have already passed, switch over to hardy transplants that already have grown past the seedling stage. The chart reflects average planting dates and has no bearing on how successful the production will be.
If you are concerned about whether there will be enough time for the plants to produce before a frost arrives, you may want to choose frost tolerant varieties (FT) and stay away from the frost susceptible (FS) crops. Fall vegetables can be categorized in long-term versus short-term crops. These are dependent on the first hard frost and how well the plant varieties can tolerate the cold. The first frost arrives in Central Texas usually just before or just after Halloween, October 31. Quick maturing crops produce within 30 - 60 days, moderate within 60 - 80 days and slow take 80 days or more.
| Vegetables | Region III | Type | Maturity |
| Beans, snap bush | Sep 1 | transplants | quick |
| Beets | Oct 15 | seeds | |
| Broccoli | Sep 1 | transplants | moderate |
| Brussels sprouts | Sep 1 | transplants | slow |
| Cabbage | Sep 1 | transplants | slow |
| Carrots | Nov 10 | seeds | moderate |
| Cauliflower | Sep 1 | transplants | slow |
| Chard, Swiss | Oct 1 | seeds | |
| Collards | Oct 10 | seeds | |
| Cucumber | Sep 1 | transplants | moderate |
| Eggplant | Jul 1 | transplants | slow |
| Garlic (cloves) | Oct | seeds | slow |
| Kohlrabi | Sep 10 | transplants | moderate |
| Lettuce, leaf | Oct 10 | seeds | quick |
| Mustard | Nov 1 | seeds | quick |
| Parsley | Oct 10 | moderate | |
| Pepper | Jul 1 | transplants | moderate |
| Radish | Nov 25 | seeds | quick |
| Spinach | Nov 15 | seeds | quick |
| Squash, summer | Sep 10 | transplants | quick |
| Squash, winter | Aug 10 | transplants | slow |
| Tomato | Jul 1 | transplants | moderate |
| Turnip | Nov 1 | seeds | quick |
It's difficult to imagine planting seeds in above-100 temperatures and if you buy plants, they'll need constant attention until the heat wave passes. Be sure you water often and you should be able to enjoy the bounty in a couple of months. After all, this is the third hottest summer on record.
