What Vegetables Can I Plant in Fall in Texas? Complete 2026 Planting Guide

Nov 12, 2026by David Schulze

Fall vegetable gardening in Texas begins before the summer heat is completely gone. The trick is matching each crop to your region: tomatoes need an early start for a fall harvest, while leafy greens and root vegetables generally fit the cooler part of the season. A North Texas garden and a Lower Rio Grande Valley garden should not follow the same calendar.

Use the charts below as planning starting points, not guaranteed planting deadlines. County, elevation, soil temperature, variety and the year's weather can shift the best window. North Texas here means the north-central and northeastern gardening belt, not the colder Panhandle. South Texas includes a wide range of climates, so the Lower Rio Grande Valley dates are identified separately. Check your county Extension calendar before planting.

North Texas Fall Planting Chart

These sample windows draw on Texas A&M AgriLife's Gregg County calendar for northeastern Texas. Dallas–Fort Worth gardeners should also consult the linked North Texas calendar; colder or more exposed sites may need an earlier start.

Vegetable	Fall planting window	Method
Broccoli	August 1–September 15	Set out transplants
Cabbage	August 15–September 15	Set out transplants
Carrots	August 15–October 15	Direct sow
Beets	September 1–October 15	Direct sow
Radishes	September 15–October 15	Direct sow
Spinach	September 1–October 15	Direct sow when conditions are suitable

For comparison, the North Texas calendar places large-fruited fall tomato transplants in the June 15–July 15 window. Waiting until cool fall weather arrives is usually too late for a dependable tomato crop there.

Central Texas Fall Planting Chart

These broad planning windows summarize Extension fall-gardening guidance for the central portion of the state. They are not a single county's official calendar. Higher Hill Country gardens can freeze earlier than sheltered urban gardens; use a local calendar to narrow the dates.

Vegetable	Approximate planning window	Method
Broccoli and cabbage	September–October	Transplant established seedlings; start seed earlier
Carrots	September–November	Direct sow as seedbed conditions improve
Leaf lettuce	October–November	Sow or transplant in cooler conditions
Spinach	October–November	Direct sow in cooler soil
Mustard and turnips	October–November	Direct sow

For fall tomatoes, work backward from your local first expected frost rather than waiting for September. AgriLife recommends planting fall tomato transplants about 100 days before that frost. Start seed early enough to have sturdy plants ready for that transplant date.

South Texas Fall Planting Chart

The following windows are specifically for the Lower Rio Grande Valley, using AgriLife's regional vegetable guides. They should not be applied unchanged to San Antonio, inland South Texas or colder locations farther north.

Vegetable	Lower Rio Grande Valley window	Method or timing note
Broccoli	Start seed September–early December	Start in flats; regional guidance favors transplanting from October onward
Cabbage	September–December	Start seed and transplant on the broccoli schedule
Carrots	September 15–December 31	Direct sow
Beets	September 1–February 14	Direct sow; the regional season extends through winter
Spinach	Mid-October–mid-January	Direct sow
Swiss chard	Mid-October–January	Sow for cool-season production

A long growing season does not eliminate freeze risk. Keep suitable covers ready and follow local forecasts, especially for young seedlings and crops close to harvest.

Vegetables That Perform Best in Fall

Broccoli and cabbage: Excellent cool-season choices when planted early enough to develop before winter slows growth. Transplants help you make the most of the planting window.
Kale and collards: Productive leafy crops for cool weather. Established plants are among the better choices for cold tolerance.
Spinach and leaf lettuce: Useful for repeated salad harvests once temperatures cool. Plant smaller successions rather than one oversized planting.
Carrots, beets and turnips: Good root-crop options for a fall garden. Sow directly and thin seedlings so roots have room to develop.
Radishes and mustard: Practical choices for making use of smaller spaces and spreading harvests through the cool season.
Swiss chard: A versatile leafy vegetable that tolerates heat and light freezes, helping bridge seasonal changes.

Seed Products for Your Fall Garden

Growing your own broccoli transplants starts with choosing seed and planning ahead. These direct links take you to our seed listings, not live plants:

Read each listing's growing information and compare its maturity period with your remaining season. A variety recommendation is not a guarantee of harvest under every Texas growing condition.

How to Get a Fall Garden Established

Prepare the bed before planting, removing spent crops and weeds. Keep newly sown seedbeds consistently moist without waterlogging them. Late-summer heat can make germination and transplant establishment challenging, so pay close attention to young plants rather than relying on a calendar alone.

Distinguish seed-starting dates from transplanting dates. If a chart says to transplant broccoli in September, sowing seed that same day does not give you the same head start. For quick greens and radishes, smaller plantings every two or three weeks can spread the harvest where the local season allows.

Group frost-tolerant vegetables together so they are easier to cover. Secure frost cloth over supports before cold arrives and follow the covering manufacturer's instructions. Cold tolerance varies with variety, plant age, acclimation, wind and the duration of the freeze.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I plant tomatoes in fall in Texas?

Yes, but a fall tomato harvest usually starts with summer planting, not planting after the weather turns cool. AgriLife recommends putting fall tomato transplants in the garden about 100 days before the first expected frost. North Texas calendars commonly call for summer transplanting, while warmer southern locations can have later opportunities. Starting tomato seed late in fall is not the same as setting out a mature transplant, and tomatoes need protection from frost.

What vegetables survive a Texas winter?

Kale, collards, spinach, carrots and beets are among the better cold-tolerant choices. Cabbage, broccoli, chard, mustard and turnips can also fit a winter garden, depending on local conditions. Survival is not guaranteed during a prolonged hard freeze. Young seedlings and tender harvestable portions may need more protection than established plants, and colder North Texas sites require more caution than the Lower Rio Grande Valley.

When should I plant broccoli in Texas?

Use your region's calendar and check whether it refers to seed or transplants. The Gregg County example places fall broccoli transplants from August 1 through September 15. In the central part of the state, September into October is a useful broad planning period for transplants, subject to local guidance. In the Lower Rio Grande Valley, the regional guide gives a September–early December seed-starting period and favors transplanting from October onward. Plan seed sowing ahead of your intended transplant date.

Is November too late to start a fall garden?

Not everywhere. Parts of South Texas have planting opportunities well into winter, while a northern garden may already be nearing its first hard freeze. Choose crops and planting methods suited to the remaining season. It is generally a better time to consider suitable cool-season crops than to begin frost-tender tomatoes for an outdoor fall harvest.