Grow with confidence
Houston Vegetable Planting Calendar
Use Houston climate patterns to see this month’s garden tasks and crop-by-crop planting windows for the humid upper Texas Gulf Coast.
Plant through winter
Broccoli, lettuce, peas, carrots, radishes and leafy greens perform best from fall through early spring.
Use spring warmth
Plant tomatoes, beans, cucumbers, squash, okra and peppers early, then use fall for another warm-season planting before cool crops take over.
Restart the cool garden
Begin fall brassicas indoors and prepare beds for direct-sown roots and greens as temperatures moderate.
Local dates, crop by crop
Houston Planting Dates
Choose a season and search for a crop to see when to start seeds indoors, move plants outside, direct sow and finish planting in the Houston area.
Spring planting
Planting Dates for Spring
| Crop | Start seeds indoors | Transplant or plant outdoors | Direct sow outdoors | Last recommended planting | Shop |
|---|
No crops match that search.
Use the dates with confidence
How to Read This Calendar
Start indoors
Sow in trays under strong light. The window is timed so seedlings reach transplant size without becoming root-bound.
Transplant or plant
Harden seedlings off for about a week. Perennial crowns, sets and seed potatoes are included in this column.
Direct sow
Plant seed directly into prepared soil. Cool-season crops can begin before frost; heat-loving crops need warm soil.
Last planting
This is the practical end of the selected window—not a guarantee. Variety maturity and unusual weather can move it.
Keep soil working after harvest
Fall Cover Crop Planting Calendar
These windows are calculated from this city’s approximate first fall frost. Sow into an open bed after harvesting vegetables, then follow the selected crop’s product directions.
| Cover crop | Best for | Approx. planting window | Winter behavior |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buckwheat | Quick biomass · pollinators | Sep 29–Oct 13 | Frost-killed |
| Oats | Biomass · nutrient capture | Sep 29–Oct 27 | Usually winter-killed |
| Field Peas | Nitrogen · cool-season growth | Sep 29–Oct 27 | Often winter-killed |
| Daikon Radish | Compaction · nutrient capture | Sep 29–Oct 27 | Usually winter-killed |
| Crimson Clover | Nitrogen · pollinators | Oct 13–Oct 27 | Overwinters where adapted |
| Annual Ryegrass | Roots · erosion control | Oct 13–Nov 10 | Manage before seed set |
| Hairy Vetch | Nitrogen · spring biomass | Oct 27–Nov 10 | Overwinters in many areas |
| Cereal Rye | Erosion · weeds · biomass | Oct 27–Nov 24 | Very winter-hardy |
| Winter Wheat | Erosion · nutrient capture | Oct 27–Nov 24 | Winter-hardy |
Planting windows are planning estimates. Check the product page for seeding rate, regional adaptation, inoculation needs, and termination timing.
Houston soil checkpoints
Let Soil Temperature Be the Final Check
Calendar dates start the conversation. A simple soil thermometer helps confirm that the seedbed is actually ready.
Selected for the current planting window
Seeds to Plant Now
References: University of Texas Agriculture and Natural Resources vegetable planting guidance and approximate Texas frost dates; USDA 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map; and Open-Meteo modeled soil-temperature data. the humid upper Texas Gulf Coast contains meaningful neighborhood microclimates, so dates and live conditions are planning estimates, not guarantees.