Question: How do I time things for my fall plantings?

Answer: Know the number of days each of your crops will take until you can make your first harvest. Usually that time will be described in the seed catalog or on transplants’ labels. Allow that much time plus 4 to 6 weeks for peak harvest in fall’s cooling weather conditions. Because the average date of the first freeze varies so much north-to-south in Texas, it would be impractical to try to list every crop’s planting date. Tomatoes will be the first, however. Set transplants out around June 20 for the Panhandle, by July 1 along the Red River, by July 10 in Central Texas and by late July in South Texas. Almost all fall vegetable plantings will be finished by September 1 except in deep South Texas.