Dallas Fruit and Vegetable Grower

Fall Planting Times for Dallas and North Texas

 

 

The following is a seed starting schedule for the Dallas area from John Jeavons' outstanding book How to Grow More Vegetables.

This schedule assumes an average first frost date of November 13th.  Note that this is an average date, and different sources claim an average frost date of anywhere from November 11th through November 30th for the Dallas / Forth Worth area.

Here is a link to a useful Interactive Map showing first and last frost dates.

If you are outside of Dallas, adjust the dates accordingly.

 

July 1st

Plant seeds in garden for:

pumpkins (assuming 120 day maturity)

winter squash

 

July 1st - 15th

Start seedlings for:

fall tomatoes (assuming 75-100 day maturity)

 

August 1st

Plant seeds in garden for final corn planting (assuming 100 day maturity) 

Start seeds for:

parsnips

 

August 14th (14 weeks before first frost)

Start seeds for:

broccoli

cabbage

lettuce

chard

brussels sprouts

cauliflower

You are probably better off starting the forgoing indoors and then transplanting them later, but you must slowly harden them before transplanting.  Nevertheless, I am a lazy gardener and prefer to just take my chances by direct sowing them into the garden with regular waterings for germination.

fennel

parsley

cilantro

 

August 28st (11 weeks before first frost)

Start seed for:

peas

carrots

spinach

kale

kohlrabi

fava beans (for fall harvest)

 

September 18th (8 weeks before first frost)

Start seeds:

radishes

 

September 25th (7 weeks before first frost) 

Start seeds:

beets

 

October 1st-October 15th

Plant strawberry crowns for Spring

Plant potted fruit bushes

 

October 15th

Plant:

garlic cloves (for spring harvest)

shallots (for spring harvest) 

onions (for spring harvest)

fava beans (grown as a cover crop)

 

Late December after numerous frosts

Harvest horseradish after numerous frosts.  Divide the roots using the largest to make horseradish sauce.  Transplant smaller roots for next year.

 

The items in red are not listed in John Jeavons' How to Grow More Vegetables.

Some of these vegetables like beets and radishes can be succession planted.

Remember, when you are starting seeds directly in the garden. you need to supply steady, daily moisture to these seeds for them to germinate and thrive.  Also remember to consider the soil depth for the particular variety of vegetable when planting and mulching.

March Gardening To Do List

This gardening to-do list is focused on zone 8, but it should also be somewhat germane for zones 7 and 9.  (The photo above is of a peach blossom)

Plant fruit trees and shrubs - bare-rooted plants should be planted by the end of  the first half of the month.  Potted plants can be planted the entire month.

Plant trees and shrubs that are potted.

Fruit trees can be pruned before the buds begin to bloom (wait until after fruiting for the fruit bushes)

You are running out of time to prune shade and ornamental trees.  Ideally, pruning should be completed before the trees and bushes start to leaf out.

Clear out dead foliage of last year's perennials such as turk's cap.  I do not cut back the bare stems of hydrangeas.

Spring flowering plants can be pruned after they finish blooming, e.g. carolina jessamine, wisteria, lady banksia roses, spirea, forsythia, flowering quince.

Continue vegetable seeds and transplant per the following schedule - Planting Schedule.  Finish cool season vegetable plantings.  You can begin planting warm season vegetables after the last frost date, which is approximately March 20th in Dallas.  Visit the following site for last frost dates - Interactive Map.  You will want to wait until the soil warms up further for some vegetables like sweet corn and peppers.

If you did not fertilize in February, fertilize lawn and beds with organic fertilizer. 

If you did not do so in February, add compost and topdress mulch.

After the last frost date, begin spraying fruit and vegetables with compost tea or Garrett Juice mixture.  I try to spray every other week with a backpack sprayer, but it is not necessary to spray this frequently.  (This year, I am going to experiment with a mixture including Garrett Juice, Seaweed extract, Bt additive (for caterpillers and pests), garlic juice (insects), and actinovate (prevent fireblight and other fungus) -- I'll report back as to how it does).

In the first part of March, spread diatomaceous earth around your strawberry plants to deter slugs and pill bugs.

You can continue to plant cold weather annuals - e.g. petunias, pansies, pinks, alyssum, etc.  After the last frost date, you can begin planting warm weather annuals.

Even after the average last frost date, keep an eye on the forecast for any unexpected late freezes.  Be prepared to water your tender, warm weather transplants before the frost hits.  Be prepared to cover those tender transplants with frost cloth or some other type of covering.

After the last frost date, begin sowing beneficial insects if you do not have an existing, abundant population.  Ladybugs, green lacewings, praying mantids, trichogramma wasps, beneficial nematodes, etc.

Prepare for the birds.  Get your Eastern Screech Owl and Barn Owl houses up.  Put out the goldfinch feeders with thistle.  At the end of March, get your hummingbird feeders out in case there are any early visitors.  Get your purple martin house up and ready for the scouts.

Cut back and trim groundcover in the first part of the month, if necessary.

Late March is a good time to put down sod.

Water as needed.  March is the rainy season, so only infrequent watering should be necessary.

** The Organic Manual, Howard Garrett (Tapestry Press 2002).

February Gardening To Do List

This gardening to-do list is focused on zone 8 and further south, but it should also be germane for zone 7.

Plant fruit trees and shrubs - bare-root and potted

Prune fruit trees (wait until after fruiting for the fruit bushes)

Prune shade and ornamental trees, along with bush form roses and evergreen plants

Start vegetable seeds and transplant per the following schedule - Planting Schedule.

Transplant any plants, shrubs, or trees needing to be moved.

Fertilize lawn and beds with organic fertilizer. 

Add compost and topdress mulch.

Test ph for blueberry beds.  Take measures to acidify the soil with sulfur or acidified mulch if necessary

Water as needed.  Frequent watering will not be necessary, but don't let your beds completely dry out.

Plant cold weather annuals - e.g. petunias, pansies, pinks, alyssum, etc.

** The Organic Manual, Howard Garrett (Tapestry Press 2002).