Plants
Plant | Spring | Fall | Varieties | Space in Row | Space Between Rows | Days to Harvest | Special Notes | ||
Seed Date | Transplant Date | Seed Date | Transplant Date | ||||||
Artichoke | n/a | 3/15 – 4/15 | n/a | n/a | 3′ | 4′ | 100 days | Perennials, like asparagusWater 3x/day in heat of summer
Harvest w/ a knife when bud appears |
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Asparagus | n/a | 2/2 – 2/16 | n/a | n/a | 2 year crown:Martha Washington,
Jersey |
2′ | 2′ | 1 year | Fertilize w/Nitrogen 2x a year2″ water each week |
Beets | 2/2 – 2/16 | 9/11 – 9/15 | Detroit RedTouchstone Gold
Chioggia |
15 seeds per foot | 18″ | 52 days | |||
Bok Choi | 2/2 – 2/16 | 9/1 – 11/28 | 18″ | 30″ | 75-90 days | ||||
Broccoli,Brokali | 1/2 – 1/30 | 2/2 – 2/28 | 7/15 – 8/15 | 8/20 – 9/15 | DividendGreen Comet
Pack Man |
16″ | 2′ | 60 days | Start seeds indoors; transplant onlyBetter success in Fall |
Brussel Sprouts | n/a | n/a | 7/20 | 8/20 – 9/15 | DiabloJade Cross
Royal Marvel Tasty Nugget |
2′ | 2′ | 100 days | Harder to grow in Texas; recommend Fall only |
Cabbage | 2/2 – 2/16 | 9/1 – 11/28 | 18″ | 30″ | 75-90 days | ||||
Cantaloupe | 4/1 – 5/1 | 7/1 – 8/1 | AmbrosiaIsraeli
Rocky Ford Hale’s Best |
2′ | 6′ | 75 days | Don’t water 2 weeks before harvesting | ||
Carrots | 12/15 – 12/31 | 2/2 – 2/16 | 7/10 – 9/30 | 8/25 – 10/15 | Danver 126 | 70 days | Seeds take 21 days to germinate–shallow, constant moistureLove earthworm castings
Cut tops off to store |
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Corn | 3/16 – 4/27 | 8/1 – 8/25 | Golden Bantam 12 Row | 73 days | |||||
Cucumber | 3/20 – 5/1 | 8/1 – 8/15 | BurplessArmenian Long
MarketMore 76 Straight 8 |
1′ | 3′ – 5′ | 50 days | Pick a little bit of stem–stay fresh longerDon’t pick when wet | ||
Dry Beans | 3/16 – 4/13 | 8/1 – 8/25 | Place dried beans from store between wet paper towels in dark for 2-3 days; plant those that sproutedPole only–need trellis
Can eat as green beans, or as soft (fresh) hulled beans, or as dried beans |
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Eggplant | 3/30 – 4/27 | n/a | n/a | Asian/Oriental varieties | 2′ | 2′ | 65 days | Beware of sun scorchHarvest w/ scissors | |
Garlic | n/a | n/a | 9/15 – 10/15 | 8 months | Harvest in June | ||||
Green Beans | 3/16 – 4/13 | 8/1 – 8/25 | Contender (bush)Top Crop (bush)
Blue Lake (bush) Louisiana Purple Pod (pole) Kentucky Wonder (pole) Reimers (pole) – heirloom |
55 days | Pole beans bear all season; bush have 2 bursts of output, then dieDon’t harvest when wet
Do not hot bath beans–pressure can only Blanch before freezing |
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Kale | 2/10 – 3/10 | 8/25 – 10/1 | Rugged Jack,Red Russian,
Dwarf Blue Curled |
12″ | 18″ – 30″ | 55 days | |||
Leeks | 1/10 | 2/10 – 2/25 | 8/15 | 9/15 – 10/15 | American FlagKing Richard
Lancelot |
1′ | 2′ | 100 days | Start as seedlings in house, transplant (not wet/wet) when size of pencil leadHarvest with shovel; leave in ground until needed |
Lettuce | 2/2 – 3/30 | 8/25 – 10/15 | Red SailsSimpson | 2″ | 18″ | 50 days | Harvest in the early morning | ||
Okra | 4/15 – 6/1 | n/a | n/a | EmeraldLee
Clemson Spineless |
50 days | ||||
Onion | n/a | n/a | 10/15 – 11/10 | 12/15 – 1/10 | Short-day:1015 Y or W
Granix (sweet / Vidalia) |
1″, but* | 12″ | 6 months | *Thin as green onions until 5″ apart, then grow as bulb onionsFertilize regularly with bloodmeal
Need nitrogen and well-draining soil, else will rot Bulbs are ready to harvest when 50% or more of the tops have fallen over After harvest, remove greens and sun-dry for 4-5 hours Never store onions and potatoes together |
Parsnips | 12/15 – 12/31 | 2/2 – 2/16 | 7/10 – 9/30 | 8/25 – 10/15 | 70 days | Seeds take 21 days to germinate–shallow, constant moistureLove earthworm castings
Cut tops off to store |
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Peas | 1/19 – 3/2 | 9/1 – 9/15 | 60 days | Need trellis support | |||||
Peppers | 2/15 – 3/15 | 4/1 – 5/1 | 5/15 – 6/15 | 7/1 – 8/1 | 12″ – 18″ | 2′ | Start seeds indoors; transplant onlyYellow do not do well in Texas
Harvest w/ scissors or a knife else will damage plant |
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Potato | n/a | 2/14 – 3/15 | n/a | 7/20 – 8/15 | LaSoda (best)Kennebec
Yukon Gold |
12″ | 3′ | 3 months | Cut seeds into quarters (ensure 1 eye per piece); dust pieces with sulphur and let sit 1 week. Harvest when lavender flower develops on leaves and tops start to lean |
Pumpkin | n/a | n/a | 6/15 (large)7/15 (small) | 2′ | 8′ | Actino & ActinovateKeep 3″ – 4″ of stem when harvesting | |||
Radish | 2/2 – 4/13 | 9/1 – 11/1 | Icicle | 1″ | 12″ | 25 days | |||
Spinach | 1/12* – 3/12* | 2/14 – 3/15 | 6/29* – 9/12* | 8/1 – 10/15 | In order–coolest to hottest:Bloomsdale
Melody Tyee Malobar (summer) |
4″ | 15″ | 36 days | *Soak seeds in water in fridge for 3 days before planting.Recommend starting indoors and transplanting |
Squash (both Summer and Winter | 3/21 – 5/1 | 7/15 – 8/5 | Winter squash can store for 4-6 monthsSummer 7-10 days | ||||||
Sweet Potato | n/a | 4/10 – 5/11 | n/a | n/a | Puerto RicanDon’t grow Centennial! | 18″ | 3′ | 100 days | Wet/wet plant slipsPlant with Marigolds
Leaves are edible at all times Ready to harvest when leaves go limp Lets skins toughen in sun about an hour after digging out |
Tomatillo | 4/1 – 5/1 | n/a | n/a | 2′ | 2′ | 80 days | Plant, care like tomato | ||
Tomato | 1/2 – 1/30 | 3/15 – 4/1 | 4/1 – 5/1 | 7/15 – 7/30 | BrandywineCelebrity
Carnival Merced Juliet Super Sioux BHN444 (best for canning) |
2′ | 3′ | Start seeds indoors; transplant wet/wet with the following in the hole:Soft Rock Phosphate, Worm Castings, crushed egg shells, and
Rabbit Hill Tomato & Pepper food Also Epsom Salt if in clay soil Keep leaves trimmed so never touching the ground Stake young plants; + install tall, sturdy tomato cages Use drip irrigation only–don’t get leaves wet when watering Foliar Spray with Compost Tea once a week until blooms appear; Once blooms appear, add 1 TB Liquid Kelp to compost tea, and side dress with Tomato/Pepper Food Tomatoes only bloom between 55° and 92° Do Not Compost Tomato Vines! |
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Turnip | 2/10 – 3/1 | 8/25 – 10/15 | Purple Top White Globe | 4″ | 30″ | 45 days | |||
Watermelon | 3/25 – 5/1 | 7/1 – 8/1 | Moon & StarsCrimson Sweet
Black Diamond |
2′ | 6′ | 75 days | Don’t water 2 weeks before harvesting |