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littleum

Fall gardens for Texas?

littleum
14 years ago

When should I start thinking about my fall garden down here in Dallas? Our last frost date is usually late November.

I'd like to try starting things from seed- if I'm doing my novice math right, I should probably start things like tomatoes and peppers now... I'd like to try lettuce, but it can stay pretty warm here through October.

Help. I'm so confused. ;)

Comments (10)

  • west_texas_peg
    14 years ago

    I use this link to decide when to plant.

    Here is a link that might be useful: This link might be helpful for your area

  • shebear
    14 years ago

    Yep it's time. Eggplant too. Lettuce and spinach will be much later.

  • cyrus_gardner
    14 years ago

    Eggplant and tomato for fall crop?!

    You can plant them as second round for late summer, but I think that is not equivalent to fall garden or crop.

  • littleum
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    I'm a bit confused by some of the terminology on the link.

    July 1 Â July 25
    Â Eggplant (transplants)
    Â Pepper, Hot
    Â Pepper, Sweet Bell
    Â Pepper, Sweet Salad
    Â Tomato

    For the items not noted as transplants, is it generally assumed that is from seed? Or from suckers? Or...?

  • eternalife
    14 years ago

    I live in N. Dallas (Frisco) and have successfully grown lettuce (red sails), spinach, carrots and potatoes.

  • suburbangreen
    14 years ago

    I live in Plano and grow a Fall garden. I believe they are easier than Spring gardens. The plant out dates for tomatoes and peppers are talking about transplants. So if you start from seed you should start them in the next couple weeks to transplant in mid July. I carry my peppers over from Spring, but start my tomatoes from seed for Fall.

    I've found lettuce and Spinach are tough to start when temps are still high. I start my first lettuce indoors and direct seed some later in the season. Beans and cucumbers germinate easily in the heat. If you can, try to provide shade when you direct seed in the summer until the seeds germinate and get going. Also be sure to heavily mulch after the plants are up.

    Once you get the Fall garden going and make it into mid September, it's pretty much hands off. We even have some decent rains in the Fall. I love Fall gardening. Another positive thing about Fall gardens here is that most of the lettuce and greens overwinter and come back for Spring.

    Pete

    http://plantanswers.tamu.edu/fallgarden/falldirect.html

    http://www.nhg.com/pdf/NTxVegPlanting_fall.pdf

  • littleum
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Thanks for the feedback!

    Why don't you try to carry your tomatos over? I've heard mixed things on this- some sources say they'll just start producing when the weather cools off, others say they'll die. Does it just depend on the variety?

  • shebear
    14 years ago

    If my tomato plants have started losing leaves from the bottom up, I pull them and start over. If they are all green then I carry them over. Trying to "save" a weak plant makes no sense if you have the forethought to have strong seedlings available.

    As I've said before, I'm growing veggies, not saving plants. It's an annual........let it go. Besides weak plants attract insects and I don't need any more insects.

  • littleum
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Got it. :)

    I'm in containers, so I'm inclined to rip things out and replace them in the name of space.

  • west_texas_peg
    14 years ago

    Last Fall I trimmed back Ponderosa Pink tomato and it came back out and was blooming just before our first frost. I moved it to my enclosed porch and it grew to 6' or so and produced tomatoes this past Winter.

    I have been taking cuttings from my tomatoes and have 16 nice sized plants I can plant for a Fall garden, although I expect I just might have plants that last til frost as I have in the past.

    Good luck with your Fall garden...I need to plant more Kohlrabi...grew it this Spring but the Harlequin beetles attack it and I had to harvest early. Hubby really like it so I need to plant more when the weather cools.

    Peggy