Central Texas Vegetable Planting Calendar: What to Plant Each Month
Central Texas has two strong vegetable-growing seasons, several short transition windows, and a long stretch of summer heat. Planting at the right time matters as much as choosing the right crop: a tomato set out too late in spring may reach flowering just as nights become too warm, while broccoli planted too early in fall may struggle before cooler weather arrives.
This Lockhart-area reference is based on the January 2025 Travis County Vegetable Planting Guide and the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension monthly gardening calendar for Austin and Central Texas. The original chart distinguishes ideal and marginal planting periods. The table below translates those visual bands into practical month-level windows.
Use this as a planning guide, not a guarantee. Lockhart and Caldwell County gardens can warm, cool, and freeze on different dates than Austin weather stations. Soil temperature, elevation, wind exposure, shade, rainfall, variety, and the current forecast can move a planting date forward or backward.
How to read the calendar
- Best window means the AgriLife chart identifies most or all of that period as ideal.
- Marginal window means planting may still work, but weather and variety selection become more important.
- When a crop is labeled transplant, set out a healthy young plant rather than direct-sowing it in the garden.
- Broad month ranges are intentionally conservative. Consult the original PDF for the week-by-week visual bars.
Complete Central Texas vegetable planting calendar
| Crop | Best planting window | Marginal or secondary window |
|---|---|---|
| Artichoke | Crowns: January–February; transplants: September–October | Early November |
| Asparagus (crowns) | January–February | Early March |
| Beans, fava | Mid-January–early February; October–November | Early January, late February, late September, late November |
| Beans, bush, pole, and lima | March–April; August–September | Late February, May, late July, late September |
| Beets | Mid-January–February; mid-September–mid-November | Early January, early March, early September, late November–December |
| Broccoli (transplants) | Mid-January–February; mid-September–October | Early January, early March, early September, early November |
| Brussels sprouts (transplants) | January; mid-September–October | Early February, early September, early November |
| Cabbage (transplants) | Mid-January–February; mid-September–October | Early January, early March, early September, early November |
| Carrots | Mid-January–February; mid-September–mid-November | Early January, early March, early September, late November–December |
| Cauliflower (transplants) | Mid-January–February; mid-September–October | Early January, early March, early September, early November |
| Collards (seed or transplants) | Mid-January–February; mid-September–November | Early January, early March, early September, December |
| Corn | March–April; late June–July | Early May and the edges of the summer window |
| Cucumber | March–May; mid-August–early September | June–July and mid-September |
| Eggplant (transplants) | Mid-March–mid-May; July–early August | Early March, late May–June, and late August |
| Garlic (cloves) | October–mid-November | Late September and late November |
| Greens, cool season | Mid-January–February; October–November | Early January, March, late September, and December |
| Greens, warm season | April–July | Late March and August |
| Kale (seed or transplants) | Mid-January–February; mid-September–November | Early January, early March, early September, and December |
| Kohlrabi (seed or transplants) | Mid-January–February; mid-September–October | Early January, early March, early September, and early November |
| Leeks (transplants) | January–mid-February; October | Late February, September, and November |
| Lettuce (seed or transplants) | Mid-January–early March; October–November | Early January, late March, September, and December |
| Melons: cantaloupe and honeydew | Mid-March–May | Early March and June |
| Mustard (seed or transplants) | Mid-January–early March; mid-September–November | Early January, late March, early September, and December |
| Okra | April–July | Late March and early August |
| Onions, bulbing | Transplants: January–mid-February; seed: October | Early January, late February, and early November |
| Onions, green | Mid-January–mid-February; October–November | Early January, late February, September, and December |
| Peas: English, snap, and snow | Mid-January–February; late September–October | Early January, September, and November–December |
| Peas, Southern | April–July | Late March and early August |
| Peppers (transplants) | Mid-March–May; July–early August | Early March, June, and late August |
| Potato, Irish (seed potatoes) | Mid-January–mid-February; August | Early January, late February, and early September |
| Potato, sweet (slips) | April–June | March and early July |
| Pumpkin | March–June | Early July |
| Radish | Mid-January–March; mid-September–November | Early January, early April, early September, and December |
| Spinach (seed or transplants) | Mid-January–mid-February; October–November | Early January, late February, September, and December |
| Squash, summer | March–April; mid-August–early September | May–July and mid-September |
| Squash, winter | March–June | Early July |
| Swiss chard (seed or transplants) | Mid-January–March; mid-September–November | Early January, April, early September, and December |
| Tomatoes (transplants) | March–mid-April; July–August | Late February, late April, late June, and early September |
| Turnips | Mid-January–early March; mid-September–November | Early January, late March, early September, and December |
| Watermelon | Mid-March–May | Early March and June |
Quick month-by-month view
January
Plant onions, peas, potatoes, roots, cool-season greens, and brassica transplants. This is also a good time for asparagus crowns and artichokes.
February
Continue cool-season crops early in the month. Begin hardening warm-season transplants, but keep frost protection ready.
March
Transition toward beans, corn, cucumbers, squash, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, melons, and watermelon as soil and air temperatures warm.
April
The main warm-season window is open. Plant okra, Southern peas, sweet potatoes, warm-season greens, and remaining summer vegetables.
May
Finish many spring plantings before intense heat arrives. Heat-loving okra, Southern peas, sweet potatoes, and warm-season greens remain strong choices.
June
Focus on heat-tolerant crops. Start fall tomato seed early in the month if you plan to set out transplants in July.
July
Plant pumpkins for fall, continue okra and Southern peas, and begin the second tomato, pepper, and eggplant window with protection from afternoon sun.
August
Plant the last fast-maturing beans, cucumbers, and summer squash. Start brassicas, kale, chard, and other fall crops for transplanting.
September
Set out fall brassicas and greens, sow root crops, and begin snap and snow peas late in the month.
October
Plant garlic, onions, cool-season greens, peas, roots, and brassicas. October is also an excellent month for trees, shrubs, perennials, and wildflower seed.
November
Succession-sow roots and greens; plant fava beans and cool-season herbs. Add strawberries and protect tender crops from the first freeze.
December
Continue hardy greens and protected winter crops. Start brassica flats for January transplanting and plan for Irish potato planting in late winter.
Adjust for frost and weather
The AgriLife chart lists 10-year average first and last frost dates that vary even within the Austin area: Camp Mabry averages a February 20 last frost and December 1 first frost, Austin-Bergstrom March 5 and November 13, and Austin Great Hills February 25 and November 27. That spread shows why a single date cannot fit every Central Texas garden.
Watch the local forecast, check soil moisture and temperature, and keep notes from year to year. Fast-maturing varieties are useful for short spring and fall windows. For detailed variety suggestions, see the Travis County Vegetable Varieties for Central Texas.
If you need help turning the calendar into a plan for your space, request gardening assistance from the Lockhart Gardening Collective.
