Texas Vegetable Planting Guide Fall – What to Plant in August in Texas

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The truth of the matter is that you can grow a spring garden and a fall garden in the majority of Texas gardens, but fall gardens are designed to be harvested in the fall before the first frost, not planted in the fall. 

That does not mean that you cannot plant anything in august, in Texas. During those dog days of summer when the heat is so intense you could fry an egg on the sidewalk you can plant garlic. Actually, garlic likes to be planted in late summer and early fall so that it will be ready to harvest in the very early spring.

So our Texas vegetable planting guide fall – what to plant in August in Texas; is actually going to tell you what crops to plant after you harvest your spring garden, so you can harvest the second crops in the fall of the year.

Don’t miss another similar article: Best Vegetables to Grow in Texas.

Best fall crops for Texas Gardeners

vegetable planting guide for Texas
  • Peas 
texas fall planting guide

Peas such as purple hulls, blackeye peas, crowders and zipper creams

Once you have harvested your spring peas until the plants are starting to no longer bloom and produce you can till those plants under and replant another crop of peas. This works well in northern Texas and central Texas, and if the heat is not too intense you can do this in southern Texas

  • Pumpkins and Fall Squash 
texas fall gardening

You actually plant pumpkin seeds in May in order to be harvesting pumpkins in the fall of the year. The weather will be hot when you plant these seeds or seedlings so make sure you provide your young plants with plenty of water until they establish a good root system.

  • Sweet Potatoes
when to plant broccoli in texas

Sweet potatoes are a fall crop. When you dig your regular red or Irish potatoes you want to plow your rows and put your sweet potato settings in the ground. Before the first frost hits the potatoes will be ready to dig, but you need to age a sweet potato before it will develop that wonderfully sweet taste. Place your sweet potatoes in a dark dry place, like under your house, or in a root cellar, and allow them to age for several months. The potatoes need air to be able to circulate around them in order to stop them from rotting before they sweeten to perfection.

  • Peanuts 
texas a&m vegetable planting guide

When you dig your potatoes it is also time to plant your peanuts. This fall crop will produce nuts that can feed your family or your livestock. You can pull your peanuts and hang them over the fence to dry unless you have cows or goats on the other side of that fence. When your peanuts are dry you will want to store them in mesh bags like the one crawfish or potatoes come in and keep them in a cool dry place until you are ready to roast them. Do NOT boil your peanuts, this is Texas, not Georgia.

  • Red Potatoes
Fall Vegetable Planting Guide

In the northern portion of Texas, and in the central portion of Texas you can often get two crops of red or Irish potatoes to grow before the first frost hits. This is due to the fact that the temperatures in the central and northern portions of the state are often quite moderate.

  • Greens
Fall green vegetables planting guide in Texas

You can plant more than one planting of turnip greens and mustard greens in Texas. Greens will continue to grow and produce until the first frost as long as you give them adequate amounts of water and the proper amount of fertilizer. Remember that when the outside air temperatures are hotter than a two-dollar pistol you want to put less fertilizer on your plants at one time.

  • Strawberries
texas vegetable planting

You need to plant your strawberries between October and November. You need to create a protective barrier for the young plants by gently covering them in straw, pine straw, or mulch. You want the covering to be loose and not packed. When springtime comes you will remove the protective covering and allow your berries to get the benefits of the warm sun. By Easter, you should be picking and eating some red ripe fruit.

Final Thoughts

Fall gardens give you the opportunity to have a few more vegetables to store in the pantry or root cellar so that you make it through the winter. Fall squash is one of my favorite things to plant because they add so much color and flavor to my fall and winter recipes.

If you are in south Texas and you plan on making syrup next year then plant your sugar cane in the fall so you have plenty come syrup making time. If you don’t want to make the syrup you can still grow some cane and give it to the children to chew on.

William Richmond
William Richmond
A Born Texan! Who loves to write about Texas. By profession, he is the owner of a big ranch having 4 children and a gorgeous wife.

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