My 85-year-old grandpa has spent a lifetime gardening in North Texas. I have been involved in gardening since I was 14. But whenever I went to meet my grandpa during the summer holidays, I could not take my eyes away from his garden. He could grow green vegetables, flowers, and herbs at the same time even in the unpredictable Texas weather. With his wisdom and my own gardening experiences, I have created a list of plants that we can plant in October in North Texas. (Each plant is handpicked considering the North Texas's current climate changes) As fall starts at this time you can also consider this article as the North Texas Fall Gardening Guide.
You can also check North Texas Complete Year-Round Planting Calendar and Guide
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If you somehow missed planting in October, it is better to check my November planting Guide for North Texas
You can witness cooler mornings and warm afternoons so we need to be wise in choosing the perfect plants at any specific time of the year.
If you want to see the list offline you can download the list of plants from here:
October Planting Calendar for North Texas
The zones are 6b to 8a in North Texas. So on the basis of zones and current climate, we need to choose plants that we can plant in October.
To make our list neat and clean, I will divide this list into three parts.
- Leafy Greens.
- Vegetables and roots.
- Herbs.
- Flowers.
- Cover Crops.
Leafy Greens
| Plant Name | Sowing Method | Expected Harvest Time |
|---|---|---|
| Spinach | Direct Sowing | 40-50 Days |
| Swiss Chard | Transplanting | 50-60 Days |
| Kale | Direct Sowing or Transplanting | 55-65 Days |
| Collard Greens | Direct Sowing or Transplanting | 60-75 Days |
| Mustard Greens | Direct Sowing | 40-50 Days |
| Romaine Lettuce | Transplanting | 60-70 Days |
| Butterhead Lettuce | Transplanting | 55-65 Days |
| Arugula | Direct Sowing | 30-40 Days |
| Mizuna | Direct Sowing | 35-45 Days |
| Endive | Transplanting | 50-60 Days |
| Radicchio | Transplanting | 80-90 Days |
| Watercress | Transplanting | 40-50 Days |
| Tatsoi | Direct Sowing | 30-45 Days |
| Bok Choy | Direct Sowing or Transplanting | 40-50 Days |
| Leaf Lettuce | Direct Sowing | 30-40 Days |
These leafy greens perform well in October and you do not have to work hard for the maintenance in North Texas.
You might face hornworms in your garden, You can check how to get rid of hornworms in your garden.
You can see I have separated Leafy Greens with Direct sowing and Transplanting. But you can also do direct sowing for all of those. However, I witnessed that sowing and transplanting work differently for different leafy greens.
Vegetables and Roots
The vegetables and roots are carefully selected based on their suitability for North Texas in October. If you think I missed anything you can do let me know in the comment section. However, I missed a few veggies intentionally as I tried to pick the best ones.
| Plant Name | Sowing Method | Expected Harvest Time |
|---|---|---|
| Carrots | Direct Sowing | 60-80 Days |
| Beets | Direct Sowing | 50-70 Days |
| Turnips | Direct Sowing | 40-60 Days |
| Radishes | Direct Sowing | 25-35 Days |
| Broccoli | Transplanting | 70-100 Days |
| Cauliflower | Transplanting | 60-90 Days |
| Cabbage | Transplanting | 60-100 Days |
| Brussels Sprouts | Transplanting | 90-120 Days |
| Garlic | Direct Sowing | 8-9 Months |
| Onions | Transplanting | 6-7 Months |
| Shallots | Direct Sowing or Transplanting | 90-120 Days |
| Leeks | Transplanting | 100-120 Days |
| Peas | Direct Sowing | 60-70 Days |
| Fava Beans | Direct Sowing | 75-85 Days |
| Spinach (again for roots) | Direct Sowing | 40-50 Days |
Herbs
| Plant Name | Sowing Method | Expected Harvest Time |
|---|---|---|
| Cilantro | Direct Sowing | 30-40 Days |
| Parsley | Direct Sowing or Transplanting | 70-90 Days |
| Dill | Direct Sowing | 40-60 Days |
| Chives | Transplanting | 80-90 Days |
| Thyme | Transplanting | 75-90 Days |
| Sage | Transplanting | 75-85 Days |
| Oregano | Transplanting | 80-90 Days |
| Mint | Transplanting | 60-70 Days |
| Tarragon | Transplanting | 70-90 Days |
| Fennel | Direct Sowing or Transplanting | 60-90 Days |
| Marjoram | Transplanting | 70-85 Days |
| Rosemary | Transplanting | 80-100 Days |
| Lavender | Transplanting | 90-120 Days |
| Basil | Transplanting | 60-75 Days |
| Sorrel | Direct Sowing or Transplanting | 60-70 Days |
Most of the herbs on my list to plant in October in North Texas demand sunlight. So plant in a place where it can get 6 hours a day of direct sunlight.
In October, it will be mild cold but you can face heavy cold unexpectedly. So be ready for that and always keep something to cover your tender herb plants in sudden frost.
Tip: Pinching back herbs will encourage the growth and herbs will go bushier.
Flowers
For flowers, I am adding blooming time and if the plant is perennial or annual.
| Plant Name | Sowing Method | Expected Bloom Time | Annual or Perennial |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pansies | Transplanting | 6-8 Weeks | Annual |
| Snapdragons | Transplanting | 8-10 Weeks | Annual |
| Violas | Transplanting | 6-8 Weeks | Annual |
| Calendula | Direct Sowing | 6-8 Weeks | Annual |
| Dianthus | Transplanting | 8-10 Weeks | Perennial (often grown as an annual) |
| Sweet Alyssum | Direct Sowing or Transplanting | 6-8 Weeks | Annual |
| Stock | Transplanting | 8-12 Weeks | Annual |
| Petunias | Transplanting | 8-10 Weeks | Annual |
| Marigolds | Direct Sowing or Transplanting | 6-8 Weeks | Annual |
| Foxglove | Transplanting | 12-14 Weeks | Biennial (often treated as perennial) |
| Larkspur | Direct Sowing | 10-12 Weeks | Annual |
| Primrose | Transplanting | 8-10 Weeks | Perennial |
| Delphinium | Transplanting | 12-14 Weeks | Perennial |
| Sweet Peas | Direct Sowing | 8-12 Weeks | Annual |
| Forget-Me-Nots | Direct Sowing | 10-12 Weeks | Biennial (often grown as annual) |
I have only written the flower plant names. But all the plants have a lot of varieties. Some of them can perform well in warm and some perform well in cooler weather. As you are going to plant in October choose the varieties that can do well in cooler climates. (Varieties like pansies, snapdragons, and violas are ideal for this time.)
Do not forget to remove the spent flowers from the plant if you want more blooms.
I recommend reading my article: Flowering plants to grow indoors in North Texas.
Cover Crops
| Plant Name | Sowing Method | Expected Growth Time | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimson Clover | Direct Sowing | 60-90 Days | Annual Legume |
| Hairy Vetch | Direct Sowing | 90-120 Days | Annual Legume |
| Winter Rye | Direct Sowing | 90-120 Days | Annual Grass |
| Field Peas | Direct Sowing | 60-90 Days | Annual Legume |
| Oats | Direct Sowing | 90-120 Days | Annual Grass |
| Barley | Direct Sowing | 90-120 Days | Annual Grass |
| Mustard Greens | Direct Sowing | 60-90 Days | Annual Brassica |
| Rutabaga | Direct Sowing | 90-100 Days | Biennial (grown as annual) |
| Turnips | Direct Sowing | 40-60 Days | Annual Brassica |
| Fava Beans | Direct Sowing | 75-85 Days | Annual Legume |
These crops will increase the soil health so if possible choose at least 2 of these and plant them in your garden. You can see the benefits clearly.
Note: All cover crops are sown directly into the soil.
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