In the garden now (2 November 2026)
Sow or plant outside
PeasLettuceSpinachKaleCabbageBroccoliCarrotsBeetsRadishesSwiss chardCilantroParsley
Start indoors
Ready to pick
TomatoesPeppersEggplantCucumbersZucchiniPumpkinsWatermelonsSweet cornGreen beansSwiss chardBasil
Coming up in the next 4 weeks
No new outdoor sowings start in the next four weeks.
Houston planting calendar
Bars show when each crop can go in and when a planting from that window is ready. The blue band is the frost season, from the average first autumn frost to the average last spring frost. Hover or tap a crop for details.
Sow indoorsSow or plant outdoorsHarvestFrost seasonToday
Swipe sideways to see the whole year →
Dates by crop
| Crop | Sow indoors | Sow / plant outdoors | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Dec 27 – Jan 31, Jun 5 – Jul 10 | Feb 21 – May 4, Jul 31 – Oct 2 plant out | May 1 – Aug 16, Sep 18 – Dec 27 |
| Pepper | Dec 30 – Feb 3, May 1 – Jun 5 | Mar 10 – May 27, Jul 10 – Sep 28 plant out | May 13 – Dec 27 |
| Eggplant (aubergine) | Jan 9 – Feb 13 | Mar 20 – Sep 25 plant out | May 22 – Dec 27 |
| Cucumber | Feb 2 – Mar 1 | Mar 2 – Oct 12 sow | Apr 25 – Dec 27 |
| Zucchini (courgette) | Jan 24 – Feb 20 | Feb 21 – Oct 16 sow | Apr 16 – Dec 27 |
| Pumpkin and winter squash | Jan 24 – Feb 20 | Feb 21 – Sep 13 sow | May 22 – Dec 27 |
| Watermelon | Feb 20 – Mar 19 | Mar 20 – Sep 21 sow | May 26 – Dec 27 |
| Sweet corn | – | Feb 6 – Sep 26 sow | May 2 – Dec 27 |
| Green beans | – | Feb 21 – May 11, Aug 8 – Oct 12 sow | Apr 20 – Jul 23, Sep 16 – Dec 27 |
| Peas | – | Oct 14 – Feb 20 sow | Dec 6 – May 10 |
| Lettuce | Aug 28 – Sep 25 | Oct 2 – Mar 16 sow | Nov 8 – May 19 |
| Spinach | – | Oct 26 – Mar 10 sow | Dec 2 – May 10 |
| Kale | Aug 13 – Sep 17 | Sep 24 – Apr 11 sow | Nov 8 – Aug 2 |
| Cabbage | Aug 6 – Sep 10 | Sep 24 – Mar 16 plant out | Nov 20 – Jun 7 |
| Broccoli | Aug 14 – Sep 18 | Oct 2 – Mar 23 plant out | Nov 20 – Jun 6 |
| Carrots | – | Sep 24 – Apr 24 sow | Nov 15 – Aug 9 |
| Beets (beetroot) | – | Sep 24 – May 1 sow | Nov 8 – Jul 25 |
| Radishes | – | Oct 14 – Mar 30 sow | Nov 4 – May 3 |
| Onions | Jul 16 – Aug 7, Oct 24 – Nov 28 | Jan 2 – May 27, Sep 24 – Oct 2 plant out | Apr 9 – Sep 5, Dec 15 – Dec 28 |
| Garlic | Garlic needs about six weeks below 10 °C to form bulbs; winters here are too mild for most varieties. | ||
| Potatoes | – | Jan 16 – Apr 25 sow | Apr 13 – Aug 14 |
| Swiss chard | – | Sep 3 – May 3 sow | Oct 14 – Oct 2 |
| Basil | Jan 27 – Feb 24 | Mar 10 – Nov 1 plant out | Apr 10 – Dec 27 |
| Cilantro (coriander) | – | Oct 14 – Mar 22 sow | Nov 13 – May 18 |
| Parsley | Jul 30 – Sep 3 | Sep 24 – Apr 21 sow | Nov 20 – Oct 4 |
Dates are for a typical year and the middle of the window is the safest. Sow a little at a time across a window rather than all at once. Cold snaps, heat waves, frost pockets and city warmth all shift the real dates; watch the forecast.
Frost dates in Houston
- Average last spring frost
- January 30
- Late frost (1 year in 10)
- March 1
- Average first autumn frost
- December 28
- Early frost (1 year in 10)
- November 27
- Frost-free growing season
- 331 days
“Average” is the date with an even chance of a later (spring) or earlier (autumn) frost: a night at or below 0 °C (32 °F) at screen height. Tender crops go out a week or two after the spring date, which brings the risk down to about one year in ten.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Houston William P Hobby Ap (15 km from the city centre).
Climate at a glance
- Hardiness zone
- 9b from station records
- Average coldest winter night
- -2°C28°F
- Warmest month
- July, highs 35°C94°F
- Coldest month
- January, lows 7°C45°F
- Crops with an outdoor window
- 24 of 25
The zone follows the USDA scheme: bands of the average lowest temperature of the year, 10 °F wide, split into a and b halves. Worked out from the coldest night of each year 1991–2020 at the NOAA station. It tells you which perennials survive winter, not when to sow.
Temperature and rain by month
Average highAverage lowRainFreezing point
| Month | High | Low | Mean | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 18°C64°F | 7°C45°F | 12°C54°F | 97 mm3.8 in |
| February | 20°C68°F | 9°C49°F | 15°C58°F | 81 mm3.2 in |
| March | 24°C74°F | 12°C54°F | 18°C64°F | 74 mm2.9 in |
| April | 27°C80°F | 16°C60°F | 21°C70°F | 82 mm3.2 in |
| May | 31°C87°F | 20°C68°F | 25°C78°F | 97 mm3.8 in |
| June | 34°C92°F | 23°C74°F | 28°C83°F | 162 mm6.4 in |
| July | 35°C94°F | 24°C75°F | 29°C85°F | 112 mm4.4 in |
| August | 35°C94°F | 24°C75°F | 29°C85°F | 114 mm4.5 in |
| September | 33°C91°F | 22°C71°F | 27°C81°F | 147 mm5.8 in |
| October | 29°C83°F | 17°C62°F | 23°C73°F | 115 mm4.5 in |
| November | 23°C74°F | 12°C53°F | 18°C64°F | 113 mm4.5 in |
| December | 19°C66°F | 8°C46°F | 13°C56°F | 105 mm4.1 in |
Monthly averages 1991–2020 from TerraClimate (about 4 km grid).