Now
38°C · Clear
Today
38° / 28°
Soil 6 cm
35°C
First frost
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Gardening in Dallas
AI field guide · refreshed weeklyDallas Gardening: Early Fall Planting Window Opens
You're in zone 8b with 75 days until your average first frost (Nov 22). Soil at 35°C (95°F) is still warm enough for heat-loving crops but cooling into the sweet spot for fall germination. Spring frost averaged Feb 23, giving you a long season ahead. This week's heat and low humidity are typical early September conditions—use them to your advantage before cooler nights arrive.
Sow outdoors now
Lettuce & Leafy Greens
Sow 'Buttercrunch', 'Oakleaf', or 'Jericho' directly outdoors now; they'll germinate fast in warm soil and mature before frost. Succession-sow every 10 days through October for continuous harvest.
Spinach
Direct-sow 'Space' or 'Bloomsdale' this week; Dallas's mild winters mean you can harvest through December and into spring. Thin seedlings to 10 cm (4 in) apart.
Radish
Quick-maturing varieties like 'Cherry Belle' and 'French Breakfast' will be ready in 25–30 days. Sow in shallow rows 1.3 cm (0.5 in) deep.
Arugula
Sow 'Roquette' or 'Astro' directly; germinates reliably in warm soil and tolerates light frosts. Harvest leaves at 4–6 weeks.
Peas (Sugar Snap & Snow)
Sow 'Sugar Ann' or 'Oregon Sugar Pod' along a trellis now; they'll climb through fall and produce before winter dormancy. Soak seeds 2 hours before planting.
Start indoors now
Broccoli & Cabbage
Start 'Arcadia' broccoli and 'Early Jersey Wakefield' cabbage indoors now; transplant seedlings outdoors in 4–5 weeks for harvest in November–December.
Cauliflower
Sow 'Snowball' or 'Graffiti' indoors; these need 12–14 weeks to mature, so early starts ensure heads form before hard frost.
Kale
Start 'Winterbor' or 'Lacinato' indoors; transplant in 4 weeks for a cold-hardy crop that actually sweetens after frost.
Harvest now
Okra
Pick pods daily when 7–10 cm (3–4 in) long; heat and humidity still favor production. Harvest will slow as nights cool after mid-September.
Southern Peas (Black-eyed, Crowder, Purple Hull)
These are at peak harvest now; pick regularly to encourage more pods. Most will finish by late September as temperatures drop.
Peppers
Bell and hot peppers still produce well in current heat; pick mature peppers to redirect energy into ripening remaining fruit before frost.
Basil & Summer Herbs
Harvest heavily before the first frost kills tender annuals. Dry or freeze excess now.
Tasks this week
- Amend beds with 5 cm (2 in) of compost before planting fall crops; Dallas clay benefits from organic matter.
- Water newly sown seeds daily until germination (5–7 days); soil is warm but dry air will wick moisture fast.
- Scout for spider mites on peppers and okra—heat and low humidity (38%) create ideal conditions; spray with neem oil if webbing appears.
- Deadhead spent summer flowers to redirect energy; remove any diseased foliage to prevent fungal issues as humidity rises.
- Set up shade cloth (30–40%) over tender seedlings if daytime temps exceed 38°C (100°F) next week.
Watch out for
- Grasshoppers and crickets are active in early fall heat; handpick or use spinosad on young greens if populations spike.
- Powdery mildew can appear on squash and cucumbers as nights cool; remove affected leaves and improve air circulation.
- Soil moisture: despite rain forecast for Sept 11, the next 3 days are bone-dry—water transplants and newly sown seeds deeply.
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