It is the prime time to be out in your garden planting. The temperature is cool , your summer vegetables are probably dead or dying and best of all there are many seeds and plants that can be planted right now. Use the Urban Harvest Planting Chart for more precise times for planting.
Use seeds or plants that have a history of working in Houston. Seeds sold by Westbury Community Garden are reliable varieties. Not all varieties found in the store are reliable. Urban Harvest has a list of some of the varieties that work well in Houston. I have also attached a planting chart for the depth in the soil that the seeds should be planted. It is best to keep all the veggies from a particular family in one area of the bed and the next time you plant that family, choose a different area of the bed. The following is a list of vegetables by their family names:
- Cabbage Family: This is the largest family of vegetables that we plant for the cool season. Prep the beds for this family by clearing away the dead plants and then fertilizing with 1 cup of Microlife per 3 square feet. This family of plants requires heavy fertilizer. Work it in evenly with a rake and then pat down the soil. In addition to varieties available from your community garden, see this article from Urban Harvest. The article does not mention all the varieties possible to grow. The following is a more complete list: radishes (any variety will grow), Turnips (Hakurei is a favorite), cauliflower (Snow Crown is the most reliable), cabbage, kale, collards, garden cress, bok choy, broccoli, kohlrabi, arugula, brussels sprouts and mustard (Ruby Streaks is a very mild tasting favorite that goes well in salads).
- Carrot Family: Fertilization is not needed for this family, but if you do fertilize, make it very light. I have noticed that I have healthier carrots when I do not fertilize. In addition to carrots, this family includes many other vegetables and herbs. The following is a list of the more common ones: carrots, parsnips, dill, fennel, cilantro, parsley, celery (leaf varieties only. Stalks do not do well in our climate), and celeriac. For additional information on this family see this article.
- Beet Family: Fertilize with about 1 cup of fertilizer for 6 square feet. In addition to beets, this family includes, Swiss chard, spinach (the only variety that I have found reliable is Space). Most varieties require consistent cooler weather. Soak beet and Swiss chard seeds for 24 hours before planting for best results. For additional information on this family see this article.
- Bean Family: Beans require a light fertilizing of less than 1 cup of Microlife for 6 square feet. During the cool season we can plant sugar snap peas. My favorite for production, taste and ease of care is Cascadia. While all beans need a trellis, Cascadia tends to be the sturdiest of the sugar snap beans and only grows to about 6 feet in height.
- Lettuce Family: This family includes artichokes, chamomile, cardoon, chicory, tarragon, lettuce, endive, radicchio, dandelion, and salsify. Lettuces should be planted when we consistently have temperatures of less than 65 F. at night and only reaching 85 F. during the day. Crisp heads such as iceberg lettuce do not grow here because of our high humidity. Leaf lettuce is the easiest to grow and there are specific varieties that are less prone to bolting when it becomes warm. I harvest the leafy varieties by cutting with scissors when the leaves are about 4” tall. Cut so that the plant can continue to produce. You will have a new set of leaves on the same plant in about ten days. For more information on planting lettuces, see this article from Urban Harvest.
- Onion Family: This family includes bulbing onions, multiplying onions, chives, garlic and leeks. Begin bulbing onions from seeds in mid-October or buy the starts at Southwest Fertilizer or Wabash and plant from late October through November. 10-15 Y is one of the best varieties for bulbing. Multiplying onions and chives are perennial and very easy to grow. You can plant at any time and ask a gardener for one to plant in your garden. Leeks are very slow to germinate and once they come up can take up to 2 years before they are ready for harvesting.
Watering: If your seeds dry out, they die! You must keep your seeds moist. Carrots and lettuce seeds are very small and are planted just below the surface of the soil. They dry out quickly and require watering twice a day when temperatures are above 75 F.