Calendars by city / TX
Houston, Texas vegetable planting calendar
Planting windows for Houston, Texas built from the NOAA 1991–2020 freeze normals at HOUSTON INTERCONTINENTAL AIRPORT, TX US (station USW00012960), not from a hardiness zone.
Houston, Texas planting dates for 27 vegetables
The same windows as a table
Each row applies a published extension rule to the frost dates above. Hardy crops go out 2–4 weeks before the last frost; semi-hardy crops 0–2 weeks before; tender crops around the frost date; very tender crops 2 or more weeks after. The last fall planting date counts the crop's days to harvest back from the first fall frost. The rules and their sources are on the methodology page.
| Crop | Frost class | Start seeds indoors | Plant outdoors | Last fall planting | Days to harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beets | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Feb 4 – Feb 18 | Oct 16 | 60 |
| Broccoli | Hardy | Dec 3 – Dec 31 | Transplant: Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Oct 18 | 65 (from transplant) |
| Cabbage | Hardy | Dec 3 – Dec 31 | Transplant: Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Sep 28 | 85 (from transplant) |
| Carrots | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Feb 4 – Feb 18 | Oct 6 | 70 |
| Cauliflower | Semi-hardy | Dec 17 – Jan 14 | Transplant: Feb 4 – Feb 18 | Oct 11 | 65 (from transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Nov 2 | 50 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Oct 23 | 60 |
| Onions (green) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Oct 23 | 60 |
| Onions (dry, from seed) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Sep 3 | 110 |
| Onions (dry, from sets) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Plant sets: Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Sep 3 | 110 |
| Parsnips | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Feb 4 – Feb 18 | Oct 6 | 70 |
| Peas | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Oct 18 | 65 |
| Potatoes | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Plant seed potatoes: Feb 4 – Feb 18 | Aug 12 | 125 |
| Radishes | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Nov 22 | 30 |
| Spinach | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Nov 12 | 40 |
| Swiss chard | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Feb 4 – Feb 18 | Oct 16 | 60 |
| Turnips | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Nov 2 | 50 |
| Snap beans | Tender | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Feb 18 – Feb 25 | Oct 9 | 60 |
| Cantaloupe | Very tender | Feb 11 – Mar 4 | Direct sow (or transplant): Mar 4 – Mar 18 | Sep 14 | 85 |
| Sweet corn | Tender | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Feb 18 – Feb 25 | Sep 9 | 60–90 |
| Cucumbers | Tender | Jan 28 – Feb 11 | Direct sow (or transplant): Feb 18 – Feb 25 | Oct 14 | 55 |
| Eggplant | Very tender | Dec 31 – Feb 4 | Transplant: Mar 4 – Mar 18 | Oct 9 | 60 (from transplant) |
| Peppers | Very tender | Jan 7 – Feb 4 | Transplant: Mar 4 – Mar 18 | Sep 29 | 70 (from transplant) |
| Tomatoes | Very tender | Jan 14 – Feb 11 | Transplant: Mar 4 – Mar 18 | Oct 4 | 65 (from transplant) |
| Summer squash | Tender | Jan 28 – Feb 11 | Direct sow (or transplant): Feb 18 – Feb 25 | Oct 19 | 50 |
| Winter squash | Very tender | Feb 11 – Mar 4 | Direct sow (or transplant): Mar 4 – Mar 18 | Aug 30 | 100 |
| Watermelon | Very tender | Feb 11 – Mar 4 | Direct sow (or transplant): Mar 4 – Mar 18 | Sep 14 | 85 |
What the Houston, Texas frost-free season means for your choices
At 293 frost-free days, Houston, Texas gardeners should compare that number to the days-to-harvest column before buying seed. A crop whose days to harvest plus its transplant age is close to the season length needs either an early start indoors or a short-season variety.
- Hardy crops (peas, spinach, radishes, lettuce, broccoli, cabbage) can go in from about Jan 21 – Feb 4 and again for fall.
- Very tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, melons, winter squash) should wait until Mar 4 – Mar 18; start tomato seeds indoors Jan 14 – Feb 11.
- Fall sowing is worthwhile only for the rows that show a separate fall date; for the others the spring window already covers the season.
Houston, TX planting questions
When is the last frost in Houston, Texas?
The 50% probability date for the last spring 32°F reading at HOUSTON INTERCONTINENTAL AIRPORT, TX US is Feb 18, from the NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals. In half the years on that record the last frost came later than that date, so tender crops are safer a week or two after it. The last 28°F hard freeze averages Jan 29.
When can I plant tomatoes in Houston, Texas?
Tomatoes are a very tender crop, so the Colorado State Extension rule puts them out 2 or more weeks after the last spring frost: Mar 4 – Mar 18 in Houston, Texas. Start the seeds indoors Jan 14 – Feb 11, which is 5 to 7 weeks before that transplant window.
How long is the growing season in Houston, Texas?
Houston, Texas averages 293 frost-free days, between the 50% last spring frost on Feb 18 and the 50% first fall frost on Dec 8 at HOUSTON INTERCONTINENTAL AIRPORT, TX US. Check a variety's days to harvest against that number before buying seed.
When should I start seeds indoors in Houston, Texas?
The earliest indoor sowing on this calendar is broccoli and cabbage at Dec 3 – Dec 31. Hardy crops are transplanted out Jan 21 – Feb 4 here, and each crop's indoor window is simply its outdoor window minus the transplant age published by Colorado State Extension, so nothing starts earlier than that.
What can I plant in fall in Houston, Texas?
The crops with a separate fall sowing here, latest first, are radishes, spinach, kohlrabi, turnips, lettuce (leaf) and onions (green), plus 21 more on the chart above. Each fall date counts the crop's days to harvest back from the first fall frost on Dec 8, plus an allowance for frost-tolerant crops that is our own assumption, not the source's.
Station data and limitations
| NOAA station | HOUSTON INTERCONTINENTAL AIRPORT, TX US (USW00012960) |
|---|---|
| Location | 29.98, -95.36 · elevation 29 m |
| Last spring 32°F / 28°F (50%) | Feb 18 / Jan 29 |
| First fall 32°F / 28°F (50%) | Dec 8 / Dec 26 |
| Dataset | NOAA/NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, annual/seasonal product, data types ANN-TMIN-PRBLST/PRBFST-T32FP50 and T28FP50 |
| Retrieved | 2026-10-16 |
The normals describe the airport station, not your yard. They are averages of a 30-year record and say nothing about this year's weather. Watch the local forecast around the dates shown, and use soil temperature for warm-season crops, which the Colorado State guide treats as the better signal.
Nearby calendars
- Austin, Texas — last spring frost Feb 19
- San Antonio, Texas — last spring frost Mar 1
- Dallas–Fort Worth, Texas — last spring frost Mar 8
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma — last spring frost Mar 27
Read the method behind these dates: last frost date vs hardiness zone.