Fall Vegetable Planting Schedule for San Antonio, TX Area

by Keith & Sheila Campbell

Fall Vegetable Planting Schedule for Greater San Antonio

Fall is one of the best vegetable-gardening seasons in Greater San Antonio. By planting warm-season crops early and cool-season crops as temperatures ease, local gardeners can harvest fresh vegetables and herbs well into winter.

Our long, hot summers make timing especially important. Tomatoes, peppers and squash need enough time to produce before freezing weather, while broccoli, carrots, lettuce and other cool-season vegetables often perform better after the most intense heat has passed.

This practical calendar is based primarily on planting guidance from the Bexar County Master Gardeners and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension. Use the dates as local averages, then adjust for your neighborhood, the weather forecast and whether you garden in the warmer urban core or a cooler outlying area.

Quick rule: Plant frost-sensitive fall crops first. Follow with frost-tolerant vegetables and herbs as daytime temperatures begin to moderate. If a planting window says “through” a date, treat that as an approximate local cutoff—not a guarantee.

San Antonio Fall Planting Calendar at a Glance

Planting period	Best crops to start	Main goal
Mid to late August	Beans, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, chard, collards, cucumbers, radishes, summer squash and turnips	Establish warm and transitional crops while beginning the first cool-season plantings.
September	Broccoli, carrots, chard, garlic, lettuce, mustard, parsley, radishes, spinach and turnips	Shift the garden toward cool-season vegetables as nights become milder.
October	Beets, broccoli, carrots, celery, garlic, lettuce, parsley, radishes, spinach and turnips	Build the heart of the winter garden with frost-tolerant crops.
November	Broccoli, carrots, celery, onions, radishes, spinach and strawberries	Continue cold-tolerant crops and begin local short-day onions.

Month-by-Month Fall Garden Planting Schedule

Mid to Late August

Plant from seed or seed pieces:

Bush beans: beginning about August 13
Lima beans: approximately August 13–28
Carrots: beginning about August 20
Sweet corn: approximately August 13–23
Cucumbers: beginning about August 13
Creole or Italian garlic cloves
Southern peas: beginning about August 13
Irish potatoes: beginning about August 20
Radishes and summer squash: beginning about August 13
Turnips: beginning about August 20

Plant from transplants or seed: broccoli and Brussels sprouts beginning around August 20; cabbage; cauliflower beginning around August 11; and chard, collards, kohlrabi, mustard and parsley beginning around August 20.

Watch the heat: Newly planted seed beds and transplants may need frequent moisture checks. Use temporary afternoon shade for young transplants if needed, but remove it once plants establish.

September

Early-month planting windows:

Bush beans, beets, cucumbers, southern peas and summer squash: through about September 10
Brussels sprouts, cabbage, collards and kohlrabi: through about September 10
Irish potatoes: through about September 10

Plant throughout the month: carrots, Swiss chard, garlic, leaf lettuce, mustard, parsley, radishes, spinach transplants and turnips.

Broccoli: Set out transplants beginning around September 15 for another cool-season planting.

Succession tip: Sow small amounts of radish, lettuce and other quick crops every 10 to 14 days rather than planting the entire seed packet at once.

October

Plant now:

Beets through approximately October 15
Broccoli transplants
Carrots
Celery transplants
Creole or Italian garlic cloves
Leaf lettuce
Mustard and parsley through approximately October 10
Radishes
Spinach transplants
Turnips
Strawberry crowns

October is prime time for leafy greens and root vegetables. Keep the soil surface evenly moist while small seeds germinate, especially carrots, which can be slow and uneven to emerge.

November

Plant now:

Broccoli transplants
Carrot seed
Celery transplants
Short-day red, white and yellow onion sets beginning around November 15
Radishes through approximately November 25
Spinach transplants
Strawberry crowns

As colder weather approaches, keep frost cloth ready. Anchor it to the ground so it traps warmth, and support it above tender plants when practical.

Greater San Antonio timing varies: Gardens in central San Antonio may stay warmer than properties toward Boerne, Bulverde, Spring Branch, northern Comal County or exposed rural areas. Gardeners south of San Antonio may sometimes plant a little later into fall. Always use the forecast and your own yard’s microclimate.

Which Fall Vegetables Handle Frost?

Grouping vegetables by cold tolerance makes frost protection and bed cleanup easier.

More Frost-Tolerant Crops

Beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, Swiss chard, collards, garlic, kale, lettuce, mustard, onions, parsley, spinach and turnips can tolerate colder conditions better than warm-season vegetables. A hard freeze can still damage some plants, especially seedlings, so frost cloth remains useful.

Frost-Sensitive Crops

Beans, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, okra, peas, peppers, Irish potatoes, squash and tomatoes can be injured or killed near freezing. Plant these early enough to mature, and group them together so they can be protected or removed efficiently.

Fall Herbs That Grow Well in San Antonio

Cooler weather is an excellent time for cilantro, dill and parsley. Cilantro can be succession-sown every few weeks for a steady supply of young leaves. Rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage and chives also grow well locally when planted in well-drained soil. Keep mint contained in a pot because it spreads aggressively.

Basil is still useful in early fall, but it is frost-sensitive and will usually decline when cold weather arrives.

How to Prepare a San Antonio Fall Vegetable Garden

Choose enough sunlight. Most vegetables perform best with at least eight hours of direct sun. Afternoon shade can help new plants during late-summer establishment.
Remove exhausted plants and weeds. Discard plants with heavy insect or disease damage instead of placing them in a home compost pile.
Improve the soil. Work quality compost or other suitable organic matter into the bed. A soil test is the best guide before adding fertilizer.
Water the bed before planting. Begin with evenly moist—not saturated—soil, then keep the seed zone from drying out during germination.
Add mulch after seedlings establish. A light organic mulch helps reduce evaporation, moderate soil temperature and suppress weeds.
Use drip irrigation or a soaker hose. Apply water slowly at soil level and check moisture below the surface before watering again.
Follow current watering rules. Drought stages and watering schedules can change, so verify the latest rules for your water provider and municipality.

Common Fall Gardening Mistakes to Avoid

Waiting for cool weather to plant everything. Warm-season fall crops may run out of time before the first freeze.
Overwatering transplants. Late-summer plants need consistent moisture, but constantly saturated soil can damage roots.
Planting the entire seed packet at once. Succession planting produces a longer, more manageable harvest.
Ignoring mature plant size. Give broccoli, cabbage and other large crops enough room so they do not shade smaller vegetables.
Following a national calendar. Use Bexar County and South-Central Texas guidance because San Antonio’s seasons differ from much of the country.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I start a fall vegetable garden in San Antonio?

Begin planting selected fall crops in mid to late August. Continue with cool-season vegetables through September, October and November. The best date depends on the crop, current heat and your location within the Greater San Antonio area.

What vegetables grow best in San Antonio during fall?

Reliable choices include broccoli, cabbage, carrots, chard, collards, garlic, lettuce, mustard, radishes, spinach and turnips. Beans, cucumbers and summer squash can also produce in fall when planted early enough.

Can I grow tomatoes in a San Antonio fall garden?

Yes, but fall tomatoes need an early start. Local guidance generally favors setting out healthy transplants in July so plants have time to flower and ripen fruit before cold weather. By late August, a new planting may not have enough time unless conditions remain unusually favorable.

What can I plant in October in San Antonio?

October is a good month for beets, broccoli transplants, carrots, celery transplants, garlic, leaf lettuce, mustard, parsley, radishes, spinach transplants, turnips and strawberry crowns.

Do fall vegetables need full sun in San Antonio?

Most vegetable crops perform best with at least eight hours of direct sun. Leafy greens and some root crops can produce with less light, but yields are generally better in full sun. Temporary afternoon shade can help new transplants establish during late-summer heat.

How often should I water a fall vegetable garden?

Water according to soil moisture, plant size, temperature and rainfall rather than a fixed daily schedule. Seeds and new transplants need consistent moisture near their roots, while established plants benefit from slower, deeper watering. Always follow current local watering restrictions.

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Local gardening references: Bexar County Master Gardeners Vegetable Planting Calendar, Texas A&M AgriLife Fall Vegetable Gardening Guide, and current SAWS watering rules. Dates are local averages and should be adjusted for weather and site conditions.