FALL GROWING GUIDE · REGION III
When to plant
summer squash
in Central & East Texas.
Summer squash is listed among the quicker frost-sensitive crops in the guide. A fall planting still needs enough warm growing time before cold weather arrives.
AVERAGE FALL PLANTING DATE
September 10
Direct sow · Frost sensitive
A recurring regional reference from the 2014 Extension guide. This is not a forecast; the source does not specify a closing date for this crop.
What this means for your garden.
Austin, Dallas, Waco and Houston appear within Region III on the historical source map. That grouping is a broad planning reference, not a claim that these cities share identical weather.
For summer squash, the regional reference is September 10. The source provides no last optimum date for this crop. The calendar separates July tomato starts from much later root and leaf crops. Do not treat a pleasant September weekend as a reason to start every vegetable at once.
Your next three steps
- Choose the right start.
Do not substitute winter squash dates: it is a different row with a different schedule. Save the crop name with the date to keep your plan clear.
- Give the plant a good first week.
Leave the room specified for your variety even when the seedlings look small. Check leaves and growing tips as part of your weekly walk through the garden.
- Keep a record you can use next season.
Save your planned date, then change it to the day you actually plant. Record completion in My Garden; the reference calendar stays separate from your own history.
WHY LOCATION MATTERS
One crop. Five different calendars.
How the same crop’s average date compares with Central & East Texas.
Texas PanhandleAugust 140 days earlierWest TexasAugust 1526 days earlierCoastal South TexasOctober 121 days laterRio Grande ValleyOctober 1030 days laterSource, scope & a little context.
Table 1 supplies average fall planting dates. Table 2 supplies last optimum dates only for the crops it lists. Figure 1 defines the five historical gardening regions; these are not current USDA hardiness zones.
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension · Fall Vegetable Gardening Guide (EHT-056) ↗Dates: Table 1, p. 2. Region: Figure 1, p. 3. Source checked 2026-09-27. Editorial care notes are general planning advice; your county Extension office can refine them.
Read our methodology →