FALL GROWING GUIDE · REGION I
When to plant
leaf lettuce
in Texas Panhandle.
Leaf lettuce can be a useful later planting after summer vegetables leave the bed. Its calendar should not be confused with the much earlier dates for fruiting crops.
AVERAGE FALL PLANTING DATE
September 1
Direct sow · Frost tolerant
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.
The northern Panhandle begins its fall garden while much of Texas is still in summer mode. In the source calendar, warm-season transplants go out in June and leafy crops follow later.
For leaf lettuce, the regional reference is September 1. The source provides no last optimum date for this crop. A late start can leave long-season crops unfinished. Look at the days to maturity on your seed packet and the local frost outlook before committing bed space.
Your next three steps
- Choose the right start.
For a steady salad supply, plan small separate sowings when conditions suit the variety rather than saving one oversized planting.
- Give the plant a good first week.
Sow a manageable amount and label the variety. Record what germinates well in your own garden so the next small sowing can be based on experience.
- 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 Texas Panhandle.
West TexasSeptember 1514 days laterCentral & East TexasOctober 1039 days laterCoastal South TexasNovember 161 days laterRio Grande ValleyDecember 191 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 →