FALL GROWING GUIDE · REGION V
When to plant
leaf lettuce
in Rio Grande Valley.
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
December 1
Direct sow · Frost tolerant
Direct sowing is the usual method shown here. The historical table is a regional reference; confirm soil conditions and the intended operation before sowing. 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 far southern tip of Texas, including McAllen on the source map, is Region V. This is the latest fall schedule in the five-region guide, with some sowings extending to mid-December.
For leaf lettuce, the regional reference is December 1. The source provides no last optimum date for this crop. Dates that look late compared with northern gardens are intentional in this regional table. Check the source region before importing advice from a different climate.
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 Rio Grande Valley.
Texas PanhandleSeptember 191 days earlierWest TexasSeptember 1577 days earlierCentral & East TexasOctober 1052 days earlierCoastal South TexasNovember 130 days earlierSource, 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 2026-09-28. Editorial care notes are general planning advice; your county Extension office can refine them.
Read our methodology →Separate each growing stage.
- Direct sow in the bed. Use the seed packet for sowing depth and spacing. Check the actual soil temperature and moisture before choosing a sowing day.
- Check outdoor conditions. Cold tolerance varies with crop, variety, plant age and exposure. It does not guarantee germination or survival in frozen soil.
- Plan the next sowing separately. Check local spring or fall advice and the variety’s maturity time before scheduling another batch. Calendar reminders do not establish a safe planting window.
These are general growing stages, not local planting dates. Minnesota calendar dates are not transferred to other regions. Read the Extension growing-stage guide ↗
Rio Grande Valley in context
