North East Texas Hardiness Zone Map
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Average Date of Last Freeze in CBMGA country: March 17
Planting
Plant these annuals early in the month for spring color: petunias, larkspurs, foxgloves and stocks. Other
annuals such as marigolds, celosia and wax begonias may be planted late in the month.
Plant tomatoes, peppers and eggplants from pots after March 15th. Plants should be hardened off (gradually
exposed to outside temperatures) before putting in the ground.
Plant seeds of warm-season vegetables such as beans, corn, squash, melons and cucumbers starting mid-month.
Plant herbs in raised beds with soil amended with organic matter. Plants should be hardened off before
planting.
Vines (hyacinth bean, Cypress vine, morning glories and Malabar spinach) can be planted from seeds.
Plant perennial flowers in amended well-drained soil. Know each plant’s prime blooming season, height,
width and color to ensure season-long color. Mulch new plantings.
Fertilizing and Pruning
Remove old growth from Bermudagrass lawns by lowering mower one or two notches, allowing the grass to
spread faster and choke out weeds. Bag the clippings for composting or as mulch.
Prune spring-flowering shrubs and vines such as flowering quince, azaleas, forsythia, bridal wreath (Spiraea), Lady Banksia rose, Carolina jessamine and coral honeysuckle immediately after they finish blooming.
Trees, shrubs, vines and groundcovers can be fed with high-nitrogen fertilizer or compost. For patio pots and other container gardens, apply a diluted, water-soluble, high-nitrogen fertilizer once a week.
Apply pre-emergent herbicide on lawns to control broadleaf and grassy weeds if needed. A “weed and feed”
fertilizer is not recommended because it is too early to fertilize lawns.
Garden Watch
Beware of close-out sales on bare-root trees as survival rate is low when planted this late in the season.
Spend a little more on container-grown plants.
If frost or freeze is predicted, cover vegetable plantings and tender annuals with frost cloth. It can make a 6 to 8-degree difference in temperature.
Control black spot, powdery mildew and thrips on roses with an appropriate fungicide or systemic insecticide.
Use a stream of water or insecticidal soap on aphids. When a pesticide is needed always use the least toxic
one first.
Install a drip irrigation system in your vegetable garden for increased production and maximum
water efficiency.
Time to start looking forward to our Annual Plant Sale.
| Asterisk (*) means transplant vegetable starter plants. For seeds, start 2-3 weeks earlier |
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| Crop | Spring Planting Date |
Fall Planting Date |
Seed or Plants Per 100 ft of Row |
Inches Between |
Number of Days Before |
Average Yield Per 100 Feet |
Average Days of Harvest |
| Asparagus | 2/1 to 3/1 | Not Rec. | 1 ounce | 18 | 730 | 30 pounds | 60 |
| Cabbage* | 2/1 to 3/1 | 8/1 to 9/15 | 1/4 ounce | 14 to 24 | 60 to 90 | 150 pounds | 40 |
| Garlic | 2/1 to 3/1 | 9/1 to 10/15 | 1 pound | 2 to 4 | 140 to 150 | 40 pounds | |
| Kohlrabi | 2/1 to 3/1 | 8/15 to 9/15 | 1/4 ounce | 4 to 6 | 55 to 75 | 75 pounds | 14 |
| Onion (plants) | 2/1 to 3/1 | Not Rec. | 400 to 600 plants | 2 to 3 | 80 to 120 | 100 pounds | 40 |
| Peas, English | 2/1 to 3/1 | 8/15 to 9/15 | 1 pound | 1 | 55 to 90 | 20 pounds | 7 |
| Spinach | 2/1 to 3/1 | 9/1 to 10/15 | 1 ounce | 3 to 4 | 40 to 60 | 3 bushels | 40 |
| Turnip | 2/1 to 3/1 | 9/15 to 10/15 | 1/2 ounce | 2 to 3 | 30 to 60 | 75 pounds | 35 |
| Beets | 2/1 to 4/1 | 9/1 to 10/1 | 1 ounce | 2 | 50 to 60 | 150 pounds | 30 |
| Radish | 2/1 to 4/1 | 9/15 to 10/15 | 1 ounce | 1 | 25 to 40 | 100 bunches | 7 |
| Carrots | 2/10 to 3/1 | 8/1 to 10/1 | 1/2 ounce | 2 | 70 to 80 | 100 pounds | 21 |
| Collard / Kale | 2/10 to 3/1 | 8/1 to 10/1 | 1/4 ounce | 8 to 16 | 50 to 80 | 100 pounds | 60 |
| Potatoes, Irish | 2/15 to 3/1 | 8/1 to 9/1 | 6 to 10 pounds | 10 to 15 | 75 to 100 | 100 pounds | |
| Cabbage, Chinese * | 2/15 to 3/10 | 8/1 to 9/15 | 1/4 ounce | 8 to 12 | 65 to 70 | 80 pounds | 21 |
| Lettuce | 2/15 to 3/15 | 9/1 to 10/1 | 1/4 ounce | 2 to 3 | 40 to 80 | 50 pounds | 21 |
| Broccoli * | 3/1 to 3/15 | 8/1 to 9/15 | 1/4 ounce | 14 to 24 | 60 to 80 | 100 pounds | 40 |
| Cauliflower * | 3/1 to 3/15 | 8/1 to 9/15 | 1/4 ounce | 14 to 24 | 70 to 90 | 100 pounds | 14 |
| Muskmelon | 3/15 to 5/1 | 7/15 to 8/1 | 1/2 ounce | 24 to 36 | 85 to 100 | 100 fruit | 30 |
| Chard, Swiss | 3/20 to 4/15 | 8/1 to 10/1 | 2 ounces | 6 | 45 to 55 | 75 pounds | 40 |
| Squash, Summer | 3/20 to 5/1 | 7/15 to 8/15 | 1 ounce | 18 to 36 | 50 to 60 | 150 pounds | 40 |
| Cucumber | 4/1 to 4/15 | 8/1 to 9/1 | 1/2 ounce | 24 to 28 | 50 to 70 | 120 pounds | 30 |
| Eggplant * | 4/1 to 4/15 | 7/15 to 8/1 | 1/8 ounce | 18 to 24 | 80 to 90 | 100 pounds | 90 |
| Squash, Winter | 4/1 to 4/15 | 7/1 to 8/1 | 1/2 ounce | 24 to 48 | 85 to 100 | 100 pounds | |
| Tomato (plants) | 4/1 to 4/15 | 7/1 to 8/1 | 1/8 ounce | 18 to 36 | 70 to 90 | 100 pounds | 40 |
| Beans, Bush | 4/1 to 5/1 | 8/1 to 8/15 | 1/2 pound | 3 to 4 | 45 to 60 | 120 pounds | 14 |
| Beans, Pole | 4/1 to 5/1 | 8/1 to 8/15 | 1/2 pound | 4 to 6 | 60 to 70 | 150 pounds | 30 |
| Beans, Lima | 4/1 to 5/1 | 8/1 to 8/15 | 1/4 pound | 3 to 4 | 80 | 50 pounds | 40 |
| Corn, Sweet | 4/1 to 5/1 | 7/15 to 8/1 | 3 to 4 ounces | 12 to 18 | 70 to 90 | 10 dozen ears | 10 |
| Mustard | 4/1 to 5/1 | 7/10 to 9/1 | 1/4 ounce | 6 to 12 | 30 to 40 | 100 pounds | 30 |
| Potatoes, Sweet | 4/1 to 5/15 | Not Rec. | 75 to 100 plants | 12 to 16 | 100 to 130 | 100 pounds | |
| Watermelon | 4/1 to 5/15 | 7/1 to 7/15 | 1/2 ounce | 36 to 96 | 80 to 100 | 40 fruits | 30 |
| Pepper | 4/10 to 5/1 | 7/1 to 8/1 | 1/8 ounce | 18 to 24 | 60 to 90 | 60 pounds | 90 |
| Pumpkin | 4/15 to 5/15 | 7/1 to 8/1 | 1/2 ounce | 36 to 48 | 75 to 100 | 100 pounds | |
| Peas, Southern | 4/15 to 6/1 | 7/1 to 8/1 | 1/2 pound | 4 to 6 | 60 to 70 | 40 pounds | 30 |
| Watermelon | 4/15 to 6/1 | 7/1 to 7/15 | 1/2 ounce | 36 to 96 | 75 to 100 | 40 fruits | 30 |
| Okra | 4/15 to 7/1 | Not Rec. | 2 ounces | 24 | 55 to 65 | 100 pounds | 90 |
| Brussel Sprouts | Not Rec. | 8/1 to 10/1 | 1/4 ounce | 14 to 24 | 90 to 100 | 75 pounds | 21 |
| Parsley | Not Rec. | 8/10 to 10/1 | 1/4 ounce | 2 to 4 | 70 to 90 | 30 pounds | 90 |
This page last updated or reviewed [220721]