Waco Garden Calendar: February

 

Here's what to plant in February!  

Some notes from the The Central Texas Community Garden Manual.

"The earlier you plant in February, the less insect and disease problems you’re likely to have. "

But, since our last frost date isn't until March, there's some risk to it too.   Definitely wait to plant until temps rise above freezing (except for indoor planting). 


Direct Seed/Use Sets:
(Bolded means last month to plant these this season.)

Asparagus

Arugula

Beets
Broccoli*
Cabbage*
Carrots
Cilantro

Collards
Corn (After Feb 25)
Dill
Kohlrabi
Lettuce, leaf

Mustard
Onion (sets)

Parsley* (Aggie Guide says plant til March 1, Central Texas Manual says by March 31)
Peas, English
Potato (starting Feb 15)

Potato, Andean

Radish
Spinach (Aggie guide says by Feb 15, Central Texas Manual says by March 31)
Swiss Chard* 
Turnip


Plant Inside To Transplant Later:
(I only bold things here that can't be planted directly, and this is the last month to start indoors)

Basil 

Cucumber

Cantaloupe (after Feb 15)

Cauliflower (Aggie Guide says before March 1, Central Texas Manual says by February 1)

Eggplant

Melon (See Cantaloupe and Watermelon)

Melon, Spanish (After February 15)

Pepper, Hot or Sweet (by Feb 15)
Squash (after Jan 16)
Sweet Potato (Feb 22 - Mar 1)
Swiss Chard (after Feb 16)
Tomatoes 
Watermelons (Feb 22 - Mar 1)
Zucchini (after Feb 16)


Plant Seedlings or Transplants:
Broccoli 
Cabbage 
Cauliflower 

Lettuce, head
Kale

Leeks

Onion, bunching (after Feb 16)

Pak Choi

Swiss Chard (after Feb 16)

*The Central Texas Community Garden Manual  says to transplant, The Aggie Spring Planting Guide says you can plant from seed this month.

**Some differences between sources on exact dates when to plant, but they all said you can plant sometime this month.

****The Central Texas Community Garden manual says early February is a great time to plant corn, and to  make sure to  apply fertilizers high in nitrogen to encourage growth.




SOURCES:
The Central Texas Community Garden Manual

The Aggie Spring Planting Guide (Used this from WayBack Machine since that page is down)

Edited Jan 29, 2025 - Used Way Back Machine version of Aggie Guide from Dec 2022

Waco Garden Calendar: January

 

January may not seem like a great time for gardening, but there's actually somethings you can plant outdoors now, and a lot you can get started indoors.  

Direct Seed Or Use Sets:

Carrots (Aggie guide says after Jan 15, Central Texas Manual says after Jan 1)
Cilantro**

Onion (sets only - after Jan 15)***

Peas, snap (before Jan 15)

Spinach


Plant Inside To Transplant Later:
(Bolded means last month to plant these inside to transplant this season.)

Bell Peppers 
Broccoli
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Celery (after Jan 11)
Eggplant (after Jan 15)
Kale
Leeks
Lettuce (Head, not Leaf)
Oregano (after Jan 11)
Pak Choi
Pepper (Hot or Sweet)
Rosemary (after Jan 11)
Swiss Chard 
Squash (after Jan 15)
Tomatoes (after Jan 25)

Zucchini (after Jan 15)




**None of the garden guides list Jan as a time you can plant Cilantro...but I've had it sprout in Jan before. And I've heard of people up north overwintering these in the snow, so it's not likely a frost would kill it.  Plus, getting this in early means you might actually get enough to use before it gets warm and bolts.  They can be tucked between items that are slower growers.

***The Central Texas Community Garden Manual says plant seeds indoors this month, and the other guides say wait until February and March and plant directly.  I've put out onion sets straight outside in January before and they did fine. 



SOURCES:
The Central Texas Community Garden Manual
Texas A&M planting guide
Month By Month Gardening In Texas*

*DISCLOSURE:  This is an Amazon affiliate link through which I can earn commission.

Waco Planting Calendar: December

WATCH FOR FROST!

You've probably already had a few frosty nights in November and know the drill. 

Under 45 degrees at night - harvest your basil leaves (if any survived November's chills).  If the basil is in a pot, bring it in.

Under 32 degrees -   Cover any annuals/vegetables that survived November (see below).

At this point in the year, as frosts get more frequent, I tend to harvest what I can from the plants that are left and let many of them go.    If there are some that you are trying to keep alive a little longer,  make sure they are well watered before a frost, then cover your plants with sheets or plastic (sheets are less likely to freeze to the plants).  I sometimes do a double layer...a sheet followed by a plastic bag.  You can places lights (such as Christmas lights) under or around them to add some heat.

Herbs and veggies to plant this month:

  
START SEEDS OUTDOORS:

Cilantro***


TRANSPLANT

Cabbage*
Kale*



Most of the info for this month's planting guide came from the Aggie Fall Direct Seeding Guide.   Some info also came from   Month to Month Gardening in Texas, which are marked with.*    

* The Aggie guide, in the section on ornamentals, lists flowering cabbage and kale as annuals you can transplant through December.  I assume it still works if you want to eat them.

**Aggie Fall Direct Seeding Guide says in our zone we have til November 1 to plant onion, leeks, and shallots and Month to Month Gardening in Texas says that the last date to plant onion, leeks, and shallots is Oct 1.    However, I've planted onions and chives, both seeds and onion sets, all through the fall in Waco, and had them survive all through the winter.    They do grow slower and more may die off,  but some of the onions you plant in November will survive.

***The Aggie Guide for Cilantro says to plant Cilantro weekly starting in September for a November harvest. I personally planted cilantro in Waco starting in October and going all through the winter   If it freezes it may die, but I just harvest when a freeze is predicted and then plant more in its place (and cilantro is pretty hardy...so sometimes it can survive a freeze).   Any time it warms up it will bolt.  If you know a warm spell is approaching you can harvest before that, or you can let it go to seed and have coriander (and more seeds for planting too).   I keep reseeding cilantro all winter  until the weather starts to warm in the spring.   At that point it bolts so quickly that I find it's easier to just buy cilantro at the grocery store.

Waco Planting Calendar: November

Flowers, Groundcovers, Trees and More...
While I don't usually cover these topics in my planting guide, I did try it one November, so you can go back and read my post here for tips on planting flowers and other plants this month.

WATCH FOR FROST!
Usually this is the month we'll get our first real cold weather (we get a little in late October, but it's usually stuff most plants can survive.).  Watch first for temps under 45 degrees at night...you'll want to harvest your basil leaves before it gets that cold.   When it dips below freezing (32 degrees), you'll need to decide what annuals to let go and which to try to hold onto a little longer.   Many plants can survive a short frost with some help.  Make sure they are well watered before a frost, then covering your plants with sheets or plastic (sheets are less likely to freeze to the plants--with plants I was most concerned with saving, I sometimes would do a double layer...a sheet followed by a plastic bag).  You can places lights (such as Christmas lights) under or around them to add some heat.

Herbs and veggies to plant this month:

 
START SEEDS OUTDOORS:

Carrots  (Nov 10)
Chives** (see note)
Cilantro***
Leeks** (see note)
Onions** (Nov 15)
Radish (Nov 25)
Shallots (sets...see note)**
Spinach (Nov 15)



TRANSPLANT

Cabbage*
Celery*
Kale*
Kohlrabi*
Lettuce*
Spinach*
Swiss chard*


Most of the info for this month's planting guide came from the Aggie Fall Direct Seeding Guide.   Some info also came from   Month to Month Gardening in Texas, which are marked with.*   

*These are from Month to Month Gardening in Texas.    The Aggie guide doesn't list most of these as transplants, but they do list flowering cabbage and kale as annuals you can transplant through December (grouping them in with ornamentals).  

**Aggie Fall Direct Seeding Guide says we have until Nov 1 to plant onions, but their article just on onions says in our zone we have til November 15.   I've planted onions and chives, both seeds and onion sets, all through the fall in Waco, and had them survive all through the winter (the article says late planting can lead to smaller onions in the spring, but since I mostly want little onions to use in the winter, this wasn't a big concern to me.)  

***The Aggie Guide for Cilantro says to plant Cilantro weekly starting in September for a November harvest. I personally planted cilantro in Waco starting in October and going all through the winter   If it freezes it may die, but I just harvest when a freeze is predicted and then plant more in its place (and cilantro is pretty hardy...so sometimes it can survive a freeze).  Any time it warms up it will bolt, but because the weather is generally cooling during this period, you at least have longer windows before that happens.    Once it's bolted I usually let cilantro go all the way to seed so I can harvest the coriander seeds (and have more seeds to plant), then pull it and replace it with more cilantro until the weather starts to warm in the spring.   At that point it bolts so quickly that I find it's cheaper and easier to just buy cilantro at the grocery store.

Waco Planting Calendar: October

Some cilantro I grew in October

. 

 Herbs and veggies to plant this month:  


START SEEDS OUTDOORS:

Arugula (by October 30)*
Beets (by Oct 15)
Carrots
Chives** (see note)
Cilantro***
Collards (by Oct 10)
Onion** (see note)
Leeks** (see note)
Lettuce, Leaf (by Oct 10)
Mustard (by Nov 1)
Parsley (by Oct 10)
Raddish
Shallots (sets)**
Squash, summer (by Sept 10)
Turnips (by Nov 1)


TRANSPLANT

Kale and Flowering Cabbage (Oct - Dec)


Most of the info for this month's planting guide came from the Aggie Fall Direct Seeding Guide.   Some info also came from from the the 2023  Farmer's Almanac planting guide for Waco, which are marked with an *, and  Month to Month Gardening in Texas, which are marked with ** (and has a note below).   I've been told the Farmer's Almanac is not as accurate as the Aggie Guide, but will include info from it only for veggies not listed in the Aggie Guide.  I will also use it for dates for planting indoors to transplant if it seems to be within a reasonable period from the Aggie transplanting guidance, since their guide doesn't cover this. (But Arugula wasn't listed in the Aggie guide)

**Month to Month Gardening in Texas says that the last date to plant onion, leeks, and shallots is Oct 1.   The Aggie says in our zone we have til November 1. I've planted onions and chives, both seeds and onion sets, all through the fall in Waco, and had them survive all through the winter.

***I am not using any gardening guide for this.  I personally planted cilantro in Waco starting in October and going all through the winter.   Any time it warms up it will bolt but because the weather is generally cooling, you at least have longer windows before that happens.