When to sow seeds in North Texas

Every spring and fall, social media feeds devoted to gardening are filled with a single question: is it time to plant _________?

The answer to the question is somewhat answered by determining the area's average frost dates and using the USDA planting zones, but with unpredictable weather patterns and climate change, they're at best a general guide.

A more accurate look at when it's time to sow seeds comes from knowing what the optimum temperature is for a crop's seed to germinate. If it's March 15, the date of the average last frost in North Texas, but the soil temps are still cooler than a seed will germinate at, then it's not time to sow that seed.

For best results, sow seeds when the nighttime lows are within the range of optimum temperatures at which a crop's seed germinates.

This chart is a handy reference for knowing when to plant.

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