Why these varieties?

This seed list allows for experimenting with what work wells for your garden space and your personal taste. Seeds are very inexpensive ways to raise a garden, but they do require daily maintenance to make sure the seedbed is moist.

Lettuce and carrots can be planted in succession, so that you'll have a supply through the season.

The only fall items I buy transplants for are broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower. They take a super-human effort to get going by seed in the heat of August, when they need to go in.

The waiting:

The 10 day forecast is your friend this time of year.

Plan your garden planting party around the local temperatures. When temperatures are above the mid-90s, fall seeds are not going to germinate.

Wait until the temperatures dip into the low 90's or below, and then make sure to keep good vigilance on your seed bed and newly sprouted seedlings, so they don’t bake in the Texas heat.

If you start your lettuce in a container, it can be pulled into the shade in the late afternoon, enabling it to get an earlier start than in the garden bed.

Though you can never count on Texas weather to cooperate, I find that there usually seems to be a time that the temperatures allow planting, sometime around the week before or after Labor Day.

What to plant this month:

Anything planted in August will need constant attention. Maybe you should wait until September?

If you want to brave the heat, try these: beans, squash and cucumber.

If there's a slight cool down, you can try any of the seeds on my list, plus collard greens and turnips. Several sources recommend planting broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower, but my advice is to wait a few weeks.

Things to remember:

Take frequent stretch and water breaks as you garden and…

as always, our most important tools for a lifetime of gardening enjoyment are sunscreen and a wide brimmed hat!

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Feel free to email garden or composting questions to Heather at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or visit her website by clicking here.

Resources:

Month by Month Gardening in Texas by Dale Groom and Dan Gill
Dirt Doctor online: http://www.dirtdoctor.com/organic/garden/home
http://www.motherearthnews.com
http://www.gotexan.org
http://www.foodnetwork.com