WHEN do you put your fall seeds in the ground? Zone 8a

Since this part of Texas is not like all areas of Zone 8a, it would be great to hear from others in Texas, but I'd be grateful for ANY tips on growing from seed (sown directly) for fall planting.

Happy Fall, Ya'll!!
~ Carole

your local ag. extention would have a sheet on when to plant each crop. i'm not sure where that is in f.w. haven't been there for many yrs. the local feed stores might be able to help you out too.
here we have already started planting our fall crops. i have collards coming up and ready for harvesting. turnups are up as is the brocoli plants. i still need to get my lettuce in the ground and everything else i am going to plant this season. i forgot what all we are planting need to look in the seed box again. lol.

Thanks for the info, farmgirl. I'll call Russell's today and see what they can recommend.
A lot of what I want to plant are flowers and ornamentals. I could always check seed pkgs. at The Plant Shed too.

I'll post what I find out on this thread.

Ah Fort Worth....went to high school in FW (EasternHills High).
What are you planning to plant? Just curious.......................

oh my... are you sure you want to ask that question?! lol
here goes.... (these are just the seeds I'm starting this fall; not the seeds I'll start in the spring, or the plants I'm currently growing!):

Alliums (sev. varieties; all over)


Bachelor Buttons
Beard Tongue (Penstemon)
Blanket Flower (Gaillardia)
Bluebonnets
Bunny Tails
Butterfly Vine
Campanula - maybe/maybe not
Chinese Lanterns
Cleome
Cotoneaster
Daisies (4 or 5 var.; all over)
Delphiniums - maybe/maybe not
Dill (all over)
Glory Bower Vine (I hope)
Husker's Red Penstemon
Liatris
Louisiana Iris
Monarda (Bee Balm)
Passion Vine
Penstemon (NW Rock)
Poppies (various)
Red Hot Poker
Red Yucca (maybe)
Texas Star HIbiscus
Tropical Milkweed (all over)


hmmmm may have to edit this later... seems there are more... ??

how about you?

This message was edited Oct 8, 2004 8:03 PM

I haven't decided yet what to plant this Fall........I'm still moving things around a bit to better locations.
Do at least need to start thinking about getting the new crocus, dafs, and hyacinth bulbs in.

I've been rearranging now for almost two weeks, and I think I'm about 90% done with that part. I have at least two full beds that need about complete makeovers, but the plan seems fool proof so I should be able to pull it off without a hitch.

I have my daughter's bed MOSTLY complete; just need to move out one little maple tree and put her seeds in for Chinese Lanterns. Then add mulch and wait ; )

I bought 3 beautiful Tulip bulbs (red ruffled) the other day and 3 Daffs 'Unique' that I just need to pick a location and plant.

I'd better get busy eh?! lol

Cajun2 - Hi again :)
I am in OH of course but here what I do is this: I pick the time when mother nature has the seeds dropping from their pods to do my winter sowing. Some things are starting now, so I would gather those seeds and place where I want them, I do this every year if I want to get things started elsewhere on my property, so far it has worked pretty well. Some things also need to get cold strat here, so gosh, I may be trying to confuse you even more, shoot sorry. How cold of nights do you get there???
~Laurrie

I lived in the Metroplex for years and had very good luck planting in the fall. I did not have good luck with delphiniums, but most of the other things on your list should do fine. I still do not do well with them, and it is probably me.

Ah ha! You guys are such a big help...
Laurrie, that makes perfect sense to me (watching for when nature drops seeds, etc.) Soooo smahhhh't!!

And no, you haven't confused me. What I think of as 'cold stratification' IS being fall sown to come up in the spring (after a cold spell). Maybe I'm wrong, but it sounds right to me.

We never know how cold it'll get here. Living in Texas, it seems to be a guessing game all year long. Sometimes it never gets below 30 and other times we have 6 days in a row in the 20s. Who knows? Never really cared before, but now that I'm a gardener... hehe

Updated my 'things I want to plant' list above... most of which are already in the ground now. Just need to finish a few beds (weeding, amending the soil, weed-blocking, mulching) and I'll be done... hopefully in a week or two.