Photo courtesy Kerry Drake, Sunshine Community Gardens
What Vegetables Grow in Austin?
Finding success with vegetable gardening in Austin and Central Texas is all about knowing when to plant and which variety can handle the weather. The temperature fluctuations, hot summers, and freezes can make gardening a challenge. Many things do very well here, but may not thrive using the same calendar or variety selection as other areas of the country.
Top Resources
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- Vegetable Planting Calendar (Español, 繁体中文) for best planting and cultivation times for seeds and transplants in Central Texas.
- High Performing Vegetable Varieties for Central Texas to choose varieties that will perform well in your Travis County garden.
- Vegetable Seed Sources guide to find recommended seed purveyors that carry the recommended varieties for Austin.
Vegetable Problem Solvers
Golden zucchini
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension’s Vegetable Resources page has many Fact Sheets (on specific vegetables), Guides, and “Problem Solvers”.
Top Resources
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- Texas Vegetable Garden Insects Field Guide
- Texas Plant Disease Handbook – specific to vegetables
- Cucurbit Problem Solver (squash, gourds, cucumbers)
- Tomato Problem Solver
- Vegetable Garden Insects Field Guide
- Vegetable Common Caterpillar Pests
- Easy Gardening: Disease Control – a free pdf from the AgriLife Bookstore
- Vegetable Seeds and Seed Information for optimum seed germination temperatures and seed longevity
Vegetable Garden Planning
Most vegetables require sunlight, but don’t require a traditional full size plot. Plant your veggies in containers and in your landscape to save space. Here are a few resources to give you inspiration:
Top Resources
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- Make Your Own Grow Box
- Vegetable Gardening in Containers by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
- Building Raised Garden Beds
- Broccoli-to-Butterflies school garden templates from Travis County Master Gardeners
- Vegetable Rotations
- Vegetable Gardening in Containers by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension’s small-acreage extension vegetable specialist, Joseph G. Masabni
Vegetable Harvesting
The whole point of growing vegetables is to eat them! Use these links to find out when to harvest vegetables at peak maturity, tips on proper handling techniques, and how to store them if you don’t plan on eating them right away.
Top Resources
Additional Vegetable Gardening Resources
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- Vegetable Varieties for Central Texas
- Vegetable Variety Selector for even more varieties that cover all of Texas.
- Texas Home Vegetable Gardening Guide Great overview!
- Easy Gardening Series with specifics on many types of vegetables.
- Jardinería Fácil – Hojas Informativas
- Top Tips for Terrific Tomatoes compiled from Travis County Master Gardeners and Horticulture Agents
- 10 Tips for a Successful Vegetable Garden
- 10 Consejos Para Cultivar un Jardín de Verduras
- Texas Vegetable Garden Insects Field Guide
- Path to the Plate – Making the Connection Between Agriculture and Our Health
- Edible Gardens for Austin – Vegetables, Fruit, Nuts, and Herbs
