So I’m taking this time at home to plant a few things, but I’m wondering if I should still plant something like lettuce or peas that are recommended to go in the ground by March 1st here in N. Texas.
I’m a little nervous about messing up, so I gotta ask: can I still plant that stuff, or should I save the seeds and start on some beans or something?
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Are you planting from seed for lettuce? It probably is too late for that. Lettuce once it starts getting warm out will “bolt”
You can do an indoor hydroponics. That will let you have lettuce year round.
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Nope, no lettuce, cole crops, or peas right now. You’ll get half grown and then we’ll get a random 90 degree day and it’ll all die. You MIGHT get one crop off of them if you use a shade cloth when it gets above 85 and keep them well watered, but I doubt it. I would wait for colder weather plants until beginning of October.
Right now is a better time to be planting Tomatoes, peppers, beans, okra, squash, herbs (except cilantro as it will bolt if it gets above 85F), etc.
Edit: The problem with Texas is it gets super hot super quickly and its hard to tell when exactly it’ll do it. Lettuce and spinach do better indoors here.
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Thank you, I feel much more at ease now. I had been meaning to try okra and black beans, and I’ve accidentally grown a few tomatoes so I’ll start prepping for those.
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I would peruse the A&M Agrilife documentation.
Looking at some documentation on the Dallas Master Gardener’s website it looks like you might be able to plant lettuce through mid-april. I haven’t had good experience with that, but I suppose if you plant it in a place where it gets plenty of morning sun but is shaded in the afternoon it would probably do ok.
Plant spinach, radishes, lettuce, through mid-April. Also, plant snap beans, cucumbers, sweet corn, lima beans, mustard, tomatoes, and squash late March when soil temperatures are warm enough for each variety.
Those are two sources that I very much trust.
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North haven gardens has this great planting schedule specific to North Texas
https://www.nhg.com/guides/north-texas-vegetable-planting-dates/
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Thank you for the links, I’d been looking at the A&M North Texas planting guide, and I think I’ll save the lettuce and carrot seeds for cooler weather. Looking at the 10 day forecast, we’re already due for a couple days peeking into 80 degrees, so I don’t think I’ll chance it while I’m still inexperienced. Gonna try some black turtle beans I’ve got and pick up some other seeds for this time of year.
Are you planting from seed for lettuce? It probably is too late for that. Lettuce once it starts getting warm out will “bolt”
You can do an indoor hydroponics. That will let you have lettuce year round.
Yeah, was planning on starting from seed, and since I am definitely not doing hydroponics, I think I’ll save them for later.
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Thank you, I wasn’t aware of this site.
Sure hope it helps. I do not know if you have grown tomatoes here but when temperatures rise above 85 to 90 degrees F (depending on humidity) during the day and 75 degrees F at night they will quit producing fruit. My first spring garden was very disappointing I planted too late and ended up with lush bushes and no fruit.
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Thanks for the info and what’s good now and about lettuce/cilantro not good when hot.
We’re about to plant a few things since, ahem, we have time to mess with it and incentive to maybe avoid a store trip here and there 
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Sure thing! I’ve been at this about 4 years now and every year I come away from it with a “better” game plan. This is probably the first year I’m fairly confident in my layout and plant choices.
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