Plant Early Spring Vegetables in Winter

Just after the Christmas tree comes down, the ornaments put away, and presents exchanged, the time is right in most of Texas to plant early spring vegetables like onions, lettuce, peas, and potatoes.

Preparing the Beds

After fall cleanup, the garden probably looked neat and ready to rest. Amazingly though, during the late fall and winter, weeds—hardy plants that they are—may have taken root. Remove the weeds and rake out leaves that blew into the area where cool weather crops will be planted. Save the leaves to add as mulch around young plants. Check soil pH with a test strip and amend soil to a slightly acid reading of about 6.5 using sulfur to lower pH and lime to raise it.

Add about an inch of compost or top soil that has a high concentration of organic matter. Rake or till the top two to three inches of soil. Create rows that are about 12 inches wide by raking up soil from the sides leaving an area that is about two inches higher that the surrounding soil. Use the space between rows for walking paths to harvest leaf crops. Most years supplemental watering for cool weather crops is not needed in Texas. Therefore, placing soaker hoses or drip systems is not necessary when preparing the beds.

What to Plant in January in Texas Home Vegetable Gardens

Plant asparagus crowns in January. Use one or two-year-old crowns planted five to six inches deep, recommends Ohio State University. Cover the crowns with soil to an even level with the surrounding ground. Pick a place for asparagus that will be its permanent home as established plants are productive for many years.

Plant English peas, snow peas and snap peas. Add onions, carrots and radishes late in the month in shallow beds to encourage root growth.

What to Plant in February in Texas Home Vegetable Gardens

Plant certified seed potatoes in lightly fertilized soil at a depth of four inches. Add soil around the plant as it produces leaves creating a hill under which the potatoes will grow. Plant seeds or transplants for salad greens including lettuce, spinach, mesclun, arugula, romaine, cabbage, and Swiss chard. Turnips, beets, broccoli, and cauliflower should be started in February.

When the vegetable planting is done, sit back and enjoy. Vegetables growing in late winter and early spring are bothered less by weeds and insects that later crops and nature usually provides enough moisture.