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Zone 8A — October

What to Plant in October in Zone 8A

October in Zone 8A: 0 crops to start indoors, 0 to plant or direct sow outside, and 103 entering harvest window. Last frost averages March 30. Reference city: Dallas, TX.
Updated May 13, 2026 · Frost data from NOAA 1991-2020 Climate Normals
0 Start Indoors
0 Plant Outside
103 Harvest
Frost risk: High

Frost risk is still high in Zone 8A. The last spring frost typically lands on March 30, with the earliest plausible clearance around March 11. Hold tender crops indoors a while longer.

See full Zone 8A frost outlook

Start Indoors in October

Nothing to start seeds indoors in October for Zone 8A.
Next window: December — 4 varieties, including Green Onion, King Richard Leek, Leek.

Plant Outside in October

Nothing to plant or sow outside in October for Zone 8A.
Next window: November — 12 varieties, including Asian Tempest Garlic, Chengdu Garlic, Chesnok Red Garlic.

Harvest in October

Plant Type Planted / Sown Harvest Window
Nantes Carrot (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 14 Oct 28
Alaska Early Pea (fall planting) legume Sep 1 Oct 28
America Spinach (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 26
Astro Arugula (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 11
Beauty Purple Radishes (fall planting) root vegetable Sep 1 Oct 1
Beauty White Radishes (fall planting) root vegetable Sep 1 Oct 11
Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 17
Blonde de Paris Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 31
Bloomsdale Longstanding Spinach (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 23
Blue Curled Scotch Kale (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 31
Bok Choy (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 31
Boltardy Beets (fall planting) root vegetable Sep 1 Oct 31
Broadleaf Classic Endive (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 31
Broccolini (fall planting) brassica Sep 1 Oct 31
Bull's Blood Beets (fall planting) root vegetable Sep 1 Oct 26
Burgundy Boston Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 26
Buttercrunch Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 26
Calendula (fall planting) flower Sep 1 Oct 31
Calypso Cilantro (fall planting) herb Sep 1 Oct 26
Canary Yellow Swiss Chard (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 31
Cascadia Sugar Snap Pea (fall planting) legume Sep 1 Oct 31
Catalogna Chicory (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 26
Champion Radishes (fall planting) root vegetable Sep 1 Oct 1
Chervil (fall planting) herb Sep 1 Oct 16
Chinese Broccoli (Gai Lan) (fall planting) brassica Sep 1 Oct 21
Chioggia Beet (fall planting) root vegetable Sep 1 Oct 26
Crimson Forest Bunching Onions (fall planting) allium Sep 1 Oct 31
Crosby's Egyptian Beets (fall planting) root vegetable Sep 1 Oct 31
Cylindra Beets (fall planting) root vegetable Sep 1 Oct 31
Delicatesse Blue Kohlrabi (fall planting) brassica Sep 1 Oct 31
Delicatesse White Kohlrabi (fall planting) brassica Sep 1 Oct 31
Detroit Dark Red Beet (fall planting) root vegetable Sep 1 Oct 31
Di Cicco Broccoli (fall planting) brassica Sep 1 Oct 19
Dill (fall planting) herb Sep 1 Oct 26
Dukat Dill (fall planting) herb Sep 1 Oct 21
Dutch Lamb's Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 21
Dwarf Siberian Kale (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 26
Early Wonder Beets (fall planting) root vegetable Sep 1 Oct 21
Easter Egg Radishes (fall planting) root vegetable Sep 1 Oct 3
Fairy Dwarf Mix Candytuft Flowers (fall planting) flower Sep 1 Oct 26
Fenugreek (fall planting) herb Sep 1 Oct 21
Florida Broadleaf Mustard (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 21
Fordhook Giant Swiss Chard (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 26
French Lamb's Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 21
Giant Red Mustard (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 16
Golden Detroit Beets (fall planting) root vegetable Sep 1 Oct 31
Golden Globe Turnips (fall planting) root vegetable Sep 1 Oct 21
Green Ice Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 16
Green Mountain Celtuce (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 21
Green Wave Mustard (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 16
Hailstone Radishes (fall planting) root vegetable Sep 1 Oct 1
Hot Pink Swiss Chard (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 31
Kagraner Sommer Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 29
Lacy Phacelia Flowers (fall planting) flower Sep 1 Oct 31
Leaf Lettuce Mix (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 26
Little Fingers Carrots (fall planting) root vegetable Sep 1 Oct 26
Little Gem Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 27
Lollo Bionda Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 31
Lollo Rossa Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 27
Lunar White Carrots (fall planting) root vegetable Sep 1 Oct 31
Magenta Sunset Swiss Chard (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 31
Marvel of Four Seasons Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 31
Matador Viking Spinach (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 19
Mesclun Mix (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 1
Minowase Daikon Radish (fall planting) root vegetable Sep 1 Oct 26
Mizuna (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 21
Monstrueux de Viroflay Spinach (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 21
Mustard Greens (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 21
Noble Giant Spinach (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 21
Old Fashion Mustard (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 21
Orange Swiss Chard (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 26
Oregon Giant Snow Pea (fall planting) legume Sep 1 Oct 31
Phacelia cover crop and bee forage (fall planting) cover crop Sep 1 Oct 31
Premier Kale (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 31
Purple Plum Radishes (fall planting) root vegetable Sep 1 Oct 1
Purple Top White Globe Turnip (fall planting) root vegetable Sep 1 Oct 21
Rainbow Mix Swiss Chard (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 31
Red Leaf Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 26
Red Orach (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 16
Red Russian Kale (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 21
Royal Carpet Alyssum Flowers (fall planting) flower Sep 1 Oct 31
Ruby Red Swiss Chard (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 31
Salad Bowl Green Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 21
Shungiku (Edible Chrysanthemum) (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 26
Slow-Bolt (Slo-Bolt) Cilantro/Coriander (fall planting) herb Sep 1 Oct 11
Snow Crown Cauliflower (fall planting) brassica Sep 1 Oct 31
Sparkler Radishes (fall planting) root vegetable Sep 1 Oct 1
Sugar Ann Snap Pea (fall planting) legume Sep 1 Oct 26
Summer Bibb Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 31
Swiss Chard (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 31
Tango Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 17
Tatsoi (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 16
Tendergreen Mustard (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 21
Très Fine Maraîchère Frisée (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 31
Vates Kale (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 26
Vienna White Kohlrabi (fall planting) brassica Sep 1 Oct 26
White Boston Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 21
White Detroit Beets (fall planting) root vegetable Sep 1 Oct 31
White Icicle Radishes (fall planting) root vegetable Sep 1 Oct 1
White Lisbon Bunching Onions (fall planting) allium Sep 1 Oct 31
Winner Kohlrabi (fall planting) brassica Sep 1 Oct 21
Winter Density Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 31
Winter Giant Spinach (fall planting) lettuce Sep 1 Oct 21

Key Tasks for October in Zone 8A

  1. 1 Check soil moisture before watering — stick a finger 2 inches into the soil. Water only when the soil is dry at that depth. Consistent moisture is more important than frequency.
Back to full Zone 8A planting calendar
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