What to plant this week in Austin, TX
With temperatures holding steady above 60°F and the last frost date long passed, Austin gardeners are in full swing this week. It is prime time to start cool-season crops like Malabar Spinach and Shiso while your heat-loving harvests of Okra, Zucchini, and Watermelon are reaching peak maturity.
The next 7 days
Austin, TXGrowing in Austin right now
- Austin's red clay soil retains moisture well but drains poorly during heavy rains; add coarse sand or compost now to improve aeration before transplanting.
- The city's intense afternoon sun can scorch young transplants quickly; provide temporary shade cloth until seedlings develop deeper root systems.
- Given the region's rapid drought cycles, check your mulch layers weekly and water deeply in the early morning to reduce evaporation loss.
Sow this week
34 crops- Basil
- Black-Eyed Susan
- Borage
- Bush Bean
- Cantaloupe
- Cleome (Spider Flower)
- Cosmos
- Cowpea (Black-Eyed Pea)
- Cucumber
- Edamame
- Fennel
- Flour Corn
- French Marigold
- Garden Verbena
- Gourd (Ornamental/Bottle)
- Honeydew Melon
- Lima Bean
- Malabar Spinach
- Nasturtium
- Okra
- Pole Bean
- Pumpkin
- Scarlet Runner Bean
- Shiso (Japanese Basil)
- Summer Savory
- Sunflower
- Sweet Corn
- Thai Basil
- Vinca (Madagascar Periwinkle)
- Watermelon
- Winter Squash
- Yellow Summer Squash
- Zinnia
- Zucchini
Transplant this week
Nothing is due to go out this week.
Harvest soon
36 crops- Basil
- Borage
- Bush Bean
- Cantaloupe
- Cleome (Spider Flower)
- Cosmos
- Cowpea (Black-Eyed Pea)
- Cucumber
- Edamame
- Fennel
- Flour Corn
- French Marigold
- Garden Verbena
- Garlic
- Gourd (Ornamental/Bottle)
- Honeydew Melon
- Lima Bean
- Loofah (Luffa)
- Malabar Spinach
- Nasturtium
- Okra
- Pole Bean
- Pumpkin
- Roselle (Cranberry Hibiscus)
- Scarlet Runner Bean
- Shiso (Japanese Basil)
- Summer Savory
- Sunflower
- Sweet Corn
- Thai Basil
- Vinca (Madagascar Periwinkle)
- Watermelon
- Winter Squash
- Yellow Summer Squash
- Zinnia
- Zucchini
Seasonal tips
- Succession sow Bush Beans and Pole Beans every two weeks now for a continuous summer supply.
- Mulch around newly transplanted Warm-Season crops like Zucchini to retain moisture and suppress weeds.
- Pinch back the tips of young Sunflowers to encourage bushier growth before they start flowering.
- Prepare soil beds with compost if you plan to sow Pumpkin or Winter Squash soon.
Pest & disease watch
- Aphids are currently exploding on new growth of Zinnias and Cosmos; treat with insecticidal soap or strong jet streams of water immediately.
- Spider mites thrive in our dry spells, targeting French Marigolds and Garden Verbena; increase humidity around plants by misting early morning.
- Cutworms frequently attack tender Okra and Cucumber seedlings at night; collar the base of young stems or hand-pick larvae before dawn.
Watering this week
Water deeply in the early morning to minimize evaporation, especially as temperatures rise past 85°F.
Harvest Basil regularly by snipping leafy stems from the top to keep the plant producing new growth all summer long.
Austin gardening questions
3Can I still start Bush Beans and Pole Bean this week in Austin?
Yes, these heat-loving legumes are listed for sowing now and will establish quickly before the extreme summer heat sets in. Ensure you soak the seeds overnight to speed up germination in our heavy clay soil.
My Watermelon and Cantaloupe vines are sprawling everywhere; how do I manage them?
Install trellises or guide them along horizontal stakes now so fruit hangs freely, which reduces rot from Austin's humid nights. Also, rotate your squash family crops next season to prevent soil-borne diseases like powdery mildew.
Is it safe to harvest Garlic listed in the 'harvest soon' list right now?
While Garlic is technically ready for early pulling this week, wait a few more days if you want maximum bulb size and storage life. Look for the lower leaves to turn brown before harvesting to ensure the bulbs have fully matured.
Other cities in zone 9a
9See the full zone 9a guide → · Plan your Austin garden in SproutGuide →