What to plant this week in Dallas, TX
Dallas gardeners are well into the heat of summer, where the last frost date was over a month ago and temperatures routinely climb above 90°F. This week marks a critical harvest window for your late-maturing squash and melons while you decide whether to start those cold-tolerant fall crops like Daikon Radish indoors.
The next 7 days
Dallas, TXGrowing in Dallas right now
- Our clay-heavy Red Loam retains moisture well but can become hydrophobic during dry spells, so amend with compost if you haven't already this spring.
- With the first frost not arriving until December 1, you have plenty of time to plant a second round of cool-season crops like Garlic in mid-to-late August for next year's harvest.
- Dallas summers often bring sudden afternoon thunderstorms; ensure your raised beds and container setups have adequate drainage to prevent root rot on heavy feeders like Zucchini and Okra.
Sow this week
2 crops- Daikon Radish
- Ornamental Allium
Transplant this week
Nothing is due to go out this week.
Harvest soon
44 crops- Acorn Squash
- Basil
- Borage
- Bush Bean
- Butternut Squash
- Cantaloupe
- Celosia (Cockscomb)
- Cleome (Spider Flower)
- Cosmos
- Cowpea (Black-Eyed Pea)
- Cucumber
- Delicata Squash
- Edamame
- Fennel
- Flour Corn
- French Marigold
- Garden Verbena
- Garlic
- Gomphrena (Globe Amaranth)
- Gourd (Ornamental/Bottle)
- Honeydew Melon
- Lima Bean
- Loofah (Luffa)
- Malabar Spinach
- Morning Glory
- Nasturtium
- Okra
- Pole Bean
- Pumpkin
- Purslane
- Roselle (Cranberry Hibiscus)
- Scarlet Runner Bean
- Shiso (Japanese Basil)
- Spaghetti Squash
- 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 cowpeas every two weeks for a continuous harvest through late summer.
- Mulch around heavy feeders like corn, squash, and melons to retain moisture and suppress weeds as temperatures rise.
- Pinch back the tops of basil and borage regularly to encourage bushier growth and prevent flowering.
Pest & disease watch
- Spider Mites are exploding across the DFW metroplex right now due to the dry, hot conditions, particularly attacking Celosia and Marigolds.
- Squash Vine Borers are actively chewing into the stems of your Acorn and Butternut Squash plants; check for wilting vines and sawdust-like frass at soil level.
- Aphid colonies on Cowpeas and Pole Beans often worsen after rain, so inspect new growth daily during the humid periods before our next dry spell.
Watering this week
Provide deep, consistent watering at the base of plants every 2-3 days to prevent blossom drop on squash and melons.
Harvest acorn and butternut squash when they have fully ripened and developed a hard rind for best winter storage.
Dallas gardening questions
3Can I still plant Tomato or Pepper seeds now in Dallas?
No, it is far too late to start warm-season vegetables from seed outdoors as we are already deep in peak summer heat; instead, focus your efforts on harvesting your existing squash and melons which are ready soon.
When should I harvest my Cantaloupe and Honeydew Melon?
Pick these when the ground spot turns fully yellow or cream-colored and they emit a slight fragrance at the stem end; leave them to ripen on the vine for a few more days if possible for maximum sugar content.
Is it safe to transplant the Daikon Radish seeds listed for this week?
Not yet; while you can sow these seeds indoors now, they are not ready to be transplanted into the Dallas heat until September when temperatures drop closer to 70°F at night.
Other cities in zone 8b
12See the full zone 8b guide → · Plan your Dallas garden in SproutGuide →