Greenscape

The worst of the DFW heat is finally breaking, and that means it's go-time for North Texas gardens. September and October aren't a wind-down here — they're basically a second spring, with a fall vegetable window, the best tree-planting weather of the year, and curb-appeal season all overlapping at once. Get Your Fall Vegetables In Now Direct-seed cool-season crops like turnips, radishes, carrots, beets, Swiss chard, and collard greens straight into the bed this month, and set out transplants of broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and kale. Water new seedbeds twice a day until germination, use 40–50% shade cloth while afternoons are still warm, and mulch 3 inches deep once seedlings hit 4–6 inches tall. This Is Prime Tree-Planting Season If a new tree or shrub has been on your list, plant it now rather than in spring. Cooler air lets roots establish through fall and winter without the stress of summer heat, so the plant hits next year's growing season already settled ...