Fall Gardening Zone 8: What should I plant and when?

Yesterday was my first post on steemit (https://steemit.com/introduceyourself/@j-ziegler-tx/hello-steemit-introduction-post-from-texas-usa).

I was blown away by the community and the response. It was very nice to be welcomed by some many people. Thank you, fellow Steemians!

In the comments I did receive a question that I wanted to address today and give some background which perhaps may be helpful to beginning gardeners or people considering gardening:

Comment:

Hi Jason! Love your Post! What kind of plants you have in your garden(when it's colder:))?

Welcome to steemit,
Susanna
@cocoandsun

My reply:

Hi @cocoandsun,

Thank you for you interest! Tomorrow I will plant beans, corn, peas, pumpkin. In Sept. I will plant broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, winter squash, potato, and cucumber. In October I will plant beets, swiss chard, lettuce, and Parsley. Then finally in November I will plant carrot, radish, spinach, and onion.

How do I know what to plant and when?

The great thing about gardening is there is so much information and instruction on how and what to do to be successful. I love to read info regarding planting techniques and permaculture, but the resource I use most is the Direct Seeding Guide for my state put out by Texas A&M University. http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/archives/parsons/fallgarden/falldirect.html

I am in Texas Region 3
Image Credit: Texas A&M University
which corresponds to the National Zone 8 (see graphic blow):
Image Credit: US Department of Agriculture

(Central Texas, Central Lousiana, Southern Mississippi, Southern Georgia and Northern Florida)

So I just look at the chart from Texas A&M and see when I can plant what. Easy!
Image Credit: Texas A&M

All I have to do is clear and prepare a section of the garden before that date, get the seeds in the ground on the day outlined and viola! I can be sure I am doing something reasonable and should have a good outcome. No guesswork involved.

Peas Planted

So here is a shot of a tepee I constructed out of China Berry Tree branches (this is an invasive tree in Texas) and string which will provide support for the peas once they come up. An which will also provide support for lima beans and vining squash that will be planted later:

Photo Credit: Author

Parting Words

Please share your planting guide resources in the comments below to help newbies in your area. Here is my two cents, gardening isn't for everybody, but if you have every thought to yourself however briefly, "I wish I had a garden." Then you need to try it. Don't make excuses, make a plan and stick to it! Oh, and Make it a great day :)