🥬 Cool Season Greens & Brassicas
120 Linear Feet | Three 40' Beds | 40" Wide | North Texas (Zone 8a)
2
Seasons (Spring + Fall)
Bed Layout — Spring Season
3 rows, 10" spacing
~36 heads
3 rows, 10" spacing
~36 heads
Broadcast seeded
3-4 cuts per planting
Broadcast seeded
Cut-and-come-again
2 rows, 18" spacing
~16 plants
2 rows, 15" spacing
~16 plants
2 rows, 24" spacing
~8 plants
5 rows, 3" spacing
~200 plants
2 rows, 15" spacing
~12 plants
3 rows, 10" spacing
~29 heads
3 rows, 10" spacing
~43 plants
4 rows, 9" spacing
~70 plants
Planting Schedule — North Texas
Spring Season
Lettuce
start
plant
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start
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Arugula
sow
sow
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sow
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Spinach
sow
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sow
sow
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Kale
start
plant
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start
plant
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Swiss Chard
start
plant
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start
plant
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Broccoli
start
plant
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start
plant
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Cabbage
start
plant
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start
plant
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Brussels
start
plant
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Celery
start
plant
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start
plant
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Detailed Planting Dates — North Texas (Zone 8a)
Spring Planting
| Crop |
Start Indoors |
Direct Sow / Transplant |
Days to Harvest |
Harvest Window |
| Lettuce (head) | Jan 15 | Feb 15 - Mar 1 | 45-60 | Apr - May |
| Arugula | — | Feb 15 (direct sow) | 30-40 | Mar - May |
| Spinach | — | Feb 1 (direct sow) | 40-50 | Mar - Apr |
| Kale | Jan 15 | Feb 15 - Mar 1 | 55-75 | Apr - Jun (ongoing) |
| Swiss Chard | Jan 15 | Feb 15 - Mar 1 | 50-60 | Apr - Jun (ongoing) |
| Broccoli | Jan 1 | Feb 15 | 70-80 | Apr - May |
| Cabbage | Jan 1 | Feb 15 | 80-100 | May - Jun |
| Celery | Jan 1 | Mar 1 | 100-120 | May - Jun |
Fall Planting
| Crop |
Start Indoors |
Direct Sow / Transplant |
Days to Harvest |
Harvest Window |
| Lettuce (head) | Aug 15 | Sep 15 | 45-60 | Oct - Nov |
| Arugula | — | Sep 1 (direct sow) | 30-40 | Oct - Nov |
| Spinach | — | Sep 15 - Oct 1 (direct) | 40-50 | Nov - Dec |
| Kale | Jul 15 | Aug 15 | 55-75 | Oct - Dec (ongoing) |
| Swiss Chard | Jul 15 | Aug 15 | 50-60 | Oct - Dec (ongoing) |
| Broccoli | Jul 15 | Aug 15 | 70-80 | Oct - Nov |
| Cabbage | Jul 15 | Aug 15 | 80-100 | Nov - Dec |
| Brussels Sprouts | Jun 15 | Jul 15 | 100-120 | Nov - Dec |
| Celery | Jul 1 | Aug 15 | 100-120 | Nov - Dec |
Succession Planting Schedule
Key Principle: For continuous harvest, sow quick crops (lettuce, arugula, spinach) every 2-3 weeks during their growing windows. Long-season crops (broccoli, cabbage, brussels, celery) get one spring and one fall planting.
| Crop |
Succession Interval |
Plantings per Season |
Bed Feet per Planting |
| Lettuce (head) | Every 2-3 weeks | 4-5 | 3-4' |
| Arugula | Every 2 weeks | 4-5 | 2-3' |
| Spinach | Every 2 weeks | 3-4 | 3' |
| Baby Lettuce | Every 2 weeks | 4-5 | 2' |
| Kale | 1x spring, 1x fall | 2 | 7' |
| Swiss Chard | 1x spring, 1x fall | 2 | 12' |
| Broccoli | 1x spring, 1x fall | 2 | 12' |
| Cabbage | 1x spring, 1x fall | 2 | 10' |
| Brussels Sprouts | 1x fall only | 1 | 8' |
| Celery | 1x spring, 1x fall | 2 | 13' |
Seed & Transplant Quantities
| Crop |
Bed Feet |
Plants/Season |
Seeds Needed |
Est. Yield |
| Lettuce (head) | 28' | ~100 | 200 seeds (×2 seasons) | 100 heads |
| Baby Lettuce Mix | 10' | broadcast | 1 oz | 6-10 lbs |
| Arugula | 10' | broadcast | 1 oz | 5-10 lbs |
| Spinach | 10' | ~200 | 1 oz | 8-12 lbs |
| Baby Lettuce | 10' | broadcast | 0.5 oz | 3-5 lbs |
| Kale | 7' | ~12 | 25 seeds (×2) | 12-25 lbs |
| Swiss Chard | 12' | ~43 | 75 seeds (×2) | 20-40 lbs |
| Broccoli | 12' | ~16 | 35 seeds (×2) | 16 heads + side shoots |
| Cabbage | 10' | ~16 | 30 seeds (×2) | 16 heads |
| Brussels Sprouts | 8' | ~8 | 20 seeds | 8-16 lbs |
| Celery | 13' | ~70 | 150 seeds (×2) | 70 bunches |
Texas Heat Strategy
⚠️ Critical for North Texas: These are cool-season crops. They bolt (go to seed) quickly once temps hit 80°F+ consistently.
- Spring window: Get everything planted by early March. Harvest hard in April-May before heat.
- Summer gap: June-August is too hot. Switch beds to warm-season crops or cover crop.
- Fall window: Start transplants indoors in July (in AC!). Plant out mid-August after worst heat breaks.
- Shade cloth: 30-40% shade cloth extends harvest by 2-3 weeks in spring and protects fall transplants.
- Bolt-resistant varieties: Choose heat-tolerant varieties like 'Jericho' lettuce, 'Tyee' spinach, 'Red Russian' kale.
Summer Bed Transition
When spring crops finish (June), these beds can be:
- Cover cropped — Buckwheat or cowpeas to build soil
- Planted to warm-season crops — Peppers, beans, or okra
- Solarized — Clear plastic to kill weeds and pathogens
- Left fallow with mulch — Rest until fall planting
Gainesville Farm — Cool Season Greens Planting Plan
FM 1199, Gainesville, TX