Do your landscaping plans include a vegetable garden?  Then December, January and February are great times to plant Austin.  That’s because you don’t have to deal with high temperatures or insects, both of which can decrease production yield.

The first thing to remember is that while Austin is a warm-weather city, it’s still subject to brief freezes in winter.  You should therefore stay away from planting warm-season vegetables like peppers, tomatoes and squash.  Instead, choose hardy winter vegetables like lettuce, spinach Brussels sprouts, carrots, collards, kale and parsley.

Winter rains can be a problem because they can cause sogginess that can destroy root systems.  A good way to avoid this is to place all winter vegetables in raised plant beds, which also have the added benefit of keeping soil warmer than regular planting areas.

If you decide to plant other winter crops such as cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower, you need to be aware that these vegetables may experience a small amount of foliage burn due to the cold.  However, proper care and attention to these plants will minimize damage.

For these particular plants as well as those that produce leafy salad greens, you will need to make sure to use frost covers when the temperatures drop below freezing.  During drought winters, it’s also important to keep soils moist.