What to Plant in October in Zone 7
Here is what you can sow in October if you garden in USDA zone 7. Dates use typical zone 7 frosts, so your own microclimate may shift them by a week or two.
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| Crop | Window | Sow between |
|---|---|---|
| Lettuce, leafSalad Bowl | fall | Aug 11 – Oct 10 |
| Lettuce, romaineChalupa | fall | Aug 11 – Oct 10 |
| ArugulaAstro | fall | Aug 11 – Oct 10 |
| Onion, bulbTexas Legend | fall | Aug 30 – Oct 11 |
| GarlicMusic | fall | Oct 25 – Nov 9 |
| Fava Bean (Broad Bean)Broad Windsor | fall | Sep 24 – Nov 1 |
| ShallotAmbition | fall | Oct 4 – Nov 8 |
| DillFernleaf | fall | Aug 23 – Oct 4 |
| ChervilCurled | fall | Aug 30 – Oct 11 |
| Lettuce | fall | Aug 11 – Oct 10 |
| Onion | fall | Aug 30 – Oct 11 |
| Mache (Corn Salad)Vit | fall | Aug 26 – Oct 15 |
| Cress, gardenCurled | fall | Aug 11 – Oct 10 |
Zone 7 in October
The Fall Garden Closes Out
Shallot and Garlic Both Get Their Start, on Different Clocks
Shallot opens fresh on the table from the first day of this month, going into the ground weeks before the frost that governs garlic even arrives. Set the bulbs pointed end up, about an inch deep and 6 inches apart; plant them any shallower and a hard freeze in the weeks ahead can heave them right back out of loosened soil.
Garlic runs on a separate clock entirely. Hold the cloves back until the first killing frost has actually landed, which for this zone typically falls in the closing days of this month; cloves set into ground before that frost push leafy top growth that a later freeze only cuts back down. Once frost has come and gone, break the bulb apart, set cloves pointed end up 2 inches deep and 6 inches apart, and get 3 to 4 inches of straw mulch over the row within the same week you plant.
Everything else on the table this month is a final chance rather than a fresh start: lettuce, arugula, dill, chervil, mache, and the last of the onions all need to go in soon, since the average frost date lands before this month is out.
Direct-sown greens still going in now should be treated as a gamble against the calendar rather than a sure thing; a fast-growing baby-leaf mix can still put on a cutting or two before the season ends, but a full-size head of lettuce almost never gets there. A head needs 55 to 70 days most varieties don't have left, while a baby-leaf cut at 25 to 30 days often does.
Protect the Fava Bed and Anything Just Tucked In
Fava beans sown last month need a check now that nights are trending colder here. Lay 3 to 4 inches of straw mulch over the row once the ground has cooled but before it locks up hard; mulch spread while the soil is still warm traps heat and can delay the winter dormancy this crop actually needs.
Pull any row cover you've stored since spring and check it for tears now, while there's still daylight and mild afternoons to make repairs. You'll want it ready the first week temperatures threaten the teens.
Clean out any spent squash, tomato, or pepper vines still standing from summer rather than leaving them through winter. Old vines left in place give overwintering pests and disease spores a place to survive until spring.
October in zone 7: common questions
What can I plant in October in zone 7?+
In October, USDA zone 7 gardeners can sow Lettuce, leaf, Lettuce, romaine, Arugula, Onion, bulb, Garlic, Fava Bean (Broad Bean), and more. Dates use typical zone 7 frosts, so your own microclimate may shift them by a week or two.
What USDA hardiness zone am I in?+
Zone 7 is one band of the map, but planting time is set by your local frost dates, not the zone number. Enter your ZIP code in the free planner and it uses your actual frost dates, which can differ by weeks within a single zone.
Are these October planting dates exact?+
They are typical zone 7 windows. Two gardens in the same zone can be a week or two apart because of elevation and local climate, so treat these as a starting point and tune them to your ZIP code with the free planner.