Curious what to plant in October In Tucson? October is another really busy month for Tucson gardeners!
Now we're officially into autumn, and the average temps quickly drop below 90F and into the 80's this month.
Overnight average lows drop from 66F to 55F during October.
The garden is your oyster in October, being able to plant almost any cool season crop anytime you'd like, indoors from seed, from transplant in the field, or direct sown. All options are open.
Keep in mind that while first frost rarely comes before November (and sometimes as late as December) in Tucson, frost could show up as early as the end of October.
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Keep your eyes on the nightly lows starting at the end of this month, if you plant to protect your warm season tomatoes, peppers, and basil.
There are zero concerns about your cool season crops, aside from continuously planting and getting them all in the ground so you can start eating leafy greens again!
and shaves an extra 10 days off the
already-fast grow time for full-sized bok choy
Great way to get greens early in the winter season
Planting
Cover Crops & Forage
1st Half of October
BROADCAST IN FIELD:
Common Vetch, Crimson Clover, Hairy Vetch, Forage Radish, Flax, Lentil, Oilseed Radish, Red Clover, Tillage Radish, Yellow Sweetclover, White Sweetclover
DIRECT SOW / DRILL IN FIELD:
Chickpea, Fava Bean, Lentil
2nd Half of October
BROADCAST IN FIELD:
Common Vetch, Crimson Clover, Hairy Vetch, Forage Pea, Forage Radish, Flax, Lentil, Oats, Oilseed Radish, Red Clover, Rye, Tillage Radish, Sweet Clover, Wheat
DIRECT SOW / DRILL IN FIELD:
Chickpea, Fava Bean, Lentil, Winter Pea
Herbs
1st Half of October
SOW INDOORS:
Cilantro, Chives, Dill, Fennel, Parsley, Tarragon
DIRECT SOW IN FIELD:
Cilantro, Chives, Dill, Fennel, Parsley, Tarragon
HARDEN OFF & TRANSPLANT TO FIELD:
Cilantro, Chives, Dill, Fennel, Parsley, Tarragon
2nd Half of October
SOW INDOORS:
Cilantro, Chives, Dill, Fennel, Parsley, Tarragon
DIRECT SOW IN FIELD:
Cilantro, Chives, Dill, Fennel, Parsley, Tarragon
HARDEN OFF & TRANSPLANT TO FIELD:
Cilantro, Chives, Dill, Fennel, Parsley, Tarragon
Fruits & Vegetables
1st Half of October
SOW INDOORS:
Artichoke, Arugula, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Cardoon, Cauliflower, Celery, Chicory, Chickpea, Chives, Collards, Endive, Escarole, Fava Bean, Fennel, Green Onion, Horseradish, Kale, Kohlrabi, Leek, Lentil, Lettuce, Mâche (Cornsalad), Mizuna, Mustard, Napa, Snap Peas, Snow Peas, Spinach, Strawberries, Swiss Chard
DIRECT SOW IN FIELD:
Artichoke, Arugula, Bok Choy, Beets, Broccoli, Cardoon, Cauliflower, Chicory, Collards, Chicory, Chickpea, Endive, Escarole, Fava Bean, Fennel, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lentil, Lettuce, Mâche (Cornsalad), Mizuna, Mustard, Napa, Parsnip, Radish, Romanesco, Rutabaga, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Turnip
HARDEN OFF & TRANSPLANT TO FIELD:
Arugula, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Collards, Chicory, Chickpea, Fava Bean, Fennel, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lentil, Mustard, Napa, Romanesco, Spinach, Strawberries, Swiss Chard
2nd Half of October
SOW INDOORS:
Artichoke, Arugula, Asparagus, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Cardoon, Cauliflower, Celery, Chicory, Chickpea, Chives, Collards, Endive, Escarole, Fava Bean, Fennel, Green Onion, Horseradish, Kale, Kohlrabi, Leek, Lentil, Lettuce, Mâche (Cornsalad), Mizuna, Mustard, Napa, Snap Peas, Snow Peas, Spinach, Strawberries, Swiss Chard
DIRECT SOW IN FIELD:
Artichoke, Arugula, Bok Choy, Beets, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cardoon, Carrot, Cauliflower, Chicory, Collards, Chicory, Chickpea, Endive, Escarole, Fava Bean, Fennel, Garlic (From Cloves), Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Mâche (Cornsalad), Mizuna, Mustard, Napa, Parsnip, Radish, Romanesco, Rutabaga, Snap Peas, Snow Peas, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Turnip
HARDEN OFF & TRANSPLANT TO FIELD:
Artichoke, Arugula, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Cabbage, ardoon, Cauliflower, Collards, Chicory, Chickpea, Endive, Escarole, Fava Bean, Fennel, Kale, Kohlrabi, Leek, Lettuce, Mâche (Cornsalad), Mizuna, Mustard, Napa, Onion (From Seed), Romanesco, Snap Peas, Snow Peas, Spinach, Strawberries, Swiss Chard
These will get transplanted out into the field late this month.
Grains, Seeds, & Cereals
1st Half of October
BROADCAST IN FIELD:
Quinoa
2nd Half of October
BROADCAST IN FIELD:
Quinoa
Flowers
1st Half of October
BROADCAST IN FIELD:
Desert Chia
DIRECT SOW IN FIELD:
HARDEN OFF & TRANSPLANT TO FIELD:
2nd Half of October
BROADCAST IN FIELD:
DIRECT SOW IN FIELD:
Nasturtium
HARDEN OFF & TRANSPLANT TO FIELD:
Harvesting
Produce
Turnips, radish, mustard, zucchini, and summer squash
1st Half of October
2nd Half of October
Seed Saving
1st Half of October
2nd Half of October
Cut Flowers
1st Half of October
2nd Half of October
Weeding
Weeds to Pull
Needle Grama
Watch out for needle grama (bouteloua aristidoides) this month. It's easy to pull, scythe, or weed-wack but it goes to seed rapidly.
thrives on monsoon rain the Sonoran Desert lowlands.
Needle grama is at its worst as a Tucson weed after a heavy monsoon, but won't tolerate winter frosts. For this reason, it will race to go to seed before November.
Just keep it pulled or chopped back until November if you don't want this in your garden, and you're fine. Remember that while chopping back grama may be work, it's also adding carbon to your soil.
Chop it before it goes to seed, and it makes a great mulch of addition to your compost. If nature wants to grow grama, utilize those nutrients to help you grow more of what you like.
Spurge
Spurge will be creeping in October, doing as its namesake "sandmat" suggests and... matting the sand, of course!
The local spurges tend to produce some sticky sap that can gunk up your hands a little if you decide to pull it without gloves. It won't harm you and washes off easily, but your hands will be a little gross until you find a sink.
I really like the spurges and don't usually pull them up. Afterall, there really are no such things as weeds.
Sandmat has a great low growth habit which makes it a perfect living mulch. It's also incredibly easy to smother out with literally any other plant since it grows on the ground. This is why I don't waste any time pulling this stuff.
If you forget to properly mulch and cover you soil, spurge is nature's way of doing the job for you. Mulch or grow plants and you won't have much spurge.
I really embrace this stuff as the natural August living mulch and never fight it. Get roots in the soil and the spurge will just fade away.
More Tucson Planting Guides
Know some plants I missed for October in Tucson? I'd love to hear from you in the comments!
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