Friendly gardener here, sharing what actually thrives in our North Texas winter plots.
I’ll start with a little real talk: December in North Texas tends to lull many gardeners into thinking “the garden’s at rest.” But honestly? That’s only partly true. The ground may chill and the summer heat is gone, but there are still great planting opportunities if you know what your climate really allows.
Preferences vary wildly—some of us want bold color from flowering beds, others want fragrant herbs or a bumper crop of greens. Some of us care about performance (heavy yields) while others are working within a budget and would rather sow seeds than buy expensive transplants.
In my own garden (just north of Dallas), I’ve found that embracing the cool-season crops—from hardy leafy greens to root vegetables—gives me a satisfying harvest while the rest of the neighborhood thinks nothing grows until spring. I’m writing this because if I can coax something beautiful and edible out of a chilly December bed, so can you.
So promise: by the end of this guide you’ll have practical, gardener-tested ideas for what to plant in December in North Texas, plus personal tips I’ve learned the hard way.
Quick Comparison Table: What to Plant in December in North Texas
Here’s a handy chart summarizing the major options, so you can pick what suits your space and goals.
| Name | Best Region or Use | Height / Performance Notes | Season/Time to Plant | Feature / Fragrance / Special Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spinach (e.g., Bloomsdale) | Beds & containers | Low-growing, fast harvest | December (transplant or direct in cool soil) | Rich dark green leaves, mild flavor |
| Kale (e.g., Lacinato “Dino”) | Raised beds, garden row | Upright, can reach 18-24″ tall | December | Slightly sweet after frost, hearty texture |
| Mustard Greens | Rows or smaller plots | Low to mid height (12-18″) | December | Peppery flavour, brilliant leaf colour |
| Collard Greens | Garden row or large container | Broad, tall leaves (2-3′ maybe) | December | Dark leaves, robust and forgiving |
| Swiss Chard (Bright Lights) | Edges, mixed beds, containers | Mid height, colourful stems | December | Colourful stems, mild flavour, good for cut-and-come-again |
| Carrots (e.g., Nantes) | Deep beds or raised beds | Root crop, variable length | December (direct sow) | Sweet flavour, texture improves in cooler soil |
| Beets (Detroit Dark Red) | Beds, raised or in-ground | Medium height over root | December | Deep red roots, red-green leaves, dual use |
| Turnips | Garden beds or rows | Short squat root, tops also edible | December | Mild flavour, quick maturity |
| Leeks / Onions (sets) | Garden rows, raised beds | Tall stalks/leaves (2-3′) | December (sets/transplants) | Onions add winter interest, flavour boost |
| Pansy / Violas / Ornamental Kale | Flower beds, containers | Low to mid (6″-12″) | December (for winter colour) | Colour pop in grey/leafless months |
In-Depth Plant Profiles
Below I share my personal observations and tips for several of these crops—what’s worked for me, what to watch out for, and how to care for them. I’ll cross-reference related guides where helpful (like ‘what to plant in November’ or spring planting) so you can dig deeper.
Spinach
I remember the first time I planted spinach in mid-December: I was a little hesitant because the soil felt cold, but I popped seedlings in and they took off. In my experience, spinach is one of the best “cool season” choices in our area. According to expert guides, natives like spinach, arugula, chard, kale and mustard greens are good winter choices in Texas. North Haven Gardens+2The Dallas Garden School+2
Tip: Start with well-drained soil, amended with compost for extra nutrients. Mulch lightly to retain moisture and moderate soil temperature.
Care/Caveats: Watch for slugs or snails if the winter stays mild and damp. When a strong cold snap is coming, throwing a light frost cloth over the bed helps.
Related guide: If you’re curious what to plant in November, I also wrote about it from my experience.
Kale
“Kale laughs at winter,” I like to say. In North Texas, kale can really thrive over the cooler months, and its flavour even improves after a frost. I’ve grown Lacinato (“Dino”) and Red Russian in my patch. Local gardening resources affirm that kale is a strong winter performer. Collin County Gardeners+1
Tip: Give it full or near-full sun (our winter sun is weaker). Keep soil evenly moist—don’t let it dry out entirely.
Care/Caveats: If we get an unseasonably warm spell, kale can bolt or become tough. Monitor the tops for insects like cabbage worms.
Related guide: For spring kale planting, you might look at “Vegetables that Grow Well in North Texas.” The Dallas Garden School
Mustard Greens
This one was a fun experiment for me: I planted mustard greens in December and was pleasantly surprised how colourful and flavourful they became when the cold weather arrived. Guides list mustard greens among great winter leafy greens in our region. Garden Vive+1
Tip: Thin seedlings so the plants have space; if they’re crowded they’ll get leggy instead of leafy.
Care/Caveats: Slightly quicker maturity than kale—harvest young leaves for best tenderness.
Flavor Note: The peppery bite adds a nice contrast to more mellow leaves like spinach.
Collard Greens
In my garden, I tend to leave collards in so they’ll keep producing through the winter. They’re a larger, sturdier leaf crop and hold up well to mild freezes.
Tip: Plant in deeper soil if possible—collards have a more extensive root system. Add compost and a side dress of nitrogen mid-season (about every 4-6 weeks) if you feed.
Care/Caveats: They can get big and take space—so plan layout accordingly. Due to their size, they may cast shade on smaller neighbours if planted poorly.
Swiss Chard (Bright Lights or other)
Swiss chard is one of my “pretty and productive” choices: colourful stems plus edible leaves make it a double win. In December planting in North Texas, it’s a strong candidate. Garden Vive
Tip: Use it at the edge of a bed or in containers if you like the colourful stems popping out. Harvest outer leaves and leave inner growth to continue.
Care/Caveats: Although tougher, plants may need protection in a sudden deep freeze (rare for our area but can happen).
Fun Note: It’s a cut-and-come-again crop—nice for ongoing harvests.
Carrots (Nantes, Danvers etc)
I’ll confess: I don’t always get carrots in by December, but when I do, I choose a raised bed with deep, loose soil. Root crops like carrots benefit from being planted in cooler months. According to planting guides for December in North Texas, carrots are listed in the vegetable/roots section. Garden Vive+1
Tip: Ensure your soil is well-worked (free of big clods or stones) so carrots can grow straight. Keep soil consistently moist for even growth.
Care/Caveats: If a freeze is imminent and the soil is wet, consider mulch to buffer the root zone. They’ll tolerate our winters but don’t rely on growth spurts—they’ll grow slower than spring carrots.
Beets (Detroit Dark Red)
I planted beets last December and got a nice harvest by late winter/early spring. The dual utility (roots + greens) appeals. The December planting guide lists beets as well. Garden Vive
Tip: Thin beets carefully to about 3-4″ spacing; the leaves serve as an early harvest while the roots mature.
Care/Caveats: Avoid heavy fertiliser too late (especially high nitrogen) as it can encourage leaf over root growth if the weather stays cool.
Turnips
Turnips are a quick win for winter plantings. I use them for both roots and the greens, since turnover is relatively fast. The December guidance mentions them too. Garden Vive
Tip: Sow shallow, thin to 4-6″, harvest when the root bulges to 2-3″. The greens can be harvested earlier and the roots later.
Care/Caveats: If the soil stays too cold and wet, you may see rot—so ensure slight slope or raised bed if drainage is an issue.
Leeks / Onions (sets/transplants)
For a long-term winter reward, I plant onion sets or leek transplants in December. They’ll mature later but give you a strong spring/summer yield. Some December-planting tables suggest onions/leeks. Garden Vive
Tip: Plant in fertile soil, hill up soil slightly around leeks to blanch the lower stem if you desire long white stalks. For onions, sets simplify the process.
Care/Caveats: Keep the bed weeded (onions/leeks don’t like competition) and well-mulched. We don’t tend to get deep freeze regularly, but if we do, protect the shallow-rooted sets with mulch or frost cloth.
Pansies / Violas / Ornamental Kale (for Colour)
Now, if you’re less about vegetables and more about visual winter garden interest, I highly recommend adding a few ornamental choices in December. I’ve planted pansies and ornamental kale in my flower beds and containers to brighten grey days. The December planting guide for North Texas lists annuals that tolerate light freezes (like pansies, snapdragons, ornamental kale). The Dallas Garden School+1
Tip: Mix the colourful leaves of ornamental kale with pansies in containers near your patio for cheerful winter colour.
Care/Caveats: Come freeze season—though our freezes are usually light—you still may want to cover tender annuals to extend life.
Helpful Notes / Expert Advice
Believe me, even the best-laid garden plan will face our North Texas quirks—so here are some seasoned tips and cautionary notes:
Know your zone & soil temperature
North Texas can be unpredictable: warm spells, then cold snaps. Though our winters are mild compared to more northerly regions, you’ll still want to check soil temperature. Some guides warn that soil may be too cold by December for certain seeds to germinate well. The Dallas Garden School+1
Use a soil thermometer if you can—if the soil is stagnant at say 45°F (7°C), germination will be very slow for many crops.
Soil preparation matters
Cold-season crops still need good soil. Add compost or well-rotted manure before planting. Ensure the bed is weeded, and if you have raised beds, they warm up quicker.
Mulch lightly (2-3″) after planting to stabilize soil temperature and retain moisture, but avoid heavy mulch that insulates too much and keeps soil soggy.
Water & drainage
Even in winter we have to watch moisture. Plants in cold, wet, poorly-drained soil are vulnerable to rot or fungal issues. On the flip side, if we get a freezing night, dry plants and dry soil tend to suffer more—so don’t let the bed go bone dry.
One gardener wrote:
“Plants that are hydrated are more likely to survive a freeze. Dry soil and freezing temperatures plus cold winds will result in plant casualties.” Edible Dallas and Fort Worth
So water well ahead of a predicted freeze.
Covering & frost protection
Though deep freezes are rare, they do occur. I keep a lightweight frost cloth or old bedsheet ready for those nights when the forecast says low 20s°F (-6°C).
Group the more tender plants together so you can cover efficiently. As one experienced local gardener said:
“I group together plants that are the most frost-tender, so when the need to cover them with frost cloth comes, it is more efficiently done.” Edible Dallas and Fort Worth
Plan for slow growth
Winter crops grow slower—so temper your expectations. Harvesting may start later than you’d get in spring. Don’t expect super rapid growth. I use this slower pace to enjoy the process, rather than stress.
Also, the pest pressure is lower in winter (a big plus) so you get fewer surprises—if you’ve done the planting right.
Rotation & soil health
If this is a bed you used heavily in summer (tomatoes, peppers, squash) I recommend rotating crops or adding a cover crop (like winter rye or oats) before you plant. Some sources suggest winter planting for just the hardiest crops, or transitioning to soil building if you’re not planting. texasnative
Timing and climate nuances
December is a “borderline” month for many gardeners in North Texas: early enough for some crops to still establish, but late for others. For example, direct-seeding some vegetables might already be too late. One local guide says:
“Soil temperatures are too cold to start anything by direct-seed, but you can transplant seedlings of lettuce, kale, collard greens, mustard greens, Swiss chard, and spinach throughout the winter.” The Dallas Garden School
So if you’re planning direct seed, choose crops that tolerate slower germination or use transplants.
Conclusion
Thank you for spending this time with me—I hope you feel empowered rather than under-the-weather about your December garden in North Texas. I’m passionate about this little winter gardening window, because it gives us a chance to keep growing when many have already put the trowel away.
If you’ve planted any of the crops above—spinach, kale, mustard greens, carrots, beets—let me know how it’s going. I’d love to hear your results and swap tips. And if you want, I can share a photo-rich guide of my own winter beds (with successes and failures!).
If you found this useful, consider subscribing or following along—I’ll be posting seasonal updates and more region-specific garden advice.
Have fun, keep your gloves handy, and here’s to a flourishing December garden. Happy planting!