July in Houston, Texas is very hot, sometimes with consistent triple digit temperatures. Overnight lows often hover in the 80's. This weather makes it tough to keep plants alive, let alone nurture a new seedling to life.
There are a few plants you can plant in July, though! And, this is a great time to start seedlings inside for your fall garden.
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July is a great time to rest from working on your garden. Focus on watering, harvesting what may be maturing and keeping cool!
This is not the time to tackle big garden projects, unless you're willing to work on them little by little in the early mornings or late evenings, when the weather is tolerable.
So, what vegetables, fruit, flowers, plants and herbs can you grow in July in Texas Zone 9a?
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🌶 Vegetables
What vegetables can you plant in July?
- Eggplant
- Peppers - scotch bonnet peppers (pictured below), jalapeños, chiles, bell peppers, habanero, cayenne, banana peppers and more
- Tomatoes
These vegetable plants are tolerant of the intense heat (to a point), as long as they get a little bit of shade during the day. If eggplant, peppers or tomatoes are left in full sun all day long without shade from a tree, fence or shade cloth, they may very well get scorched by the blistering summer heat in Texas.
Be sure to water in new plants and keep them watered daily (even twice a day), if there is no rain.
July is a great month to start sowing seeds indoors for planting out in the late summer and fall!
What vegetable seeds should you sow in July?
- Amaranth
- Black Eyed Peas
- Corn
- Cucumbers
- Malabar Spinach
- New Zealand Spinach
- Okra
- Pumpkin
- Summer Squash
- Winter Squash
🍉 Fruit
What fruit seeds can you sow indoors in July?
- Cantaloupe
- Watermelon
It's not recommended to plant any new fruit plants or fruit trees in July in Texas. When buying new fruit trees, examine their growing season and when it's recommended to plant them in Texas, so you have the best chance of it thriving.
🌺 Flowers
What flowers can you plant in July?
There are many types of flowers you can plant in July, but keep in mind that you will need to keep them well-watered. Additionally, the shock from being transplanted into a new location, in addition to summer weather conditions, may kill the plant.
🌳 Trees
Should you plant trees in July in Texas?
No, this isn't the best time to plant trees in Texas. The intense summer heat can be tolerated by established trees, but new trees would require much care and constant watering to survive the summer.
The best time to plant trees in Texas is in the fall or spring.
🌱 Herbs
What herbs can you plant in July?
Warm weather herbs love the heat of summer. As long as they get water, these heat-tolerant herbs should be okay if planted in July in Southeast Texas:
- Basil - sweet basil, Genovese basil, Purple basil, Thai basil, African blue and ruffles all love the heat of summer, granted they are watered enough!
- Rosemary - this Mediterranean herb loves the heat and is drought-tolerant once established. Water 2-3 times a week in 100-degree weather, if planted in a container.
- Thyme - like rosemary, thyme is a Mediterranean herb that is heat-tolerant. It is delicious in dishes like Jamaican rice and pigeon peas, as well as many others!
- Savory - a woody herb, similar to thyme, savory is used as a salt substitute
- Mint - best grown in a large container by itself, mint will take over the garden by spreading, if not contained. Arguably, one of the most versatile herbs for cooking and for adding to infused water, teas and drinks, it's always good to have mint growing in the garden. It's low-maintenance and easy to grow, even in a Texas summer! Use fresh mint in these vegan summer rolls with spicy peanut sauce, so you don't have to turn on the stove for dinner.
- Lemon Balm - used to keep mosquitos away, lemon balm leaves are also used as an herbal tea. Needs some shade, otherwise the leaves will scorch.
- Oregano - used throughout the Mediterranean countries of Italy and Greece, oregano is a heat-tolerant staple for your garden.
- Mexican Oregano - distinctive from Italian or Green oregano, Mexican oregano is perfect for flavoring charro beans and other Mexican or TexMex dishes.
- Cuban Oregano - large thick leaves distinguish Cuban oregano from it's Greek and Mexican counterparts. Green Cuban oregano and Variegated Cuban oregano both handle the heat well!
- Tarragon - an anise-flavored herb that pairs well with chicken and is often used in French cooking.
- Lemongrass - an aromatic often used in Southeast Asian cooking.
These culinary herbs will do better if planted in the ground or a raised garden bed. Herbs planted in containers will dry out quickly when weather is consistently in the 90's and 100's.
If they are container plants, be sure to water daily or grow them inside, near a bright window, so they get lots of light.
⭐️ Lazy gardener tips
- In July, plan to water your garden first thing in the morning (between 5am-9am) or late in the evening (between 7:30pm-8:30pm) when it is cooler. Your plants will do better if watered during these times and so will you!
- Don't plan big garden projects for summer. It's not worth it!
- Do take advantage of the beautiful summer herbs that can handle the heat. Use that basil to make bruschetta all summer long!
Not sure what some of these gardening terms mean? Check out our glossary of easy to understand beginner-friendly definitions of plant terminology.
✂️ Equipment
In July, the garden equipment you'll use the most is your garden hose and nozzle! Water those plants regularly, daily or even twice a day, if need be. Be sure to water the soil, not the leaves, as much as possible.
A soaker hose can help with deep root watering, if you have one setup. This will help you water deeply to get to the roots, where the water gets taken in by the plants in your vegetable garden.
Or, if you have a sprinkler system, time it to water in the early morning hours, before the heat of the day has set in.
❓ FAQ
In Texas, no, it's not time to plant potatoes in July. Wait until February to plant them for a spring or early summer harvest.
Vegetable, herb or container gardens in Texas should be watered daily in July, as temps reach the 90's and 100's.
Lawn care is important in July, as the summer heat bakes grass. So, check soil moisture and water, if needed.
💜 More articles you'll love
For more information, consult the AgriLife Extension Service Planting Calendar for Harris County. If you found this article helpful, you'll love these other lazy Texas garden houseplants and backyard ideas!
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