Congratulations to all of you! You are actually at the source of the questions you are asking: You need to consider your first frost date (it’s an average); scroll above and click on the reference to it and follow the prompts to get your estimated first frost date. Then come back here and look at the chart above AND determine what vegetables will thrive in the time before your first frost. Seeds should start just as they do in winter, although in most cases, they are best started in soil. If you have questions about how to grow any of the specific vegetables above, put the vegetable name in the search area (top left) and a growing page will come up, with specific guidance.

We hope this helps. Have fun!

Hmm. When you say eaten down to the stems, do you mean down to the soil line, with just stubs remaining? Or, just the leaves down to where each leaf stalk connects to the nearest stem? For leaves only, then you might check for signs of the tomato hornworm. For more widespread damage, it sounds like either a rodent (such as a woodchuck), rabbit, or deer, rather than an insect. For more information about tomato pests, and animal pests in general, you might visit:
http://www.almanac.com/plant/tomatoes
http://www.almanac.com/pest/tomato-hornworms
http://www.almanac.com/pest/deer
http://www.almanac.com/pest/rabbits
As to whether the plants can recover, it depends on how severe the damage is. You might wait and see, but also plant a few extra just in case. The damaged plants may take a while to recover, if they do, and likely the harvest will be delayed and perhaps not as abundant. Be sure to pamper the plants to help them re-establish. Good luck!

Try this free online planting calendar, customized to your zip code, here: http://www.almanac.com/gardening/planting-dates

Or, the new 2017 edition of The Old Farmer’s Almanac can be bought here: https://store.almanac.com/store/almanacs

Hi Sheena, Welcome! We have a free tool for the Best Days to Plant Seeds as well as Plants in the Ground. It is personalized to your location in Texas. Click here for our gardening calendar and please let us know if you have any questions on how it works! http://www.almanac.com/gardening/planting-dates

Will these crops always be indoors in the classroom or greenhouse? For greenhouse crops at this time, you might consider beets, radishes, lettuce, collards, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, turnips, kale, Swiss chard, fava beans, carrots, cilantro, parsley, spinach, or peas. If started in cups or egg cartons, they will eventually need to be transplanted to larger containers. Make sure the egg cartons or cups have a drainage hole in the bottom. A soil-less potting mix works well.
For general outdoor planting dates in your area, you might be interested in:
http://www.almanac.com/gardeni...

In Georgia, plant fall crops such as collards, turnips, cabbage, mustard and kale in September - October. In the extreme South, you can usually plant two weeks later so look toward the end of this range.

It's not too late. You can still plant seeds for root crops and cold-weather greens.

Foxgloves, petunias, and shasta daisies are great for a fall garden in Texas. Also try herbs like dill, oregano, sage, and fennel.

As a general rule, it is best to divide spring and summer blooming perennials in the fall, and fall bloomers in spring. So, move bearded iris and canna in the spring. The black-eyed susans and coneflowers are fine in the fall or spring.

Tulips can be planted in late fall before the ground freezes. If you are interested in planting vegetables here are some choices for a fall garden.
Beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, collards, lettuce, kale, onions, radishes, spinach and turnips.

For containers you can plant lettuce, spinach, kale, broccoli, endive, radishes, Brussels sprouts, oriental vegetables, bush beans and leeks. It's best to select vegetables that don't grow too large.

Hi Rachel, Soil is everything. For example, do you have hard, clay, compact soil? You'll want to get a soil test from your local county cooperative extension. It's usually free or low cost.
Whatever kind of soil you have, it always helps to add organic matter such as compost as it provides nourishment to the plants. Aim for one-third your soil mix to be organic material. Spread 2 to 4 inches over the garden surface and till it to a depth of at least 6 to 10 inches. Apply the recommended rate of fertilizer over the garden surface at the same time, and till it in along with the organic material. We hope you find this helpful.

Your first frost date is historically October 17. Look at the seed packets in your garden center, find the "dates to maturity" and back out from your frost date. Here is a helpful video on fall vegetable gardening: http://www.almanac.com/video/f...

Your last frost date is traditionally October 29. Autumn is a good time to plant veggies, such as spinach, broccoli, carrots, cabbage, leaf lettuce, Swiss chard and kale, beets and radishes. Most cool-season crops can be planted in your area from September through February. Stagger your sowing every 2 weeks for a continuous harvest. All the best!

In southern California you can plant cool-season veggies. Try carrots, cauliflowers, broccoli, greens, lettuce, potatoes, peas, and radishes.

For a fall garden you can plant beets, lettuce, carrots, Swiss chard, collards, onions, and radishes. You can also plant squashes and melons, tomatoes and peppers.

• You can plant onions, broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower. In Florida September is also great for setting out strawberry plants. And you can plant beets, carrots, greens, beans, radishes and cucumbers from seed. 
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Hi Barbie, We'd need to know where you live as every region of California is a bit different. It's a big state! Many parts of California do have a 50% probability of frost--usually in November. You mentioned that your frost date is usually in December. That could range from the coast of Luis Obispo County to Sacramento in the interior valley. Thanks, OFA

In Georgia, you plant a fall garden mid-July to September.  You may find this planting guide from your Georgia Cooperative Extension helpful: http://www.caes.uga.edu/public...

American Wisteria (Wisteria frutescens) is native to your area and grows quite vigorously. Plant in the spring (April/May) in your area.

Congrats! Nothing excites us more than beginner gardeners. Bush beans, carrots, peppers, and beets are easy ones. Here is an article we prepared to help beginning vegetable gardeners: http://www.almanac.com/vegetab...