Lots of stuff can be started (from seed) now:

Beets
Radishes
Kale
Beans
Greens
Mustard greens
Carrots
Chard
Cilantro
Spinach (may need shade cloth now)
Lettuce (may need shade cloth now)
Broccoli
Cauliflower

Pretty much anything you would start in the spring can be grown as a 2nd crop for fall in TX, including cucumbers. If you start them from seedlings now. For starting from seeds, now is a great time to start the seeds for the winter garden like the ones mentioned in the list.

July/August is the time to start seeds in TX for fall/winter crop. Some delicate crops like lettuce may need a shade cloth for a couple of months so they don't fry. Break out all the seeds leftover from the spring & plant! :)

I'm interested in trying rutabagas this fall. I live in Houston. Anyone know if rutabagas can be successfully grown this far south and if so, when to start them? I have researched planting times in Harris County but don't find much on rutabagas, just turnips and collards.

It seems like rutabagas would be the same as turnips. Some years the turnips are good and some years hot and hard as a brick

I grew rutabaga over last winter. I will be planting soon. The agrilife says planting turnips happens mid september in Travis County.

I love the greens and they do very well all winter.

Gama_garden_tx, do i plant them (the list of veggies) directly in soil or inside the house in pods and then transfer?

I am going to start mine in trays and then transplant. maybe the grasshoppers will die soon and I can plant em.

I find that starting "cole crop" (winter veggies) seedlings indoors under my fluorescent lights gives me several advantages over direct sowing outside:
1. I have a terrible pillbug population and a seedling doesn't stand a chance

2. Growing indoors gives me a larger seedling to plant out, especially the broccs and cauliflowers which should go out with about 5-8 true leaves.

3. I can work with the temperature timing much better starting seeds indoors. Last season, I transplanted the broccs and caulis outdoors in mid-September, and it was still too hot for them. They struggled until the temps dipped below 70 degrees. This season, I can time the seed sowing better, so the temps will already be cool by them time I transplant out. They'll take of like bottle rockets once they feel that chill outdoors!

4. Starting seeds indoors is just plain FUN for me!

Linda