Zone 7 - What to Plant in January

Zone 7 - What to Plant in January

January is go time for zone 7 gardeners. January is your first window to start your indoor sowings and order your seeds for the spring season. The next two months are the most important for starting your vegetables on time. Start your tomatoes, peppers and other vegetables to be ready for spring transplant!

Gardeners will enjoy a generous harvest of large, beefsteak tomatoes weighing 12-14 oz. that have a great tomato taste with just the right balance of acid and sugar. Indeterminate hybrid tomato plants produce heavily in just 73 days from transplant and they do especially well in cooler climates. This fleshy tomato has minimal Seeds and slices very well for true summer dining enjoyment.

The Green Sprouting Calabrese produces large dark green heads bursting with flavor. This broccoli with is a favorite, that now is available as organic seed! Good in short season areas with cool nights. It will produce many lateral or side shoots over a long season. It is slow bolting with a flavor that can't be beat.

The Ashe County Pimento pepper is a cherished heirloom variety with roots deeply embedded in the Appalachian region of North Carolina. Originating from Ashe County, this pepper has been cultivated since the early 20th century, known for its unique attributes and exceptional flavor. Characterized by its heart-shaped pods, the Ashe County Pimento ripens to a vibrant red hue, distinguishing it from other peppers. Its flavor is renowned for its sweet, fruity notes and low heat, making it a versatile ingredient for both fresh consumption and culinary uses like pimento cheese and stuffed peppers. The plant exhibits a compact growth habit, typically reaching about 18 to 24 inches in height, which makes it suitable for garden beds and containers. It produces an abundance of peppers that are ready for harvest in late summer to early fall. With its rich history, distinctive color, and delightful taste, the Ashe County Pimento pepper continues to be a prized addition to gardens and kitchens alike.

Violet is a French heirloom with fine flavor! Beautiful purple buds that are lovely on the big, ornamental plants, especially when the buds open. Rare outside Europe.

The Jalapeno M Pepper is a high yielding middle of the road hot pepper. This pepper variety has an average hotness level that tastes great in many dishes. Jalapeno M has thick walls with a spicy pungent smell! Typically growing to about 3-5 inches in length, these peppers have a smooth, firm texture and a slightly curved shape. The heat level of Jalapeno M peppers typically ranges from 2,500 to 8,000 Scoville Heat Units, providing a spicy kick that enhances a wide variety of dishes without being overpowering. Originating from Mexico, Jalapeno M peppers are widely used in salsas, sauces, and as toppings for nachos and other dishes. They have a fresh, grassy flavor that complements both cooked and raw preparations. Harvesting usually occurs around 70-80 days after planting, when the peppers are firm and glossy green, although they can also be left to ripen to red for a sweeter taste. These peppers thrive in warm climates and well-drained soil, making them a staple in many home gardens. Their combination of heat, flavor, and versatility has solidified Jalapeno M peppers as a beloved ingredient in kitchens around the world.

The Detroit Dark Red is the standard all-purpose heirloom beet! This is by far the most popular beet for home gardens. Detroit Dark Red has blood red flesh that is very sweet and tasty. Beets are perfectly round with no rings or streaks. Has 13-16" greens that are wonderful mixed into salads. Very prolific and good keeper. This heirloom was first introduced in 1892 by Mr. Reeves of Ontario, Canada.

The King of the North Pepper is the most reliable bell pepper for northern gardeners. These sturdy plants produce heavy yields of blocky, thick walled, 3-4 lobed peppers that ripen from green to red. This pepper variety is excellent cooked in any recipe or raw for fresh eating. King of the North is sure to be the new KING in your garden!

The Merveille Four Seasons is a French Bibb lettuce type that produces rich deep reddish leaves with bright cranberry red tips. This 12-16 inches lettuce has a wonderful butter taste and will hold its flavor in hot weather. The rich red leaves surround a small, 8-12 inches pale green, tight heart. Enjoy the Merveille Four Seasons chopped up in a salad for fresh flavor and a pop of beautiful color.

Green Magic is a great summer and fall broccoli that is consistent performer. This broccoli matures mid-early and has wide adaptability to gardening zones. It has a semi-domed, tight head with medium-small bead size and a good plant habit.

Large tomatoes the ripen extra early! Early Girl is a large, extra-early tomatoes grow on a true bush. The Early Girl fruits have great flavor, extra red fruits that ripen early in the season. Amazingly compact and self-supporting, yet productive.

The Porter Tomato is a very smooth, dark pink tomato variety that is perfect for canning, juicing or eating fresh in a salad! The 2 oz tomatoes have a round/plum body shape and the plant is very drought resistant, which makes them great for areas with little rain. The Porter is a high yielding plant that will give you an abundance of tasty tomatoes!

Countryside is a beautiful dark green very uniform baby leaf spinach variety. It has thick smooth round oval leaves. Countryside has good holding ability for baby leaf and it has acceptable bolt tolerance for fresh market growers. Due to its moderate growth habit, it has performed well in many West Coast baby leaf growing slots.

Get a head start with the early maturing Early Jalapeno Pepper. This pepper variety continuously produces a dark green, thick skin that forms to the shape of a cone. Enjoy the Early Jalapeno fresh or pickled on salads, dips or tacos!

Butter King Lettuce is slow to bolt or turn bitter. This varieties' light-green crisp 12-13 oz. butterheads do well in Midwest heat. The Butter King is a Boston type, but it is nearly twice as large and more tender. This lettuce grows vigorously with a good flavor and is disease resistant.

Chocolate Stripes tomatoes are a visually stunning heirloom variety known for their striking appearance and rich flavor. Originating from a selection of striped, heirloom varieties, these tomatoes are celebrated for their unique color pattern, which features a deep, chocolate-brown skin with vibrant green and red stripes. When fully ripe, they reveal a rich, earthy-red interior. Chocolate Stripes tomatoes are medium to large in size and are prized for their complex, sweet flavor with hints of smokiness, making them a delightful addition to salads, salsas, and fresh dishes. They typically take about 75 to 85 days to mature and exhibit an indeterminate growth habit, meaning they continue to produce fruit throughout the growing season. The plants are vigorous and benefit from staking or caging to support the weight of the abundant fruit. With their eye-catching coloration and exceptional taste, Chocolate Stripes tomatoes are a favorite among gardeners and chefs seeking both aesthetic appeal and culinary excellence.

The Rainbow Blend Bell is an assorted mixture of 7 colorful bell pepper varieties. This blend of bells contains a full range of colors with 7 varieties of top-quality, vigorous hybrids of red to green, orange, yellow, chocolate, lilac, ivory and purple! Enjoy your peppers together in a colorful dish with this excellent sweet bell pepper blend!

The Supersweet 100 Tomato has a flavor with an extra sweetness and an outstanding yield production that keeps coming back! This tomato tastes like candy and has an increased disease-fighting ability than the beloved classic, Sweet 100. This hybrid is a delicious treat that is also one of the most nutritious tomatoes available anywhere! The Supersweet 100 has a higher vitamin C content than any other tomato. The small 1 inch tomatoes have a bright red skin and flesh.

The Super Chili is an AAS Pepper Variety Winner! A real super chili pepper, bred for compact, 15" inch plants cover with fruits. These hot peppers can reach upwards of 37,500 Scovilles. Great for spicy cuisine like Thai or Asian dishes.