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!

Cherokee Purple tomatoes are a revered heirloom variety with a rich history and exceptional flavor. Originating from the Cherokee Nation in the southeastern United States, this variety has been passed down through generations for its unique attributes. Cherokee Purple tomatoes are known for their dark, dusky purple-brown skin and deep, red interior, which provides a striking contrast and a visually appealing fruit. They are medium to large in size and have a complex, rich flavor with sweet and slightly smoky notes, making them ideal for fresh salads, sandwiches, and gourmet dishes. Typically, these tomatoes reach maturity in about 75 to 80 days and feature an indeterminate growth habit, meaning they continue to produce fruit throughout the growing season. The plants are vigorous and require staking or caging to support their sprawling vines and the weight of the heavy fruit. With their historical significance, unique color, and robust flavor, Cherokee Purple tomatoes are a cherished choice for gardeners and culinary enthusiasts alike. This plant produces large vines with large beefsteak fruits that average 8-20 ounces.

Katarina cabbage has a perfect smaller head size (4”) and shape to be grown successfully in containers on patios, decks or in-ground beds, possibly as an ornamental/edible border.

Brunswick cabbage is a traditional variety known for its hardiness and adaptability, making it a favorite among gardeners in cooler climates. Originating from Europe, Brunswick cabbage features large, tightly packed heads that can reach sizes of 3-5 pounds. The leaves are thick, dark green, and slightly crinkled, providing a robust texture. The flavor is mild and sweet, especially after exposure to frost, which enhances its natural sugars. Brunswick cabbage is typically harvested in late summer to early fall, and it can store well, making it ideal for winter use. This variety is often used for sauerkraut, coleslaw, and various cooked dishes due to its versatility. Brunswick cabbage plants grow upright and can reach heights of about 18-24 inches, preferring well-drained soil and full sun. Their resilience to cold weather makes them suitable for early spring and fall planting, allowing gardeners to enjoy fresh produce throughout the growing season. Overall, Brunswick cabbage is valued for its robust flavor, adaptability, and long storage life.

The Orange Fantasia is a brightly colored orange Swiss Chard. This is a tasty variety that is great for people who want to grow controlled colors of different Swiss Chard. The Orange Fantasia's orange color comes when mature and ready for harvest.

The Barese Swiss Chard is an excellent home garden chard. This variety is known for its taste and tenderness. The Barese is bred specifically for baby leaf production. This chard matures quickly, produces uniform, crisp leaves and holds well.

Crunchy Red produces large tops and very uniform dark red, round roots. This variety is very slow to develop pith. It performs well under cool conditions. It’s usually a few days earlier than standard varieties. Crunchy Red is desirable where larger roots are required.

The Abe Lincoln Tomato is a popular heirloom variety with very good disease resistance that has been a farm favorite since the 1920's! This tomato variety produces bright red, perfectly round and medium-sized 12 oz. tomatoes in clusters up to 9. This tomato is very delicious and rich with slightly acidic tomato flavors. The Abe Lincoln will be in your garden for years!

The All Seasons Cabbage is a very heat resistant cabbage that is resistant to yellowing and will offer a nice flavor in any dish. This cabbage produces fine heads that are about 10-11" across and average about 11-14 pounds.

The Spicy Salad Blend is the perfect balance of lettuce and mustard greens. This blend produces a great flavor profile that will spicy up any regular salad mixture.

The Long Purple eggplant is considered a favorite productive Italian type of eggplant! This eggplant is a an old heirloom that was first brought to America in the 1870's by B.K. Bliss of New York. This variety produces good yields of mildly flavored eggplants that are 8-10" long by 2" wide. The Long Purple has a dark purple and glossy skin with pale white flesh that has few seeds. This variety is the most flavorful and tender when harvested young at 5-6" long. The Long Purple is a great variety for slicing and adding to different Italian dishes, such as lasagna.

'Yellow Wonder' is a very productive variety. It is a clumping type (few to no runners) that is day neutral which means that flowering is not dependent on day length. The fruit is a pale yellow at full ripe and soft. This variety is sweeter than the red alpine strawberry varieties. There is a strong wild aroma as well.

The Jet Star Tomato is a long time favorite and industry standard hybrid tomato with a high sugar content that masks acidity. These meaty, globe-shaped tomatoes can grow to be about 6 to 8 ounces and produces in abundance in mid-to-late summer.

The Watermelon is a very unique looking radish that does great at farmers markets! This variety has an excellent flavor and actually looks just like a watermelon inside! This radish has a round root that is 4" in diameter. The Watermelon radish is crispy with a mild and sweet flavor, that is excellent for salads, garnishes and even cooking in Asian dishes! Watermelon radish is the perfect radish for not only market growers, but also for home gardens.

The Ancho is a very popular, semi-spicy pepper! This tantalizing pepper has a slight mild and sweet apple flavor. This variety is a very versatile 4-6" pepper for fresh, cooked, and dried usage. Ancho's tapered fruits mature from a bright green to red on bushy, robust plants.

The Taxi Tomato is an attractive, sweet flavored, vibrant lemony-yellow tomato that grows to be the size of a baseball! This popular variety produces smooth, blemish-free globes with a rich, meaty flesh that are perfect for market and home growers alike. The easy to grow tomatoes thrive anywhere throughout the United States. Taxi is a low acid tomato.

Black Beauty eggplant is a classic variety that originated in the early 20th century, quickly becoming a staple in gardens and kitchens. Known for its glossy, deep purple skin and robust, oval shape, it typically reaches sizes of 6-8 inches long. The flesh is tender and creamy, with a mildly sweet flavor that enhances a variety of dishes, from ratatouille to eggplant parmesan. Harvesting occurs approximately 70-80 days after planting, when the fruits are firm and glossy, ensuring optimal taste and texture. This heat-loving plant thrives in full sun and well-drained soil, making it a popular choice for both home gardeners and market growers seeking reliable yields and delicious results.

The Orange Oxheart Tomato is an oxheart variety that has vigorous vines that produce plenty of beautiful, orange tomatoes. These tomatoes have a sweet and juicy flavor that will have you growing them for years and years to come! The Orange Oxheart weighs around 16-32 ounces and is just perfect looking!

The Self Blanching cauliflower is known for its bright white curds with a delicious flavor! The Self Blanching cauliflower has self-wrapping leaves that help protect the white curds from sun, thus the name Self Blanching Cauliflower. Remember cauliflower likes cool weather plant seed early spring or fall for best crops.