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!

Ruby onions are a vibrant variety of red onions known for their striking color and sweet, mild flavor. Characterized by their deep purple skin and crisp white flesh tinged with red, Ruby onions add a pop of color to salads, salsas, and various dishes. They are typically medium to large in size, making them versatile for both raw and cooked applications. Originating from traditional onion cultivation, Ruby onions are prized for their ability to balance sweetness with a subtle bite, enhancing the taste of many recipes. They are often used in fresh preparations like salads and sandwiches, but they also caramelize beautifully when cooked, bringing out their natural sugars. Harvesting typically occurs in late summer to early fall, about 90-100 days after planting, when the tops begin to yellow and fall over. Ruby onions thrive in well-drained soil and full sun, making them a popular choice for home gardeners. Their attractive appearance and delicious flavor make Ruby onions a favorite in both home kitchens and commercial markets.

Yellow Sweet Spanish onion seeds grow into a classic heirloom variety that dates back to the early 20th century, prized for its large, globe-shaped bulbs and mild, sweet flavor. These onions typically reach 4–6 inches in diameter and feature golden-yellow skin with crisp, white flesh inside. They thrive in full sun and loose, well-drained soil rich in organic matter, requiring consistent moisture and a long growing season of about 110 days. Seeds can be started indoors 8–10 weeks before the last frost or sown directly once the soil warms. The resulting onions are excellent for fresh eating, caramelizing, or adding a subtle sweetness to soups, salads, and sandwiches.

The Rainbow Blend contains a kaleidoscope of orange, purple, red, white and multi-colored beet varieties that will make any dish pop! This colorful variety not only produces the brightest colored beets, but also the tastiest. This blend is a great addition to any garden, especially a container garden. Enjoy this beet blend in a salad, or roasted for a mouthwatering colorful plate.

Orange King is a deliciously sweet and tangy orange pepper. This blocky, thick skinned pepper turns from green to a bright orange when mature. Its plants produce average yields of 4-5 lobed block peppers that mature to 4x6." This pepper variety is the sweetest bell pepper we have tasted to date! Orange King is perfect for fresh eating, dips, salads, stuffing, stir fries and sandwiches.

Park’s Whopper CR Improved tomato seeds produce a classic, time-tested hybrid that has been a staple in American gardens for decades. Introduced by Park Seed and bred for dependable performance, this indeterminate beefsteak-type tomato is known for its large, smooth, globe-shaped fruits that often reach 12-14 ounces or more. Plants are vigorous and productive, showing good resistance to common tomato diseases and adapting well to a range of growing conditions. Park’s Whopper typically reaches maturity in about 65 days from transplant, providing a steady midseason harvest. The bright red tomatoes have meaty flesh, few seeds, and a juicy texture, delivering a rich, old-fashioned tomato flavor with a satisfying balance of sweetness and acidity that makes it ideal for slicing and fresh eating. This Improved CR tomato has been the standard for taste, size and production for many years. This improved Parks Whopper offers an earlier (5 days) harvest and a more diseases resistant tomato.

A spectacular everbearing strawberry that does well in hanging pots! Produces delicious 1" inch fruits all summer long. The only true variety that produces traditional, full-sized strawberries from seed. Bred in the US by one of the leading seed houses, this wonderful, new, everbearing variety is both early and long-blooming. Sow indoors 3 months before transplanting outdoors.

The Golden Detroit is the ultimate savory golden beet with delicious greens! A colorful beet that won over gardeners with it's sweet but more mild flavor. Golden Detroit's vibrant orange-yellow color makes a wonderful addition to salads and meals. Cooked it turns buttercup yellow and melts in your mouth. Light green, with gold veined leaves also mix well into salads. One of the best tasting raw beets that is extremely healthy.

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.

Gypsy is a hybrid broccoli that produces well in warmer growing zones. An excellent variety for greenhouse production. Gypsy has a strong root system and intermediate downy mildew resistance. Gypsy yields excellent, smooth, dome-shaped heads with medium-small beads.

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!

Green Zebra tomatoes are a unique and visually striking heirloom variety cherished for their distinctive appearance and vibrant flavor. These medium-sized tomatoes are easily recognizable by their green skin striped with darker green bands, giving them a zebra-like pattern. When fully ripe, they turn a rich, golden-green color. Known for their tangy, slightly sweet taste with a hint of citrus, Green Zebra tomatoes add a zesty flair to salads, salsas, and gourmet dishes. They typically reach maturity in about 75 to 80 days, and the plants exhibit a sprawling growth habit, producing an abundant harvest of fruit throughout the growing season. Their robust and resilient nature, coupled with their eye-catching appearance and exceptional flavor, makes Green Zebra tomatoes a favorite among both gardeners and culinary enthusiasts.

The Ponderosa Pink Tomato is an extra large and tasty beefsteak with a bright pink hue that is perfect for fresh eating as well as cooked for sauces! This 16 ounce, beefsteak type is almost seedless with low acid.

Chile de Arbol peppers are a distinctive variety renowned for their fiery heat and striking appearance. These small, slender peppers typically mature to a vibrant red color, although they can also be harvested green. Known for their sharp, intense heat with a slightly smoky undertone, Chile de Arbol peppers are a popular choice for adding a bold kick to sauces, salsas, and dishes. They generally take about 80 to 90 days to reach full maturity, and the plants are characterized by their upright growth habit, producing an abundance of peppers on relatively compact bushes. The plants are quite resilient, thriving in warm, sunny conditions and well-drained soil. Their vibrant color and potent flavor make them a standout addition to any garden or culinary repertoire, providing both visual appeal and a significant heat boost.

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.

The Indigo Sun is a F1 Hybrid bright yellow cherry tomato with an indigo anthocyanin pigmentation splashed around the crown. This pretty tomato has a sugar sweet flavor that is a nice balance between sugars and acids. This variety produces about eight tomatoes per cluster with each little cherry tomato weighing 1 ounce. The Indigo Sun is perfect as a snack or can be used to brighten up any salad or pasta dish!

The Fiesta Blend is a five color radish blend of red, pink, yellow, white and purple! This colorful blend will be sure to a pop of fun color to any garden. Serving up the Fiesta Blend in salads or dishes is a great addition to any party or gathering!

The Blondkopfchen, aka Little Blonde Girl, is a delicious heirloom cherry tomato that comes from East Germany and has a delicious sugary flavor. This high yielding variety produces an abundance of small golden yellow 1" fruits that grow in giant clusters. The Blondkopfchen is one of the best tasting cherry tomatoes as it has a high sugar content, is crack resistant and produces well until the first frost.