Zone 8 - What to Plant in January

Zone 8 - What to Plant in January

January is the time to start your garden in zone 8. To be ready for the last frost you should start all transplants inside in January so you're ready to go. 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!

Chioggia beets, also known as Candy Cane or Bull's Eye beets, are a unique and visually striking variety of beets that originated in Italy. Their history dates back to the early 19th century when they were first cultivated in the coastal town of Chioggia, near Venice. These beets are renowned for their vibrant and eye-catching appearance, characterized by concentric rings of alternating red and white colors, reminiscent of a candy cane. This distinct coloration makes them a popular choice among gardeners and chefs for their ornamental and culinary appeal. In terms of taste, Chioggia beets offer a mild and slightly sweet flavor, making them a versatile ingredient in various dishes. They can be enjoyed raw in salads, pickled, roasted, or boiled, and their taste becomes sweeter when cooked. Typically, Chioggia beets are round to slightly flattened in shape, with a diameter of 2 to 3 inches. They are known for their relatively quick maturity, taking around 50 to 60 days to reach full size. Their unique coloration is retained even after cooking, making them a visually stunning addition to any meal. When it comes to growing Chioggia beets, they thrive in well-drained soil with a neutral pH and require full sun for optimal growth. Proper spacing is essential to allow room for their roots to develop, typically requiring 3 to 4 inches between each plant and rows spaced about 12 to 18 inches apart. Chioggia beets are relatively disease-resistant, with a natural ability to withstand some common beet diseases, but it's still essential to monitor them for any signs of issues. With proper care, Chioggia beets can yield a bountiful crop, and their unique appearance and delightful taste make them a favorite among gardeners and culinary enthusiasts alike.

The Grand Rapids TBR Lettuce is a loose leaf type that is slow to bolt! This bright green, frilled, lettuce is a fast grower with a crisp texture that is delicious! Grand Rapids TBR is particularly well-suited to cooler climates, but is also resistant to heat and Tipburn.

The Bride eggplant gets its name for its long white and purple blush appearance and white, tender flesh. This variety is very similar to the White Comet, however the Bride is open-pollinated. This Oriental eggplant has a delicate eggplant taste and is bitter free. Bride can be eaten fresh if picked young.

The Baby Roma, also known as the "Cherry Roma," is a miniature roma-shaped tomato that is bursting with an intense sweet flavor. This tomato variety is great for garden snacking, adding into salads and growing for market production. The Baby Roma plant produces an incredibly heavy set of 1” grape-type tomato fruits that have a very long shelf life. 

The Pruden's Purple Tomato, also known as Prudence, is considered to be one of the best heirloom beefsteak tomatoes in America! This tomato variety is an indeterminate, potato leaf plant that has heavy yields of 10-16 ounce, dark pink fruits. Pruden's Purple produces only very few seeds and is widely adapted.

The hardy American Flag leek is a good variety for both home and market growers. The attractive uniform leek has blue green leaves and white stalks. The American Flag variety has a very nice sweet flavor. This leek can be enjoyed during fall and winter. Certified Organic. Learn more about our organic seeds.

Hillbilly tomatoes, also known as "Hillbilly Potato Leaf" tomatoes, are a unique and heirloom variety of tomato with a rich history dating back several decades. These tomatoes are renowned for their distinctive appearance and delicious flavor. The fruit size of Hillbilly tomatoes can vary, but they typically range from large to very large, often exceeding 1 pound (0.45 kg) per fruit. Their shape is irregular and somewhat flattened, with deep ribbing and prominent shoulders, giving them a rustic and charming aesthetic. The plants of Hillbilly tomatoes are known for their vigorous growth and can reach a height of 5 to 7 feet (1.5 to 2.1 meters). They have potato-like leaves, which is how they earned their "Potato Leaf" moniker. These tall and sprawling plants require ample space and support to accommodate their robust growth. Hillbilly tomatoes are indeterminate, meaning they continue to produce fruit throughout the growing season, making them a favorite among home gardeners. When it comes to growing conditions, Hillbilly tomatoes thrive in full sun with well-drained soil that is rich in organic matter. They prefer warm and consistent temperatures, making them suitable for summer cultivation in most regions. Adequate watering and regular pruning to encourage air circulation are essential for healthy plant development. Hillbilly tomatoes are cherished for their sweet and slightly tangy flavor, making them a popular choice for fresh salads, sandwiches, and canning due to their large fruit size and rich taste. Their unique appearance and historical significance make them a treasured addition to any garden or kitchen.  

The Ananas Noir Tomato, or also known as the Black Pineapple, is a beautiful, super sweet tomato originally from Belgium. This variety was introduced as "Pineapple" by Pascal Moreau in 2005. These non-vining tomatoes produce large 1-1.5 pound fruits. The delicious Ananas Noir has a sweet, rich flavor and a "tie-dyed" color in the interior when sliced open.

The 1999 AAS winner, Juliet Tomato, is a bright red, 1 oz. cherry tomato hybrid with a great sweet flavor that can't be beat! This tomato variety produces grape-like clusters on long, vigorous vines. The small and elongated fruit has a sweet flavor with an attractive glossy skin that is very crack resistant.

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 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!

Carmona Red is a favorite among many market growers! This lettuce variety produces big, bright red heads with lime green hearts. The Carmona Red has a nice silky texture and is very disease resistance.

The Selway is a Lolla Rossa type lettuce with beautiful light green and dark purple coloring. This variety has deeply curled loose leaves with frilled dark-purple edges edges. The Selway is an essential in salad mixes for its color and taste. For baby leaf production, this variety can be harvested in 30 days and for full sized leaves, it can be harvested in 55 days and can be cut repeatedly!

The Ruby Red Lettuce is an early variety that produces good yields of bright green to ruby red colored leaves. This beautiful variety is a very heat tolerant lettuce that is slow to bolt. Ruby Red's color does not fade in the hot weather! This lettuce is excellent for adding color to salads or garnishes.

Crunchy Crimson radish is a high yielding root with superior quality and uniformity. These roots have bright red skin with excellent interior quality and are very slow to develop pith. Crunchy Crimson grows well under cool conditions.

Riverside is a smooth spinach with dark green leaves. Grown mostly for its spade-shaped baby leaf harvesting. Riverside produces at normal rates with an upright plant habit. Excellent for growers who want premium quality product. Riverside is also very resistant to downy mildew.

Black Spanish Round Radish is a unique black old heirloom that has a nutty and slightly spicy flavor! This black beauty radish is making a comeback! Its firm flesh holds up well in meals. The Black Spanish Round is best grown from late winter to early spring and is a healthy spring vegetable.

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!