Zone 9 - What to Plant in December

Zone 9 - What to Plant in December

Now is when the main planting is happening in zone 9. The hot and humid days of summer are behind us and we can start growing the garden. With a last frost date in early February you should start growing your tomatoes, peppers and other plants indoors so they are ready to transplant in February.

The Red Russian Kale is a very tender, colorful specialty kale for salad mix and bunching. This variety is a special, refined strain. Its stems are purple and leaves are deep gray-green with purple veins. This flat, noncurled, and tooth-edged kale has a wonderful taste. Red Russian matures medium-tall and leaves are tender compared to other kales.

Merlin is an early to main season short day yellow variety that produces a firm uniform bulb. It also has the Celebrate plant structure to give it an extra boost against stress and make it grower friendly. These qualities help to make it a good fit for a short day program. Disease Ratings: High Tolerance to Pink Root, Fusarium, and Bolting.

The Floradade Tomato is a delicious, bright red variety that has a great ability to withstand heat and produce high yields! This variety was introduced by the University of Florida in 1976. This tomato plant produces smooth, 5-7 ounces sized tomatoes with slightly deep globes that have red with green shoulders.

The Patio Tomato is a hybrid tomato that produces delicious, approximately 4 oz. fruits with attractive dark green rugose foliage. The easy to grow Patio Tomato thrives in pots, patio containers and small gardens, truly good things can grow in small spaces! Also does great as a hanging tomato plant.

The Dwarf Grey Sugar Pea is one of our customer favorite peas! Produces an abundance of attractive purple and blue flowers. These flowers are edible, have a light pea flavor and look great on many dishes. The mature peas are very flavorful and is ideal for steaming, stir-frying or eating fresh out of the garden. Dwarf Grey Sugar Pea is suitable for northern and southern regions, as it is tolerant to heat and cold.

Little Finger carrot seeds grow into a petite, gourmet variety that originated in France and has been cherished since the mid-20th century for its tender, sweet flavor and snackable size. This Nantes-type carrot matures quickly in just 55–65 days, producing smooth, cylindrical roots about 3–4 inches long, making it perfect for small gardens and container growing. Its bright orange flesh is crisp, juicy, and sugary, often eaten fresh right from the garden, but also excellent for steaming, roasting, or pickling. Known as a child-friendly carrot because of its size and sweetness, Little Finger is ideal for fresh snacking, lunchboxes, and gourmet dishes, while also storing well for extended use.

Michihili cabbage is great for those who love stir-fry or pickling cabbage. A tight-head type with well blanched, crisp and tender interior. Michihili produces a cylindrical, leafy head. A high yielding cabbage with excellent flavor. Chinese cabbage nutrients include vitamins A and C.

The Chef's Choice Orange is an All American Selection winner that is a prolific producer of juicy, bright orange tomatoes. The bright neon orange color of this unique variety spreads throughout the entirety of the tomato. The Chef's Choice Orange is not only popular for its unusual coloring, but also for having a wonderful flavor.

Federle tomatoes, also known as Federle's Italian Paste, are a unique and heirloom variety of tomato renowned for their distinctive characteristics and rich history. These tomatoes typically exhibit a medium-sized, elongated shape, resembling a classic Roma tomato. Their size can range from 3 to 5 inches in length, making them ideal for canning, sauces, and paste production. Federle tomatoes thrive in specific growing conditions. They require full sun exposure and well-drained, fertile soil to flourish. These tomatoes are known for their resilience and adaptability, making them suitable for various climates and regions. They are often treasured by gardeners for their consistent performance and robust growth, making them a reliable choice for home gardeners and small-scale farmers. The history of Federle tomatoes dates back to Italy, where they have been cultivated for generations. These tomatoes were brought to the United States by Italian immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Since then, they have become a cherished heirloom variety, cherished for their exceptional flavor and versatility in the kitchen. Federle tomatoes are a testament to the enduring legacy of traditional tomato cultivation and continue to be a favorite among those who appreciate the rich heritage and exceptional taste of heirloom vegetables.

The Pepitas F1 Pumpkin is a very delicious and nutritious improved variety that is named for its hullness, or naked seeds. This pumpkin is amazing eaten fresh in salads or roasted. This variety is not just delicious, but it also makes for a beautiful decoration during the fall season. Each plant produces a high yield of medium-sized, orange fruits with attractive green stripes.

Caliber is a late-season yellow long day for the western United States known for vigor, disease resistance, yield, and storage capabilities. Caliber is a Celebrate hybrid with a healthy plant with solid roots and strong and erect tops that assist in providing thrips tolerance and make applications easier. Caliber has a consistent rich bronze scale in super colossal bulbs with single centers that do very well with a mechanical harvest. Caliber has a reputation for storing very well long term. Disease Ratings: HT to Pink Root and Fusarium, T to Bolting and HT for Thrips

The Tabasco Pepper is a very hot pepper that is most known for its fantastic spicy flavor in hot sauces! This pepper variety turns green to red when mature and grows to a size of .5" x 1.5." Tabasco reaches 30,000+ Scovilles!

The Cayenne Long Red Thick Pepper is the biggest cayenne pepper you can grow! This variety's pepper grows to 5" long and 1/2" thick and are often curled and twisted. This pepper is great enjoyed fresh or dried for later use! The Cayenne Long Red Thick is a middle of the road hot pepper.

The French Breakfast Radish has a delicate flavor and is an excellent variety for home gardens. This radish variety is an attractive uniquely shaped radish with elongated roots and red tops with white tips. The French Breakfast has an excellent flavor and texture, that is perfect for dips or as a garnish.

Sugar beets are the perfect natural choice to make sugar! You can boil the sugar beets in order to make a sugary syrup. These beets can grow up to 1 foot long and can weigh from 3-5 pounds. That means you need to thin them to make sure they have enough room to grow. Tops can grow 1-2' tall. Beet tops can be eaten, lightly grazed or fed to animals.

The Mammoth Gold Pumpkin is a smooth, molted pink golden-orange, faintly ribbed and irregular shaped pumpkin. This variety grows to have an 18-24" diameter and weighs in usually between 40-60 lbs. but can get to be over 100 lbs.! The Mammoth Gold's thick pale yellow-orange flesh is edible but coarse, and can be used for pies as well as novelty.

The Knight Pea is the highest yielding, early maturing pea that we have! This pea variety's vines are short and therefore require no staking. Its huge pods can grow to be 4 inches with up to 10 peas in each pod! Knight is a favorite for its tender and sweet flavor, making it the perfect side dish.

Small Sugar pumpkin seeds produce a beloved heirloom variety that has been grown in North America since the 1800s, cherished for its manageable size and excellent eating quality. These compact, vigorous plants yield round, deep orange pumpkins averaging 6–8 inches across and weighing 5–7 pounds, making them easy to handle and perfect for smaller gardens. Known for their fine-grained, sweet, and flavorful flesh, Small Sugar pumpkins are a classic choice for pies, soups, and baking, often referred to as “pie pumpkins.” They mature in about 95–100 days, thrive in well-drained soil with full sun, and are prized not only for their culinary uses but also for their attractive appearance in autumn decorations.