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 Brunswick is a large cabbage that is used for making sauerkraut! The Brunswick can be grown for spring, summer, and fall crops. This cabbage is very cold hardy! Stores well. Excellent for home gardens and market growers.

The Petite Mix Bell is a blend of our favorite mini bell peppers that are a sweet flavor explosion! These tiny peppers ripens to a rich yellow, red and purple colors when mature. The Petite Mix Bell blend is high yielding and produces 2-3 ounce peppers that make the perfect snack sized pepper. This mix is excellent for market selling or home growing for adding into salads!

The Sweet Seedless Tomato is just like it name says, sweet with very few seeds! This juicy orange-red tomato variety is an extra tasty, very early tomato! Since this tomato has minimal seeds to digest, it offers a very outstanding taste. Since the Sweet Seedless does not store its sugars within its seeds, the sweetness is transferred to the flesh, making it extra tasty! This fast maturing, very sweet variety must be grown away from other tomatoes. Tomatoes may have some immature seeds.

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.

A 1918 The Great Northern Seed Company says this variety is not withstanding its immense size. This variety does not get hollow or pithy and its flesh remains sparkling white, solid, crisp and juicy. This slower bolting variety has the mildest flavor with a tender, crunchy texture.

Cylindra beets, also known as "Formanova" or "Butter Slicer," are a unique variety of beetroot known for their elongated, cylindrical shape. These beets have a fascinating history, originally hailing from Europe, particularly Denmark, where they were developed in the early 20th century. Their distinctive shape was cultivated to make them easier to slice and can, a practical innovation that has made them popular among home gardeners and commercial growers alike. In terms of taste, cylindra beets are mild and sweet, with a slightly earthy flavor. They are known for their tender, non-fibrous texture, making them excellent candidates for pickling, roasting, or slicing thinly for salads. Their deep red-purple skin contrasts beautifully with the vibrant, dark red flesh inside, adding an attractive element to culinary dishes. Cylindra beets typically grow to be 6-8 inches in length and 2 inches in diameter. They are ready for harvest in approximately 55-65 days from planting, making them a relatively quick-growing beet variety. They thrive in well-drained, loamy soil with full sun exposure. When it comes to disease resistance, cylindra beets tend to be more resistant to common beet diseases like leaf spot and powdery mildew than some other beet varieties. Proper spacing is crucial, with about 2-3 inches between each plant and rows spaced 12-18 inches apart. With the right care and growing conditions, cylindra beets can yield a bountiful crop of these delicious and uniquely-shaped vegetables, making them a favorite among gardeners and chefs.  

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.  

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.

Waltham 29 produces incredibly high yields for broccoli! This variety is known for its good color, cold resistance, dwarf compact plant, and big side shoots. Main heads are 4-8" with steady side shoot production after main head is harvested.

The Bambino carrot is a super sweet baby gourmet carrot. The color develops quickly and can pull early. This carrot produces 4 in. cylindrical blunt roots, very small core, smooth skin, a deep orange color and small dwarf tops. The Bambino was developed for canning & pickling whole and must be harvested early.

The Large American Flag leek is a non-bulbing leek variety that forms creamy stalks. This leek'15-18" inch stalks are 3" inches wide and are yummy! The Large American is widely adapted and the sweetest member of the onion family.

The Siberian Tomato is a great variety for colder climates! This tomato variety matures fast and will produce heavy and early where shorter growing seasons prevail, like the norther states and Canada. This red oval, 2-4 ounce tomato grows on a compact plant that is fine for patio or container gardens.

No garden is complete without the Nebuka Evergreen Bunching onion! This variety is a splitting type onion with long, slender white stalks that grow in tight clusters. This onion is an essential to Japanese and Chinese cooking, fresh or cooked, used as a garnish for baked fish, in soups, noodle dishes, or in stir-fries. Nebuka Evergreen Bunching is hardy and cold resistant.

New 50 day maturing bright green mini cabbage. Excellent uniformity, mild flavor and crispness are true bonuses with this extremely early maturing cabbage. Can be sown directly in Fall gardens or transplanted in Spring.

The Golden Acre is a tasty cabbage that arrives early and is suited for close spacing. This early round head cabbage is easily grown and versatile in use. Heads are about 6 to 7 inches in diameter on compact plants about a foot high. Its firm, medium green head is excellent cooked or raw in stews and salads.

The Dazzling Blue Kale is a beautiful, cold-tolerant lacinato-type that produces large blue-green leaves with deep purple veins. This kale is sure to add a delicious pop of color to any salad! This variety will survive freezing temperatures better than other lacinato types and will even intensify with cool temperatures.

A dark rich red color characterizes this hybrid on the outside, and inside it has distinct ring development. Purple Haze has a good combination of maturity and bulb size. A good disease package compliments this vibrant and vigorous hybrid. Disease Rating: High tolerance to Pink Root and Bolting and Good Tolerance to Fusarium.

The SunSugar Tomato is an early maturing cherry tomato with a high sugar content that is a customer favorite for a reason! These beautiful cherry sized orange tomatoes will be the first tomato to harvest in early summer. Every 1/2 oz. fruit has 3 times more vitamin A found in most other red tomatoes. Not only does this variety contain more nutrients but it is sweeter than candy and impossible to eat just one! SunSugar is crack resistant with very vigorous, heavy yields and no need for staking!