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.

Little SnapPea Crunch is perfect for smaller gardens or container growing! These pea plants are compact yet very productive. Little SnapPea Crunch produces crunchy, sweet, juicy, edible pod peas in about 58-60 days. These peas do well as the weather warms and pea shoots, mature in 13 days and displays very short internodes. Leaves are great as a garnish or as a stand-alone salad green.

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.

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.

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!

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 Red Pear Tomato is an old time favorite heirloom that always pleases everybody! This variety is a bright red, pear-shaped tomato with a history dating back to Colonial times. The Red Pear's plants are very prolific and are producers of 1-2" long tomatoes that are great on salads, sauces or roasted in the oven.

The Oxheart Carrot is a small variety weighing just only 1 pound and is named for its unique short shape resembling a heart. This carrot might be tiny, but its crisp, sweet flavor is mighty making it the perfect juicing carrot! This variety is very adaptable and thrives in either heavy or shallow soils. Oxheart will store very well and can be frozen to add to soups and strews!

The Golden Pascal celery stalks grow to be 18-20 in. tall. This celery blanches easily to a beautiful golden-yellow. Both the stem & heart of the Golden Pascal are very tender, very delicious and free from string.

The Porter Tomato is a very smooth, dark pink tomato variety that is perfect for canning, juicing or eating fresh in a salad! The 2 oz tomatoes have a round/plum body shape and the plant is very drought resistant, which makes them great for areas with little rain. The Porter is a high yielding plant that will give you an abundance of tasty tomatoes!

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.

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 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.

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.

The Italian Heirloom Tomato is an old heirloom that is one of our most tasty tomatoes we offer, as it is just bursting with flavor! These bright red tomatoes can grow to over 1 pound per fruit! This productive variety will give you a continual harvest of these delicious fruits into fall. The Italian Heirloom is an excellent variety for cooking, eating fresh or canning.

Fairytale is a traditional pumpkin variety from the south of France. This gorgeous, big flat fruit is heavily ribbed and looks similar to large wheels of cheese. This pumpkin averages 20 lbs. and ripens to a rich brown when fully ripe. The deep orange flesh is very fine grained, one of the best for baking! Long season.

'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 Cipollini Yellow is an unique coin shaped yellow onion. This variety can be grown and perform well in most US latitudes. Cipollini Yellow has good pungency, but is still sweet. This onion is larger and flatter than most pearl onions, making it a great choice for any cooking or braising use. Cipollini Yellow is also excellent when used in crafts like braiding and has excellent storage ability for a small onion.