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 Large Red Cherry Tomato is the perfect little mouth watering fresh eating tomato that grows in clusters and is the perfect addition to salads! This variety grows on hardy vines, with green foliage that produces green fruits that may be picked early for pickling, while the ripe ones are used fresh or for preserves.

The California Wonder is not just any bell pepper, its the best of class. By far, this variety is America's favorite variety of pepper! The California Wonder pepper is a standard bell pepper that is widely adapted. These pepper plants produce very sturdy frames that are easy to grow. This pepper always produces well formed, juicy, crunchy, large pepper fruits. Familiar to all vegetable gardeners for ages, this classic heirloom pepper has set the standard since the late 1920s. This pepper was developed by the eccentric plant breeder, Carrol Briggs, in his grow years. The California Wonder contains high amounts of vitamin A and C and is disease resistant to tobacco mosaic virus. This pepper variety is very popular, and much preferred by many market growers and home gardeners!

The Purple Beauty Pepper is a productive pepper plant that produces attractive deep purple colored peppers! This pepper is an open-pollinated variety with a sweet tasting 3x3" block shaped peppers. Pick when the pepper is purple or wait for it to turn deep red when its mature, which happens later in the season. The Purple Beauty is a great pepper for container gardening and can add that extra kick to your salads or meals.

The Black Nebula carrot is a highly attractive open pollinated carrot variety that was bred especially for the home gardener. The dark purple roots can be eaten fresh, roasted, steamed or used for dye. After the carrots grow too large to eat leave them in the garden and use for cut flowers. The white umbels are tinged with lavender on the edges and flower stems. Bees love carrot flowers so they make great food for pollinators.

Costoluto Genovese tomatoes are a classic heirloom variety celebrated for their historical significance and distinctive characteristics. Hailing from Genoa, Italy, this variety has been cherished since the 19th century for its unique ribbed, fluted shape and rich flavor. The tomatoes are typically deep red, with a strikingly irregular, somewhat lobed appearance that makes them visually appealing. Known for their bold, tangy flavor with a hint of sweetness, Costoluto Genovese tomatoes are highly prized for making robust sauces, salsas, and fresh salads. They generally reach maturity in about 75 to 85 days and feature an indeterminate growth habit, meaning they continue to bear fruit throughout the growing season. The plants are vigorous and sprawling, requiring staking or caging to support their abundant fruit. With their rich heritage, distinctive appearance, and exceptional taste, Costoluto Genovese tomatoes are a favorite among gardeners and chefs seeking both culinary excellence and a touch of Italian tradition.

The Sub Arctic Plenty is the world's fastest growing heirloom tomato, in just 42 days from transplant you will have fresh vine ripe tomatoes! This variety is a great tomato to grow in Northern areas where the season is short. However, this is also great for Southern locations where you can harvest the crop before insects and disease start to take over. The Sub Arctic Plenty is a bush variety that needs no staking, as it is great for hanging in baskets.

Napoli F1 carrot seeds are a popular variety known for producing high-quality, uniform carrots with excellent flavor and texture. This carrot has a bright orange color with a length of 7-8 inches. This hybrid variety is prized for its smooth, cylindrical shape, bright orange color, and sweet, crisp taste. Napoli F1 carrots are well-suited for both fresh market sales and processing, offering consistent size and a strong resistance to diseases like alternaria and bacterial blight. They are fast-growing, with a relatively short maturation period, making them ideal for growers looking for early-season harvests. With their attractive appearance and superior taste, Napoli F1 carrots are a favorite among farmers and gardeners seeking a high-yielding, reliable carrot variety.

Lutz Green Leaf Pink Stem beet seeds are prized for producing beets with distinctive characteristics and exceptional flavor. This variety features vibrant green leaves with a striking pink stem, which adds a splash of color to any garden. The beets themselves are known for their smooth, round shape and tender, sweet, deep red to purple flesh. Lutz Green Leaf Pink Stem beets are valued not only for their aesthetic appeal but also for their excellent taste, making them a popular choice for salads, roasting, and pickling. They are known for their adaptability, growing well in various soil conditions, and for their relatively long harvest window, allowing for a prolonged period of fresh, nutritious beets. Additionally, the green leaves are edible and nutritious, providing a dual-purpose crop that enhances both the visual and culinary appeal of your garden. This variety is a "winterkeeper" beet that has a long standing storage capability. The Lutz Green Leaf Pink Stem has 6 inches in diameter roots, make sure to thin them out to 4-6 inches.

The Super Sugar Pea is an improved original tall snap pea that is bursting with a sugary sweet flavor! This plant variety has a very high yield potential and even better flavor than before being improved, making it a favorite to add to many dishes.

The Kuroda Shin is a popular Oriental carrot with a nice sweet flavor. This variety is a great addition to any Oriental dish. The Kuroda Shin carrot's deep orange, stubby roots are mild and sweet. This is an excellent carrot for juicing as well. Grows well in many climate conditions, good for home or market.

Daikon Radish has a crisp firm flesh is pure white. This Daikon radish, produces long tapered white radishes that are mostly used as winter radishes. The Minowase has a great, mild taste that is excellent in many Oriental dishes. This radish variety is great for spring or late summer planting.

Musk Strawberry (Fragaria moschata), also known as Hautbois strawberry, is an old European heirloom dating back to the Renaissance, prized for its intense, musky-sweet flavor and rich aroma. The small to medium-sized berries are soft, juicy, and deep red when fully ripe, with a complex taste often described as a mix between strawberry, raspberry, and tropical fruit. Plants grow 8–12 inches tall with spreading runners and thrive in full sun to partial shade in fertile, well-drained soil. Sow seeds indoors in late winter, lightly pressing them into the surface, and transplant outdoors after frost; consistent moisture and mulching help maintain fruit quality. Taking about 150–180 days to mature from sowing, Musk Strawberries are ideal for fresh eating, gourmet desserts, preserves, and adding an old-world delicacy to the garden.

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.

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 Rondo Pea is a wrinkle-seeded variety that produces great yields of long, uniform pods that contain around 10 little plump peas per pod. This stocky, dark green pea is hardy and shows good resistance to Fusarium Wilt. This favorite has a delicious sweet flavor that can't be beat! The Rondo is perfect for freezing for soups and stews but is also amazing when eaten freshly picked!

The 7 Pot Douglah is one of the hottest and rarest of the 7 pod strains available! This pepper variety is characterized by a dark brown flesh that has wrinkles all over the surface. 7 Pot Douglah starts out green and matures to the dark brown. When you slice a fresh Douglah open, you will immediately see pools of liquid capsaicin oils that give this chili so much heat and has an excellent flavor fresh or as a powder! Use with caution, extremely hot!

The Early Cascade Tomato is an early maturing bright red saladette type of tomato that has a wonderful fresh taste in salads! This very productive variety produces little 4 ounce vibrant tomatoes in clusters of 5-8 fruits.

The Aunt Ginnys Purple Tomato is a highly productive, beautiful oxheart shaped, heirloom with German origins that has a delicious flavor. This tomato variety produces large, indeterminate, potato-leaf tomato plants with high yields. This tomato can reach to be 1 pound with a deep pink-purple flesh that is crack resistant. The Aunt Ginnys Purple Tomato is one of our favorite heirloom tomatoes.