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 Purple Petite Bell Pepper is a mini bell pepper variety with a flavor explosion! This sweet mini bell pepper is high yielding and will ripen to a rich purple when mature. This pepper plant produces 2-3 ounce pepper that are perfect for a snack sized pepper. This little purple pepper is excellent for market selling or fresh eating in salads!

Dark green crumpled leaves, approximate 7 x 9 in. head, 6-8 lb, even better flavor after touched by frost, very tender.

The Islander Pepper is known as the chameleon as it is beautiful pepper to watch its colorful display! This color-crazy pepper starts out as a violet hue, then turns to a yellow/orange and then finally deep red! This variety can be picked at any of these stages to provide awesome color to salads and meals. The Islander is a thick-fleshed, medium-sized bell pepper with 3-lobes that have a mild, slightly sweet taste. This colorful pepper also has a resistance to tobacco mosaic virus.

Red Currant tomatoes are a charming heirloom variety renowned for their tiny, jewel-like fruits and exceptional sweetness. Believed to have origins in both Europe and North America, this variety has been cherished for its prolific nature and unique characteristics. The tomatoes are notably small, often the size of a pea, and grow in clusters reminiscent of currants, hence the name. They are bright red when ripe and possess a delightful, tangy-sweet flavor that makes them perfect for snacking, salads, and garnishes. Red Currant tomatoes typically reach maturity in about 60 to 70 days, making them relatively quick to harvest. The plants exhibit a vigorous, indeterminate growth habit, meaning they produce an abundant yield throughout the growing season and require staking or caging to manage their sprawling vines. With their vibrant color, sweet flavor, and impressive productivity, Red Currant tomatoes are a favorite among gardeners looking to add both beauty and a burst of flavor to their gardens.

'White Solemacher' (Also known as Weiss Solemacher) is a white fruiting alpine strawberry cultivar that has been around for many years. It was discovered in Germany. The fruit is among the largest white fruit produced by alpines. It is a clumping type (few to no runners) and is day neutral which means it is not dependent on day length for flowering. The white fruit has the distinctive wild strawberry flavor and aroma expected from fraises des bois. The fruit has a hint of pineapple flavor typical of white alpine fruit. We like it that birds don't seem to know the fruit is ripe and so it Fools the Birds and a part of the collection by that name.

An early maturing heirloom cabbage. Early Jersey Wakefield is an early variety of cabbage with pointed heads that resist splitting! A great home garden cabbage with great flavor!

The Moneymaker Tomato is a terrific, high yielding heirloom that produces delicious, bright red and smooth fruits that are perfect for fresh eating. This variety's vine can grow to 5-6' and produce very heavy yields of 4-6 ounce fruits. This tasty heirloom tomato does well in hot humid climates and greenhouse growing. The Moneymaker originates from England and produces vigorous vines that should be staked for best results.

An early cabbage with a blue-green color. Produces beautiful globe-shaped heads that have a blueish color. Very good holding ability. 3-5 lb. heads produced on low, compact plants. First introduced by Harris Moran.

The Buena Mulata Pepper is beautiful ornamental hot pepper that ripens from a vivid violet to zesty orange, then to deep red! This old heirloom variety traces back to Horace Pippin, an African-American folk artist. When ripe, the pepper will get to around 6 inches in length and will have a heat level that is similar to a cayenne pepper. The Buena Mulata can be used fresh or dried to give any dish a slight kick!

Matt's Wild Cherry tomatoes have a bright red color with bursting flavor and high sugar content. A moderate yielder that goes great in salsa, salads and fresh eating. Some resistance to early blight and late blight.

The Early Doll Tomato is a bright red, juicy tomato that is an improvement of the Quick Pick, making it a good slicing variety. This variety is a great tomato to grow in Northern areas where the season is short, however this tomato plant is also great for Southern locations where you can harvest the crop before insects and disease start to take over.

Early maturing cabbage with tight heads! Stonehead is a fast grower with 6" heads that average between 4-6 lbs. when mature. Good texture and flavor. This hybrid resist yellow and black rot very well. A great market variety that matures early, won't split and holds well after harvest. Grows well throughout the United States. An All American Selection winner in 1969.

A unique lemon color inside and out! These plants produce medium-sized fruits with beautiful and unique lemon yellow skin!

The Sweetie Tomato is a prolific variety that produces an abundance of super sweet, small cherry-sized tomatoes, perfect for patio containers. This cherry tomato variety is one of the sweetest cherries around, as it boasts 12-14% sugar content and can be used for making juice or preserves without adding any extra sugar. This tomato grows exceptionally well in the home garden and will continuously produce until the first frost in fall. Sweetie produces .5-1" inch fruits in clusters of 15-20.

Thomas Laxton is an heirloom pea plant that is big and productive. At Urban Farmer we have trialed these a few times and they are always are favorite shelling pea. The peas are always sugary and delicious. This pea variety is named after the famous pea breeder, Thomas Laxton. This old heirloom pea is over a century old and has withstood the test of time. Each pod contains at least 8 peas and often up to 10! Make sure to support the Thomas Laxton's 3' vines with a trellis.

Hungarian Hot Wax peppers are a popular medium-heat chili variety known for their distinctive yellow color and elongated, tapering shape, typically growing about 6-8 inches long. As they mature, these peppers transition from a vibrant yellow to a bright red, adding a visual appeal to any dish. With a Scoville heat rating of 5,000 to 15,000, Hungarian Hot Wax peppers provide a nice kick without overwhelming heat, making them versatile for various culinary uses. Originating from Hungary, these peppers are often used in traditional dishes, pickled for a zesty snack, or incorporated into sauces and salsas. Their crisp texture and sweet, tangy flavor enhance both fresh and cooked preparations. Harvesting usually occurs when the peppers are bright yellow, around 70-80 days after planting, but they can also be left on the plant to ripen to red for a slightly sweeter taste. Hungarian Hot Wax peppers thrive in warm climates and well-drained soil, making them a favorite among home gardeners. Their unique flavor profile and moderate heat level make them a delightful addition to a wide range of dishes, from stir-fries to salads.

The Salsa Pepper is a mid-early variety of sweet Kapia for open field and greenhouse production. This pepper variety is very strong and productive, with good flower setting in warm climates. These peppers are relatively short and wide with thick juicy walls. Salsa is suitable for roasting, grilling, fresh market consumption and of course for making a sweet salsa!

The White Bell Pepper is a translucent white to pale yellow colored bell pepper with a crisp, sweet flavor. This pepper variety produces an abundance of white bell fruits. These peppers turn from translucent to pale yellow when mature. The White Bell is a great addition to any salad or meal.