Zone 10 - What to Plant in December

Zone 10 - What to Plant in December

Zone 10 gardeners should be planting their gardens in December. With no risk of frost but the dog days of summer behind us, this is the perfect time to plant. See the vegetables below that are perfect for planting now.

The Beaver Dam Pepper is a delicious pepper that makes a great for stuffed peppers or adding to sandwiches. This pepper variety was brought from Hungary to Beaver Dam, Wisconsin in 1912 by the Joe Hussli family. Beaver Dam ripens from green to orange to red with just a touch of a tangy heat flavor!

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 Yellow Monster pepper is a striking heirloom variety with intriguing origins and notable characteristics. Developed in the United States, this pepper is prized for its large size and eye-catching appearance. As the name suggests, the Yellow Monster matures to a vibrant yellow, adding a bold splash of color to any garden or dish. The flavor profile is mild and sweet with a hint of fruitiness, making it a versatile choice for various culinary applications, from fresh salads to roasted dishes. The plant grows vigorously, reaching up to 3 feet in height, and is known for its high productivity. It typically produces large, thick-walled peppers that are ready for harvest in mid to late summer. With its impressive size, vivid color, and pleasant flavor, the Yellow Monster pepper is not only a visually appealing addition to gardens but also a flavorful ingredient that enhances a variety of recipes.

The Micro Tom Tomato is the perfect little cherry tomato variety for growing in tight places, ideal for windowsills and patios! This unusual, tiny plant grows to be just 4" tall. This variety produces good yields of tiny sized red tomatoes that everyone will love, especially kids!

The Marion Tomato is a great tasting, bright red Rutgers variety that is perfect for slicing and fresh eating in a salad or on a sandwich. This variety is earlier and more disease resistant and crack resistant than other tomatoes.

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 Carolina Reaper is one of the hottest peppers in the world! This very hot pepper has a sweet chocolate-cherry under tone with hint of fiery citrus. The Guinness book of World Records has the Carolina Reaper at 1,569,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU). Use with caution, extremely hot!

Walla Walla onions are a distinctive, sweet onion variety renowned for their large size, mild flavor, and delicate texture. Originating from the Walla Walla Valley in Washington State, these onions have a history dating back to the late 1800s. Their bulbs are typically round or slightly flattened, with smooth, pale yellow to light brown skins, and their flesh is exceptionally sweet and mild, making them ideal for raw consumption in salads, salsas, or on sandwiches. Known for their low sulfur content, which contributes to their sweetness, Walla Walla onions are a long-season crop, requiring a full growing cycle to reach maturity. They are beloved by gardeners for their ability to grow in a variety of climates, though they flourish best in well-drained, fertile soil with ample sunlight.

The Chocolate Pear is a super productive variety that produces little chocolate-brown colored pear tomatoes that are the perfect size for snacking! This pear shaped variety has a rich tomato flavor that is excellent for adding to salads, pastas or even just to eat by the handful! The Chocolate Pear is a nice tomato for market growing and is perfect to mix with other colored tomatoes.

The Brilliant celeriac is a large round root related to celery! This celeriac plant produces a a large round root with dark green celery-like leaves and a white flesh. Brilliant is a great addition to any meal as it adds a great flavor!

The Cosmic Purple carrot is absolutely amazing! This beautiful purple carrot is bright yellow and orange inside! Cosmic Purple carrots have a tapered 7" shape and a very sweet taste, that has extra healthy anti-oxidants. This carrot is quite popular at farmers markets.

Red Express cabbage seeds produce a variety of cabbage known for its vibrant purple-red color and compact, round heads. This variety is prized for its early maturity, typically reaching harvestable size in about 60-70 days. The heads are tightly packed and dense, with crisp, tender leaves that offer a mild, sweet flavor, making it ideal for both fresh consumption in salads and slaws or for cooking. Red Express cabbage is also known for its resistance to common cabbage pests and diseases, making it a robust choice for home gardeners. Additionally, it provides a good source of vitamins A, C, and K, as well as antioxidants.

The Harvest King will produce a consistent 25-35 lb. pumpkin. This larger variety has excellent yield and quality. Almost 100% of the pumpkin yields are marketable.

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 Halloween Mix contains a "spooky" mix of purple, yellow, black and white radishes. These radishes are mildly spicy and only 5 centimeters in diameter. Everyday can be a scary fun holiday if you succession plant this mixture every two weeks throughout the spring and fall! This radish mix will bring lots of colors to your dishes.

Scarlet kale seeds are a vibrant and intriguing choice for any garden enthusiast looking to add a splash of color and a touch of nutrition to their harvest. These seeds produce kale with striking red and purple leaves that not only brighten up your garden but also provide a visually stunning addition to your plate. Rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, scarlet kale is as beneficial as it is beautiful. Its bold flavor, with a slightly peppery bite, can elevate a variety of dishes from salads to soups. Easy to grow, these seeds thrive in cooler weather and are resilient to frost, making them a versatile option for extending the growing season. With scarlet kale, you're not just cultivating a nutritious vegetable; you're enhancing your garden's aesthetic appeal with a vibrant, healthful crop.

King Richard is a newer leek variety that grows well throughout the United States. This leek variety is a summer type, non-bulbing leek that grows to 12" in length. King Richard has green leaves with white inside. This leek is a very early maturer and is not sufficient for overwinter growing.

The White Bhut Jolokia Pepper is a white Ghost Pepper! The Ghost Pepper is among the World's Hottest Pepper! This long, hot and wrinkled white pepper is 125 times hotter than a Jalapeno pepper! The White Bhut Jolokia is a rare, natural variant of the Red Bhut Jolokia Ghost Pepper. This pepper can reach over 1,000,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU). Use with caution.