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 Cincinnati Market Radish is a uniquely skinny and elongated pink to red radish that is a fresh-from-the-garden-favorite! This six inch variety has a delicately mild taste with a very tender and crisp texture, making it perfect for fresh eating. The early maturing radish has been an heirloom garden favorite since 1885. You can enjoy the delicious Cincinnati Market from spring to fall.

The Red Bhut Jolokia (Ghost Pepper) is among the world's hottest pepper! In 2006, the Guinness Book of Records confirmed that New Mexico State University had discovered the world's hottest chile pepper, the wrinkled, scarlet Bhut Jolokia. At 1,001,304 Scoville Heat Units (SHU), the Red Bhut Jolokia is nearly twice as hot as Red Savina, the Chile pepper variety it replaced as the world's hottest. In comparison, a New Mexico Green chile contains about 1,500 SHUs and an average jalapeno measures at about 10,000 SHUs. Use with caution.

The Colorful Mix is a fun blend of different colorful cauliflower varieties. Have fun with this colorful mix of cauliflower varieties. This is a great mix to plant and sale at farmers markets. People will marvel at the bright colors! The varieties include Cheddar, Graffiti, and Snowball.

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.

The Cayenne Long Red Thick Pepper is the biggest cayenne pepper you can grow! This variety's pepper grows to 5" long and 1/2" thick and are often curled and twisted. This pepper is great enjoyed fresh or dried for later use! The Cayenne Long Red Thick is a middle of the road hot pepper.

The Sweet Hungarian Wax is a great pepper for pickling and adding into salads or sandwiches. This pepper variety produces light yellow peppers that can be picked early or let ripen to an orange-red color.

The Black Sea Man Tomato is a fantastic tasting Russian heirloom that has a wonderful rich flavor when added to different dishes. This tomato variety is a small plant that produces good yields of medium-sized brownish-pink fruits that have a beautiful olive green shading. The Black Sea Man has a beautiful marbled flesh that gets even more attractive when blanched and peeled.

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.

Chocolate Stripes tomatoes are a visually stunning heirloom variety known for their striking appearance and rich flavor. Originating from a selection of striped, heirloom varieties, these tomatoes are celebrated for their unique color pattern, which features a deep, chocolate-brown skin with vibrant green and red stripes. When fully ripe, they reveal a rich, earthy-red interior. Chocolate Stripes tomatoes are medium to large in size and are prized for their complex, sweet flavor with hints of smokiness, making them a delightful addition to salads, salsas, and fresh dishes. They typically take about 75 to 85 days to mature and exhibit an indeterminate growth habit, meaning they continue to produce fruit throughout the growing season. The plants are vigorous and benefit from staking or caging to support the weight of the abundant fruit. With their eye-catching coloration and exceptional taste, Chocolate Stripes tomatoes are a favorite among gardeners and chefs seeking both aesthetic appeal and culinary excellence.

The Mushroom Basket is a large, uniquely shaped tomato with a delicious juicy sweet flavor, originating from Russia. This plant produces enormous 8-16 ounce ruffled tomatoes that are colored bright pink. These plants are Indeterminate and do require a sturdy trellis. The Mushroom Basket tomatoes are the perfect tomatoes for slicing!

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 Indigo Clackamas Blueberry Tomato has an amazing juicy, sweet flavor and resembles a large blueberry! This salad-size tomato has a dark red to dark blue flesh, making it a perfect pop of color to any summer salad! The Indigo Clackamas Blueberry is very productive, making it the perfect variety to add to any home garden.

Triton F1 is well known for its superb taste and texture. This carrot has strong tops that are erect and dark green in color. Its roots are nine to ten inches long and .5-1 inch in diameter. This carrot is medium-orange and quite cylindrical in shape with a semi-blunt tip.

The White Sweet Spanish Onion is a long-day, standard large sweet onion! This variety is a variation of the Yellow Sweet Spanish, but has a sweet flavor and very little of the sharpness that some other onions have. The White Sweet Spanish is great for soups and salads that require a slight onion flavor. This onion has short storage.

Crimson radish is a vibrant and flavorful variety of radish that stands out for its striking color and crisp texture. Originating from traditional radish cultivars, Crimson radish has been cultivated for its eye-catching appearance and peppery taste. This variety is known for its round, smooth roots, which boast a deep red to crimson skin and a white, crunchy interior. The flavor is typically sharp and tangy, with a satisfying bite that enhances salads, sandwiches, and garnishes. Crimson radishes generally mature in about 25 to 30 days, making them a quick and rewarding crop for gardeners. The plants exhibit a compact, upright growth habit, growing to a height of about 6 to 12 inches with a spread of 6 to 8 inches. They thrive in cool weather and well-drained soil, preferring full sun to partial shade. Their rapid growth and ease of cultivation make them ideal for successive plantings, providing a steady supply of fresh radishes throughout the growing season. With their vibrant color, crisp texture, and zesty flavor, Crimson radishes are a popular choice for adding both visual appeal and flavor to the garden and kitchen.

The Crayon Colors Mix is a mixture of primary colored radishes that literally paints a wonderful colorful palette in your garden! The color in this mix includes yellow, pink, red, and purple.

Tall Utah celery, developed in the early 20th century in Utah, is renowned for its tall, sturdy stalks and exceptional flavor. This variety features vibrant green, crisp stalks that can reach heights of 18-36 inches, making it a standout in gardens. The taste is mild and slightly sweet, perfect for fresh eating or cooking in a variety of dishes. Harvesting typically occurs 85-100 days after planting, when the stalks are firm and well-developed; gardeners can choose to cut the entire plant or selectively harvest individual stalks as needed. Tall Utah celery thrives in cool climates and requires consistent moisture, making it a favorite for both home growers and commercial producers.

The Lutz Green Leaf White Stem Beet is an attractive deep red variety with white stalks that is absolutely delicious when steamed or roasted. This beet is known for having huge glossy, deep green tops that are perfect for salads! This beet is a "winterkeeper" beet that has a long standing storage capability. The Lutz Green Leaf White Stem has 6 inches in diameter roots.