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.

This Guinness World Record holding tomato plant set a record for yielding over 340lbs of fruit. This plant will produce an abundance of bright red, 10+oz. (455-g) fruits perfect for slicing, canning and making into sauces. First introduced by plant breeder John Peto as a hybrid between the Teddy Jones heirloom tomato and an unknown red variety. Their flavor is well-balanced, combining sweetness with a hint of acidity, making them perfect for fresh eating, salads, and sauces. These indeterminate plants continue to grow and produce fruit throughout the season, often reaching heights of 4-6 feet, necessitating staking or cage support. They thrive in warm climates and require full sun, ideally being planted after the last frost. With a growing period of about 70-75 days to maturity, Better Boy tomatoes are usually ready for harvesting from mid-summer through fall. Their robust nature and disease resistance make them a favorite for gardeners seeking a reliable and delicious crop.

The Tokyo Long Bunching Onion is a tender bunching type, loved by many chefs! This long variety grows an upright single stalk with dark green leaves little, white crisp bulbs. This tender and tasty onion is also heat tolerant.

The German Giant Tomato is a giant potato leaf heirloom type of tomato with a rich, sweet flavor! This variety is a deep pink hue that grows to be 30+ ounces. The German Giant tomato is favored for being very juicy.

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.

The Homestead Tomato is a very heat tolerant tomato, making it perfect for growing in southern and hotter climates. The luscious and meaty 8 ounce mid-sized tomatoes have a bright red smooth skin. The Homestead tomato variety is semi-determinate.

The Cinderella is an excellent pumpkin for canning or baking pies and pumpkin bread as it has a great eating quality! This pumpkin variety is an heirloom variety from France that was selected out of the older variety, Rouge vif d'Etampes. Cinderella has deep ridges and exceptional flatening, making it a beautiful decoration for Halloween and other other fall festivities. This variety's vines are very productive with pumpkins that have grooved, thick walls.

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.

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 Lutz Green Leaf Red Stem Beet has a beautiful deep red hue and a mouth watering taste that pairs perfectly with any dish. This variety is known for having huge glossy, deep green tops that are amazingly delicious! This beet is a "winterkeeper" beet that has a long standing storage capability. The Lutz Green Leaf Red Stem has 6 inches in diameter roots.

The Dickinson is a smooth large pumpkin perfect for pies! The large buff colored rind is an attractive addition to any pumpkin patch or garden. The sweet orange flesh is wonderful for canning, soups and pies. The nearly round to elongated pumpkin can weigh up to 40 pounds.  Certified Organic. Learn more about our organic seeds.

The Merlot Pepper produces huge yields of big peppers on tall healthy plants! This hybrid pepper is a tall plant that is highly resistant to tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) and bacterial leaf spot (BST). This variety produces huge pepper yields on lush foliage that offers good protection for the newly formed bells. The Merlot begins off green, turns white, and finally begins to turn merlot purple when mature.

Orange King is a deliciously sweet and tangy orange pepper. This blocky, thick skinned pepper turns from green to a bright orange when mature. Its plants produce average yields of 4-5 lobed block peppers that mature to 4x6." This pepper variety is the sweetest bell pepper we have tasted to date! Orange King is perfect for fresh eating, dips, salads, stuffing, stir fries and sandwiches.

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.

A dark rich red color characterizes this hybrid on the outside, and inside it has distinct ring development. Purple Haze has a good combination of maturity and bulb size. A good disease package compliments this vibrant and vigorous hybrid. Disease Rating: High tolerance to Pink Root and Bolting and Good Tolerance to Fusarium.

Sugar Ann is a 1984 All America Selections winner! This snap pea variety has an edible pod that offers earliness, productivity, and a compact growth habit. The crisp, sweet succulent 3 inch pods are ready to eat in just 10 to 14 days ahead of the original Sugar Snap, and remain in prime eating condition for days.

Big Max pumpkin seeds are celebrated for producing some of the largest pumpkins available, making them a favorite among growers aiming for impressive, eye-catching results. These seeds produce pumpkins that can reach weights of 50 to 100 pounds or more, with their vibrant orange skin and smooth, rounded shape. The Big Max variety is known for its robust, sturdy vines that support the hefty fruit, and it generally requires a long growing season to achieve its full potential. Ideal for autumn decorations, Halloween displays, and giant pumpkin contests, Big Max pumpkins offer a dramatic presence with their substantial size and striking color. The seeds are relatively easy to cultivate, making them accessible to both seasoned gardeners and enthusiastic novices eager to grow a standout pumpkin.

The Rainbow Blend contains a kaleidoscope of orange, purple, red, white and multi-colored beet varieties that will make any dish pop! This colorful variety not only produces the brightest colored beets, but also the tastiest. This blend is a great addition to any garden, especially a container garden. Enjoy this beet blend in a salad, or roasted for a mouthwatering colorful plate.

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.