Zone 9 - What to Plant in October

Zone 9 - What to Plant in October

It's finally cooling down a bit in zone 9 and this gives us a good window to grow some crops before the first frost in mid-December. Try growing a mix of fast growing warm and cool season crops. Below is a list of items that can be planted in zone 9 in October.

The Dazzling Blue Kale is a beautiful, cold-tolerant lacinato-type that produces large blue-green leaves with deep purple veins. This kale is sure to add a delicious pop of color to any salad! This variety will survive freezing temperatures better than other lacinato types and will even intensify with cool temperatures.

Great field cabbage performance. A rugged hybrid that produces well in Southern winters and Northern summers. Produces large, blue-green heads with cream colored inside. Uniform cabbage that works great for markets.

The Lacinato Kale is an old Italian heirloom kale that has very large tender leaves. This favorite is now available in organic seeds! The Lacinato, or also known as Dinosaur kale, Black Magic or Toscano, is popular for home gardening and fresh markets. Its scaly, bumpy leaves are large dark blue-green and very delicious. Pick young for the most tender leaves. The Lacinato produces high yields and can be harvested continually. Certified Organic. Learn more about our organic seeds.

Late Flat Dutch cabbage seeds produce one of the oldest and most reliable heirloom cabbage varieties, first introduced to American gardens in the mid-1800s and prized for its large, flat, broad heads. This late-season type matures slowly, typically in 100–110 days, forming dense, firm heads that can weigh 10–15 pounds, making it excellent for gardeners seeking high yields and long storage. Its flavor is mild, sweet, and crisp, improving after light frost exposure, which enhances its natural sugars. Historically valued for sauerkraut production, it remains a top choice for fermentation, coleslaw, boiling, and traditional cooking, while its long shelf life makes it a staple for winter kitchens and homestead food preservation.

The Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce is a very early and dependable lettuce. This large upright, compact leaf-type lettuce produces delicious light green, wide, curled leaves. The Black Seeded Simpson is a productive variety!

Yellow Sweet Spanish Onions are one of the most popular onions grown by home gardeners and market growers! This variety produces extra jumbo globe shaped yellow onions bulbs that are very mild with golden brown skin. The Yellow Sweet Spanish onion is a very versatile vegetable. These bulbs can weigh up to a pound and have a fairly good storage.

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 Mammoth Long Island Dill is an attractive, tall, large-sized dill variety that has a lovely, tangy aroma that is perfect as a pickling spice. The leaves, immature flower tops and mature seeds are all used as an essential pickling spice. This easy-to-grow productive herb will reseed itself if allowed. As a companion plant, the Mammoth Long Island Dill can enhance the growth of cabbages, onions, lettuce and tomatoes.

Red Grano onion is medium sized with crisp and mild flavor! This delicious variety is perfect for salads or hamburgers. Red Grano Onion is resistant to pink root and has a mid-range storage period.

The Merveille Four Seasons is a French Bibb lettuce type that produces rich deep reddish leaves with bright cranberry red tips. This 12-16 inches lettuce has a wonderful butter taste and will hold its flavor in hot weather. The rich red leaves surround a small, 8-12 inches pale green, tight heart. Enjoy the Merveille Four Seasons chopped up in a salad for fresh flavor and a pop of beautiful color.

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 Blue Shelling Pea is a Dutch heirloom blue podded pea that has been highly regarded for hundreds of years. This very versatile variety can be picked young and eaten raw as a colorful snow pea pod or left to swell and harvested as a plump pea for cooking. This pea plant produces lovely purple flowers with a faint scent that are also edible and delicious! Traditionally used as a winter dish, Blue Shelling would be soaked overnight and then pan fried with onions and bacon - yum! Give this 6' plant some support.