What to plant in January — zone 9a
Zone 9a averages its last spring frost around February 28 and its first fall frost around December 5. Everything below is timed from those two dates, so it stays useful whether you're planting for summer or for a fall harvest.
Dormant care
- Check season-extension geararound Jan 3
Patch row cover, cold frames and hoops now so a late freeze can't catch you unprepared.
- Pre-sprout seed potatoesaround Jan 17
Chit potatoes in a bright, cool spot for 2 weeks — sprouted pieces jump ahead once planted.
Start indoors
- Pepperaround Jan 3
8 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (02-28). Pinch first flowers on transplants so the plant invests in roots before setting fruit.
- Parsleyaround Jan 3
8 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (02-28). Soak seeds 24 hrs before sowing. Cut outer stems and it comes back for years in mild zones.
- Chivesaround Jan 3
8 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (02-28). Divide the clump every 3 years — one plant becomes six with no effort.
- Oreganoaround Jan 3
8 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (02-28). Harvest just before flowering for the strongest flavor. Dries beautifully.
- Thymearound Jan 3
8 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (02-28). Needs sharp drainage — plant in gravelly soil or a raised bed edge. Never wet feet.
- Sagearound Jan 3
8 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (02-28). Prune hard in spring to prevent woody stems and keep the plant productive for 5+ years.
- Tomatoaround Jan 17
6 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (02-28). Bury 2/3 of the transplant stem — roots form along the buried stem for a stronger plant.
- Kalearound Jan 17
6 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (02-28). Fall crop sweetens after first frost — plan a July sowing for the best flavor.
- Broccoliaround Jan 17
6 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (02-28). After cutting the main head, side shoots keep coming for weeks — don't pull the plant.
- Basilaround Jan 17
6 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (02-28). Pinch tips weekly. Once flowers open, leaves lose flavor — snip them fast.
- Basilaround Jan 17
6 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (02-28). Pinch flower spikes the moment you see them — leaves stay sweet all season.
- Lettucearound Jan 31
4 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (02-28). Succession sow every 2 weeks. Harvest outer leaves for a cut-and-come-again supply.
Transplant out
- Raspberryaround Jan 17
Goes out 6 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Blueberryaround Jan 17
Goes out 6 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Blackberryaround Jan 17
Goes out 6 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Grapearound Jan 17
Goes out 6 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Applearound Jan 17
Goes out 6 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Peararound Jan 17
Goes out 6 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Peacharound Jan 17
Goes out 6 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Rhubarbaround Jan 17
Goes out 6 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
Garden care
- Wake the bedsaround Jan 24
Turn in compost, cut down cover crops, and let the soil warm two weeks before the first sowing.
- Harden off early transplantsaround Jan 31
Two weeks of increasing outdoor time keeps cold-hardy seedlings from stalling when they go out.
Direct sow
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