What to plant in January — zone 9b
Zone 9b averages its last spring frost around February 15 and its first fall frost around December 15. 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
- Pre-sprout seed potatoesaround Jan 4
Chit potatoes in a bright, cool spot for 2 weeks — sprouted pieces jump ahead once planted.
Start indoors
- Tomatoaround Jan 4
6 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (02-15). Bury 2/3 of the transplant stem — roots form along the buried stem for a stronger plant.
- Kalearound Jan 4
6 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (02-15). Fall crop sweetens after first frost — plan a July sowing for the best flavor.
- Broccoliaround Jan 4
6 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (02-15). After cutting the main head, side shoots keep coming for weeks — don't pull the plant.
- Basilaround Jan 4
6 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (02-15). Pinch tips weekly. Once flowers open, leaves lose flavor — snip them fast.
- Basilaround Jan 4
6 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (02-15). Pinch flower spikes the moment you see them — leaves stay sweet all season.
- Lettucearound Jan 18
4 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (02-15). Succession sow every 2 weeks. Harvest outer leaves for a cut-and-come-again supply.
- Cucumberaround Jan 25
3 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (02-15). Trellis vertically to double yield in the same footprint and cut mildew.
- Zucchiniaround Jan 25
3 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (02-15). One plant feeds a family. Pick at 6-8 in for the sweetest fruit.
- Winter squasharound Jan 25
3 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (02-15). Cure 10 days in a warm dry spot after harvest — the skin toughens and storage doubles.
- Watermelonaround Jan 25
3 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (02-15). Ripe = tendril nearest the fruit is brown and the ground spot has turned buttery yellow.
- Cantaloupe / Melonaround Jan 25
3 weeks of indoor growth before your last frost (02-15). Ripe fruit slips off the vine with a gentle tug — the smell alone tells you.
Transplant out
- Raspberryaround Jan 4
Goes out 6 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Blueberryaround Jan 4
Goes out 6 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Blackberryaround Jan 4
Goes out 6 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Grapearound Jan 4
Goes out 6 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Applearound Jan 4
Goes out 6 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Peararound Jan 4
Goes out 6 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Peacharound Jan 4
Goes out 6 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Rhubarbaround Jan 4
Goes out 6 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Kalearound Jan 25
Goes out 3 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Broccoliaround Jan 25
Goes out 3 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Chivesaround Jan 25
Goes out 3 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
- Strawberryaround Jan 25
Goes out 3 weeks before last frost — it takes the cold.
Garden care
- Wake the bedsaround Jan 11
Turn in compost, cut down cover crops, and let the soil warm two weeks before the first sowing.
- Harden off early transplantsaround Jan 18
Two weeks of increasing outdoor time keeps cold-hardy seedlings from stalling when they go out.
Direct sow
- Peaaround Jan 11
Soil is ready -5 weeks before last frost.
- Lettucearound Jan 18
Soil is ready -4 weeks before last frost.
- Spinacharound Jan 18
Soil is ready -4 weeks before last frost.
- Radisharound Jan 18
Soil is ready -4 weeks before last frost.
- Carrotaround Jan 25
Soil is ready -3 weeks before last frost.
- Kalearound Jan 25
Soil is ready -3 weeks before last frost.
- Beetaround Jan 25
Soil is ready -3 weeks before last frost.
- Onionaround Jan 25
Soil is ready -3 weeks before last frost.
- Broccoliaround Jan 25
Soil is ready -3 weeks before last frost.
- Chivesaround Jan 25
Soil is ready -3 weeks before last frost.
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