Many of the crops listed will also grow in the summer, fall and sometimes the winter. These are just a few recommendations that work well as January crops! See our full Zone 9 Sprng Planting Guide for more planting ideas!

Related posts:

1. Zone 9 Spring Planting Guide
2. Zone 9 Fall Planting Guide
3. Late September Planting Guide

Many of the crops listed will also grow in the summer, fall and sometimes the winter. These are just a few recommendations that work well as fall crops!

Related posts:

1. Zone 9 Fall Planting Guide
2. Zone 9 January Planting Guide
3. Late September Planting Guide

Related posts:

1. Zone 9 Spring Planting Guide
2. Zone 9 January Planting Guide
3. Late September Planting Guide

This self-pollinating flower only stays in bloom in my garden for 1 day and only part of that one day. It is pollinated very rapidly by insects and even wind and bares fruit shortly after pollination. By tomorrow I expect to see a small Okra where this flower is now.

The plant that this bloom is on has 7 other blooms about to open so I expect it to be a fairly heavy producer over the next few months. As long as Okra is harvested often it will continue to produce until the first frost of the season!

Related posts:

1. Okra – 2 Days of Fruit Development
2. Summer Okra About to Set Fruit
3. Okra Production Slowing Down

Distribution Pickleworm Moths spend their winters only in South Florida (possibly South Texas). They are sometimes found wintering as far north as Sanford, a city just north of Orlando. During the summer they will migrate north all the way up to North Carolina and sometimes even further.

Time of Infestation The Pickleworm starts to breed and infest its host plants in early June in Florida and moves north quickly. As soon as the air is warm night and day the Pickleworms show up and start to breed.

Host Plants Cucurbits are the main host plant for pickleworms. The highly prefer summer squash, such as zucchini, but will infest all cucurbits such as cucumbers, squash and pumpkins.

Method of Infestation Pickleworms will burrow into flowers and fruit of cucurbits. They will bore a small hole into the flower/fruit and being to eat it from the inside out. The only early evidence of an infestation is a small hole found on the side of the flower or fruit.

Damage Often times the Pickleworms will spend their entire lifecycle in the blossom of a plant. Moving from one to the other causing the plant to be unable to produce fruit. If they plant is able to produce fruit it will move into the fruit and eat it. All fruit contaminated by pickleworms is inedible.

Control The only reliable control of Pickleworms is cool weather. There are pesticides that will kill them, but the amounts and type of pesticides are all harsh and are not recommended. The best way to grow cucurbits in areas prone to infestation is to start them early and harvest before early June.

Related posts:

1. Planning my Spring Raised Bed Garden

For the most part, growing cowpeas in Central Florida is no different than growing cowpeas anywhere else but there are a few things to consider here.

Sandy Soil In Many areas in zone 9, and all of Central Florida, sandy soil is predominant. Sandy soil lacks many nutrients and needs to be amended with organic matter such as compost and composted cow manure.

Heat Cowpeas are originally from the hot climates in Africa, so while many vegetables will not grow in zone 9 during the summer, cowpeas thrive. They are not frost tolerant so they should be planted in mid-spring to be sure that the chance of frost has passed.

Rain Cowpeas do not like to have soggy roots and wet leaves. Having a soil that drains well will help prevent dieses and rot, and watering at the soil line and not on the leaves will also help keep the plant healthy and happy.

Humidity Cowpeas are often harvested after they have dried naturally on the plant. Here in Zone 9 humidity is very high almost year round. Because of this humidity the cowpeas will take a little longer to dry out on the plant.

For a step by step walk threw of growing cowpeas please check out this post: How to Grow Cowpeas (Black Eyed Peas)

Related posts:

1. Summer Cowpeas Setting Fruit
2. How to Grow Cowpeas (Black Eyed Peas)
3. Frost/Freeze Warning for Central Florida

In general Cinnamon Basil is an easy to grow herb, and here in Zone 9 where it is warm most of the year, this herb can flourish. Here is a step-by-step guide to growing Cinnamon Basil.

1. Sow the seed indoors 3-4 weeks before final frost of winter – if sowing outdoors do so after the final frost of the year 2. Transplant Seedling outdoors 1 week after final frost of season 3. Plant seedlings in rich well-drained soil in a very sunny spot 4. Space plants 10” apart from each other 5. Start to harvest leaves when plant reaches 6” – Harvest by pinching to of plant off – Prevents bolting to seed – encourages bushy plant 6. If there is any sign of the plant flowering pinch off top part of stem – Flowers drastically reduce flavor in leaves 7. Cinnamon Basil will not tolerate frost so harvest and dry remaining plant before first frost

1. Sowing the Seeds

Cinnamon Basil can be easily grown from seeds and germinates in 1-3 weeks. Basil does not like cool temperatures and should not be put outside if daytime temperatures are not yet averaging 70+ degrees and nighttime temperatures are averaging less than 50 degrees.

If you want to start the seed indoors, do so about 3-4 weeks before the last expected frost. Here in zone 9 there are not many frost, but a good guide would be to plant the seed in mid February, and transplant it outside early March. If you decide to sow the seed outside in the garden do so after the last frost of the winter. Early March is usually a good time to start outdoors.

2. Transplanting seedlings

Once a Cinnamon Basil seedling is about 3” tall it is time to transplant it to your garden. While all basil plants are sun lovers it is important to allow the plant a few days to acclimate to the bright sun found here in zone 9.

Place the seedlings where they will receive direct sun for only a few hours a day and shaded sun for most of it. Make sure their soil stays moist during this acclimation. The small amount of soil typically used for seedlings can dry out very fast outdoors. After 3 or 4 days of acclimating to the sun they are ready to be planted.

3. Soil Type

Cinnamon Basil like a rich and well drained soil. A good amount of organic matter added to your normal soil at about a 1:1 ratio is a good start for basil. The organic material will retain moisture without causing moisture issues as well as providing vital nutrients that the plant will need to grow.

4. Plant Spacing

While Cinnamon Basil plants can be quite tall and skinny, a well cared for and responsibly harvested plant will stay short and become quite bushy. Because a healthy and flavorful plant is short and bushy it is important to allow the plant space to become bushy. 10” spacing is a good starting point.

5. Harvesting

The main reason to grow Cinnamon Basil is to use it as an herb in cooking. Harvesting can and should being when the plant reaches 6” tall. The best practice when harvesting is to pinch the top of the stem and take the top leaves in doing so.

This practice will cause the plant to grow more branches and start to become bushy. Using this practice to keep the plant 12” or shorter will keep the leaves healthy and flavorful.

6. Flower Prevention

Cinnamon Basil has an attractive purple flower that will develop from a bud on the top of the stems. While these flowers are attractive once a plant starts to flower the flavor of the leaves reduces drastically. To prevent flowering, harvest the top of the stems frequently. If there is any sign of flowering, pinch the top of the stem off.

7. Final Harvest

Zone 9 does not have harsh winters but Cinnamon Basil does not like even cool weather. Once winter begins to cool the nights into the low 50’s it is a good time to do a final harvest. Cut the entire plant off bellow the lowest leaves and dry them out for use later.

Related posts:

1. A New Favorite – Cinnamon Basil
2. How To Prevent Basil from Bolting to Seed
3. Basil – An Herb with Verity