What to Plant in December
Vegetables to sow or plant in December in every US region, by crop and by USDA zone
What to plant in December depends on where you garden. Across our 18 US regions, 8 have vegetables to sow or plant in December, from 2 vegetables in Southern California to 90 in Hawaii, while Texas, the Mid-South, the Pacific Northwest, the Northeast and New England, the Mid-Atlantic, the Midwest, the Upper Midwest, the Mountain West, the Southern Plains and Alaska have no vegetable sowings this month. The first table lists every vegetable for each region and links to the region's December page, which adds herbs, fruit and flowers. Below it, the same month is set out crop by crop and then by USDA hardiness zone. Every list comes from the planting calendars behind our region pages and the Planting Season app.
What to plant in December in each US region
Each region plants on its own calendar, set by its frost dates and summer heat. Not sure which region you are in? Find your region by ZIP code, or check your last and first frost in the Frost Lookup.
| Region | Vegetables to sow or plant in December | Month page |
|---|---|---|
| North Florida USDA zones 9a to 9b | 20 vegetables: Snow Peas, Spinach, Kale, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Carrot, Beet, Radish, Turnip, Onion, Garlic, Bok Choy, Celery, Daikon, Fava Beans, Kohlrabi, Komatsuna, Mustard Greens and Tatsoi. Also 3 herbs. | December in North Florida 35 crops in all, including fruit and flowers |
| Central Florida USDA zones 9b to 10b | 39 vegetables: Peas, Snow Peas, Lettuce, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Kale, Collard Greens, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Carrot, Beet, Radish, Turnip, Onion, Garlic, Arugula, Bok Choy, Broccolini, Celery, Chicory, Daikon, Endive & Escarole, Fava Beans, Fennel (Herb), Florence Fennel, Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli), Green Onion, Kohlrabi, Komatsuna, Mibuna, Mizuna, Mustard Greens, Radicchio, Rutabaga, Shallot, Sorrel, Tatsoi and Watercress. Also 14 herbs. | December in Central Florida 79 crops in all, including fruit and flowers |
| South Florida USDA zones 10a to 11a | 54 vegetables: Tomato, Bell Pepper, Chili Pepper, Eggplant, Zucchini, Squash, Cucumber, Pumpkin, Sweet Corn, Bush Beans, Peas, Snow Peas, Lettuce, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Kale, Collard Greens, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Carrot, Beet, Radish, Turnip, Onion, Garlic, Potato, Cantaloupe, Arugula, Bok Choy, Broccolini, Celery, Chicory, Daikon, Edamame, Endive & Escarole, Fava Beans, Fennel (Herb), Florence Fennel, Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli), Globe Artichoke, Green Onion, Kohlrabi, Komatsuna, Mibuna, Mizuna, Mustard Greens, Radicchio, Rutabaga, Shallot, Sorrel, Sunchoke, Tatsoi and Watercress. Also 18 herbs. | December in South Florida 106 crops in all, including fruit and flowers |
| Gulf South USDA zones 8a to 9b | 20 vegetables: Snow Peas, Spinach, Kale, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Carrot, Beet, Radish, Turnip, Onion, Garlic, Bok Choy, Celery, Daikon, Fava Beans, Kohlrabi, Komatsuna, Mustard Greens and Tatsoi. Also 3 herbs. | December in Gulf South 35 crops in all, including fruit and flowers |
| Desert Southwest USDA zones 7a to 10a | 6 vegetables: Lettuce, Spinach, Kale, Bok Choy, Komatsuna and Tatsoi. | December in Desert Southwest 12 crops in all, including fruit and flowers |
| Texas USDA zones 8a to 10a | No vegetable sowings this month. | December in Texas 6 crops in all, including fruit and flowers |
| Southern California USDA zones 9b to 10b | 2 vegetables: Mizuna and Shallot. | December in Southern California 10 crops in all, including fruit and flowers |
| Mid-South USDA zones 7a to 8b | No vegetable sowings this month. | December in Mid-South 6 crops in all, including fruit and flowers |
| Pacific Northwest USDA zones 6b to 9a | No vegetable sowings this month. | December in Pacific Northwest 5 crops in all, including fruit and flowers |
| Northeast & New England USDA zones 5a to 7b | No vegetable sowings this month. | December in Northeast & New England 5 crops in all, including fruit and flowers |
| Mid-Atlantic USDA zones 6b to 8a | No vegetable sowings this month. | December in Mid-Atlantic 5 crops in all, including fruit and flowers |
| Midwest & Great Lakes USDA zones 5a to 7a | No vegetable sowings this month. | December in Midwest & Great Lakes 5 crops in all, including fruit and flowers |
| Upper Midwest & Northern Plains USDA zones 3b to 5a | No vegetable sowings this month. | December in Upper Midwest & Northern Plains 5 crops in all, including fruit and flowers |
| Mountain West USDA zones 5a to 7b | No vegetable sowings this month. | December in Mountain West 5 crops in all, including fruit and flowers |
| Southern Plains USDA zones 5b to 7b | No vegetable sowings this month. | December in Southern Plains 5 crops in all, including fruit and flowers |
| Northern California & Central Valley USDA zones 7b to 10a | 38 vegetables: Peas, Snow Peas, Lettuce, Spinach, Kale, Collard Greens, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Carrot, Beet, Radish, Turnip, Onion, Potato, Arugula, Bok Choy, Broccolini, Brussels Sprouts, Chicory, Daikon, Endive & Escarole, Fava Beans, Fennel (Herb), Florence Fennel, Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli), Globe Artichoke, Kohlrabi, Komatsuna, Mibuna, Mustard Greens, Napa Cabbage, Quinoa, Radicchio, Rutabaga, Sorrel, Tatsoi and Watercress. Also 5 herbs. | December in Northern California 82 crops in all, including fruit and flowers |
| Hawaii USDA zones 11b to 12b | 90 vegetables: Tomato, Bell Pepper, Chili Pepper, Eggplant, Zucchini, Squash, Cucumber, Pumpkin, Sweet Corn, Bush Beans, Peas, Snow Peas, Okra, Southern Peas, Lettuce, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Kale, Collard Greens, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Carrot, Beet, Radish, Turnip, Onion, Potato, Sweet Potato, Watermelon, Cantaloupe, Amaranth, Arugula, Asparagus, Bitter Melon, Bok Choy, Brazilian Spinach, Broccolini, Brussels Sprouts, Cassava, Celeriac, Celery, Chayote, Chicory, Daikon, Edamame, Endive & Escarole, Fava Beans, Fennel (Herb), Florence Fennel, Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli), Ginger, Globe Artichoke, Green Onion, Hamburg Parsley, Horseradish, Hyacinth Bean (Lablab), Jicama, Kohlrabi, Komatsuna, Leek, Lima Beans, Luffa (Loofah), Malabar Spinach, Mibuna, Mizuna, Mustard Greens, Napa Cabbage, New Zealand Spinach, Parsnip, Peanuts, Popcorn, Quinoa, Radicchio, Rutabaga, Salsify, Scarlet Runner Bean, Scorzonera, Shallot, Sorghum, Sorrel, Sunchoke, Taro, Tatsoi, Tomatillo, Turmeric, Water Chestnut, Watercress, Winged Beans and Yardlong Beans. Also 25 herbs. | December in Hawaii 136 crops in all, including fruit and flowers |
| Alaska USDA zones 1b to 7b | No vegetable sowings this month. | December in Alaska 5 crops in all, including fruit and flowers |
Popular vegetables to plant in December, and where
The 36 crops on our regional sowing charts, with the regions where each can be sown or planted in December. Where our data has a crop set out as transplants, the month is a transplanting month. Each crop links to its plant page, which shows the full calendar for any region.
| Crop | Regions where it can be sown or planted in December |
|---|---|
| Tomato | 2 regions: South Florida and Hawaii. |
| Bell Pepper | 2 regions: South Florida and Hawaii. |
| Chili Pepper | 2 regions: South Florida and Hawaii. |
| Eggplant | 2 regions: South Florida and Hawaii. |
| Zucchini | 2 regions: South Florida and Hawaii. |
| Squash | 2 regions: South Florida and Hawaii. |
| Cucumber | 2 regions: South Florida and Hawaii. |
| Pumpkin | 2 regions: South Florida and Hawaii. |
| Sweet Corn | 2 regions: South Florida and Hawaii. |
| Bush Beans | 2 regions: South Florida and Hawaii. |
| Peas | 4 regions: Central Florida, South Florida, Northern California and Hawaii. |
| Snow Peas | 6 regions: North Florida, Central Florida, South Florida, Gulf South, Northern California and Hawaii. |
| Okra | 1 region: Hawaii. |
| Southern Peas | 1 region: Hawaii. |
| Lettuce | 5 regions: Central Florida, South Florida, Desert Southwest, Northern California and Hawaii. |
| Spinach | 7 regions: North Florida, Central Florida, South Florida, Gulf South, Desert Southwest, Northern California and Hawaii. |
| Swiss Chard | 3 regions: Central Florida, South Florida and Hawaii. |
| Kale | 7 regions: North Florida, Central Florida, South Florida, Gulf South, Desert Southwest, Northern California and Hawaii. |
| Collard Greens | 4 regions: Central Florida, South Florida, Northern California and Hawaii. |
| Broccoli | 6 regions: North Florida, Central Florida, South Florida, Gulf South, Northern California and Hawaii. |
| Cabbage | 6 regions: North Florida, Central Florida, South Florida, Gulf South, Northern California and Hawaii. |
| Cauliflower | 6 regions: North Florida, Central Florida, South Florida, Gulf South, Northern California and Hawaii. |
| Carrot | 6 regions: North Florida, Central Florida, South Florida, Gulf South, Northern California and Hawaii. |
| Beet | 6 regions: North Florida, Central Florida, South Florida, Gulf South, Northern California and Hawaii. |
| Radish | 6 regions: North Florida, Central Florida, South Florida, Gulf South, Northern California and Hawaii. |
| Turnip | 6 regions: North Florida, Central Florida, South Florida, Gulf South, Northern California and Hawaii. |
| Onion | 6 regions: North Florida, Central Florida, South Florida, Gulf South, Northern California and Hawaii. |
| Garlic | 4 regions: North Florida, Central Florida, South Florida and Gulf South. |
| Potato | 3 regions: South Florida, Northern California and Hawaii. |
| Sweet Potato | 1 region: Hawaii. |
| Basil | 2 regions: South Florida and Hawaii. |
| Cilantro | 6 regions: North Florida, Central Florida, South Florida, Gulf South, Northern California and Hawaii. |
| Parsley | 3 regions: Central Florida, South Florida and Hawaii. |
| Strawberry | 1 region: Northern California. |
| Watermelon | 1 region: Hawaii. |
| Cantaloupe | 2 regions: South Florida and Hawaii. |
What to plant in December by USDA zone
A USDA hardiness zone is a winter low, not a planting calendar, so one zone can run through regions whose sowing dates are weeks apart. This table lists the regions in each zone, with the number of vegetables each can sow in December and the vegetables that every region in the zone can sow. Each zone page has the full twelve-month calendar for its regions.
| Zone | Regions (vegetables this month) | Vegetables to sow in December |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 3a | Alaska (0) | No vegetable sowings this month. |
| Zone 3b | Upper Midwest & Northern Plains (0) Alaska (0) | No vegetable is in season in every region of this zone this month, so follow your own region's list. |
| Zone 4a | Upper Midwest & Northern Plains (0) Alaska (0) | No vegetable is in season in every region of this zone this month, so follow your own region's list. |
| Zone 4b | Upper Midwest & Northern Plains (0) Alaska (0) | No vegetable is in season in every region of this zone this month, so follow your own region's list. |
| Zone 5a | Northeast & New England (0) Midwest & Great Lakes (0) Upper Midwest & Northern Plains (0) Mountain West (0) Alaska (0) | No vegetable is in season in every region of this zone this month, so follow your own region's list. |
| Zone 5b | Northeast & New England (0) Midwest & Great Lakes (0) Mountain West (0) Southern Plains (0) Alaska (0) | No vegetable is in season in every region of this zone this month, so follow your own region's list. |
| Zone 6a | Northeast & New England (0) Midwest & Great Lakes (0) Mountain West (0) Southern Plains (0) Alaska (0) | No vegetable is in season in every region of this zone this month, so follow your own region's list. |
| Zone 6b | Pacific Northwest (0) Northeast & New England (0) Mid-Atlantic (0) Midwest & Great Lakes (0) Mountain West (0) Southern Plains (0) Alaska (0) | No vegetable is in season in every region of this zone this month, so follow your own region's list. |
| Zone 7a | Desert Southwest (6) Mid-South (0) Pacific Northwest (0) Northeast & New England (0) Mid-Atlantic (0) Midwest & Great Lakes (0) Mountain West (0) Southern Plains (0) Alaska (0) | No vegetable is in season in every region of this zone this month, so follow your own region's list. |
| Zone 7b | Desert Southwest (6) Mid-South (0) Pacific Northwest (0) Northeast & New England (0) Mid-Atlantic (0) Mountain West (0) Southern Plains (0) Northern California (38) Alaska (0) | No vegetable is in season in every region of this zone this month, so follow your own region's list. |
| Zone 8a | Gulf South (20) Desert Southwest (6) Texas (0) Mid-South (0) Pacific Northwest (0) Mid-Atlantic (0) Northern California (38) | No vegetable is in season in every region of this zone this month, so follow your own region's list. |
| Zone 8b | Gulf South (20) Desert Southwest (6) Texas (0) Mid-South (0) Pacific Northwest (0) Northern California (38) | No vegetable is in season in every region of this zone this month, so follow your own region's list. |
| Zone 9a | North Florida (20) Gulf South (20) Desert Southwest (6) Texas (0) Pacific Northwest (0) Northern California (38) | No vegetable is in season in every region of this zone this month, so follow your own region's list. |
| Zone 9b | North Florida (20) Central Florida (39) Gulf South (20) Desert Southwest (6) Texas (0) Southern California (2) Northern California (38) | No vegetable is in season in every region of this zone this month, so follow your own region's list. |
| Zone 10a | Central Florida (39) South Florida (54) Desert Southwest (6) Texas (0) Southern California (2) Northern California (38) | No vegetable is in season in every region of this zone this month, so follow your own region's list. |
| Zone 10b | Central Florida (39) South Florida (54) Southern California (2) | 2 vegetables in every region of the zone: Mizuna and Shallot. |
| Zone 11a | South Florida (54) | 54 vegetables, including Tomato, Bell Pepper, Chili Pepper, Eggplant, Zucchini, Squash, Cucumber, Pumpkin, Sweet Corn, Bush Beans and 44 more. |
| Zone 11b | Hawaii (90) | 90 vegetables, including Tomato, Bell Pepper, Chili Pepper, Eggplant, Zucchini, Squash, Cucumber, Pumpkin, Sweet Corn, Bush Beans and 80 more. |
Frequently asked questions
What vegetables can I plant in December?
It depends on your region. In December our calendars have vegetables to sow or plant in 8 of our 18 US regions. The most choice is in Hawaii (90), South Florida (54) and Central Florida (39). Texas, the Mid-South, the Pacific Northwest, the Northeast and New England, the Mid-Atlantic, the Midwest, the Upper Midwest, the Mountain West, the Southern Plains and Alaska have no vegetable sowings this month. Among popular crops, the widest windows this month are for spinach (7 regions), kale (7 regions) and snow peas (6 regions). The table on this page lists every vegetable for each region.
Can I plant tomatoes in December?
Yes, in 2 of our 18 regions: South Florida and Hawaii. Everywhere else our calendars have no December planting for tomatoes.
Can I plant spinach in December?
Yes, in 7 of our 18 regions: North Florida, Central Florida, South Florida, the Gulf South, the Desert Southwest, Northern California and Hawaii. Everywhere else our calendars have no December planting for spinach.
How do I find what to plant in December where I live?
Enter your ZIP code in Find My Region to see which of our 18 regions you garden in, then open that region's December page for every crop you can sow, plant or start indoors this month. If you know your USDA zone, the zone table on this page shows the regions in it, but a zone is a winter low, so your region's frost dates decide the timing.
Other months: January · February · March · April · May · June · July · August · September · October · November. For the whole year in one place, see what vegetables to plant now across the US.