Zone 9 Gardening

What to plant in Zone 9 in February

By Parvez Akhtar Pasha | Feb 07, 2026

In Zone 9 in February, I always pick fast-growing or heat-tolerant varieties so they finish before summer stress. February is one of the best gardening months of the entire year, even though the weather can still feel a little unpredictable.

Plants grow fast in cool soil, roots establish deeply, and crops mature before the brutal summer heat arrives.

This guide gives simple, practical advice that works in any home garden. Every plant listed here truly grows well in Zone 9 when planted or started in February.

Leafy Greens to Plant in February in Zone 9

Leafy Green	Planting Method	Transplanting Time	First Harvest	Variety Recommendations
Arugula	Direct sow ¼" deep, thin to 4"	N/A	25–35 days	Astro, Rocket, Sylvetta
Bok Choy	Direct sow or transplant 6" apart	25–30 days	45–55 days	Mei Qing Choi, Joi Choi, Baby Choi
Collards	Transplant 18" apart	30–35 days	55–70 days	Georgia Southern, Champion, Flash
Endive	Direct sow or transplant 8–10" apart	25–30 days	50–60 days	Green Curled Ruffec, Batavian, Full Heart
Kale	Direct sow or transplant 12–18" apart	20–30 days	45–65 days	Lacinato, Red Russian, Winterbor
Lettuce (head/leaf)	Direct sow ¼" deep, thin to 6"	N/A	40–55 days	Buttercrunch, Romaine Parris Island, Black Seeded Simpson
Mustard Greens	Direct sow ¼" deep, thin to 4–6"	N/A	25–40 days	Green Wave, Osaka Purple, Southern Giant Curled
Radicchio	Direct sow or transplant 8–10" apart	25–30 days	60–75 days	Palla Rossa, Giulio, Variegato di Castelfranco
Spinach	Direct sow ½" deep, 2–4" apart	N/A	35–50 days	Bloomsdale Long Standing, Space Hybrid, Tyee
Swiss Chard	Direct sow or transplant 6–12" apart	25–35 days	45–60 days	Bright Lights, Fordhook Giant, Ruby Red
Tatsoi	Direct sow or transplant 6" apart	20–25 days	40–50 days	Rosette, Tah Tsai, Spoon Mustard
Mizuna	Direct sow ¼" deep, thin to 6"	N/A	30–40 days	Kyoto, Early Mizuna, Red Kingdom

Light frost is rarely damaging in Zone 9, but keep row covers ready just in case.

Vegetables to Plant in February in Zone 9

If you start seedlings indoors, harden them off slowly before transplanting.

Vegetable	Planting Method	Transplanting Time (Days After Sowing)	First Harvest	Variety Recommendations
Beets	Direct sow ½" deep, thin to 3"	N/A	50–60 days	Detroit Dark Red, Chioggia, Golden Boy
Broccoli	Transplant 18–24" apart	30–35 days	60–75 days	Belstar, Calabrese, Green Magic
Cabbage	Transplant 12–18" apart	25–30 days	60–80 days	Stonehead, Early Jersey Wakefield, Red Express
Carrots	Direct sow ¼" deep, thin to 2"	N/A	65–80 days	Nantes, Danvers 126, Cosmic Purple
Cauliflower	Transplant 18–24" apart	25–35 days	60–75 days	Snow Crown, Amazing, Purple Cape
Celery	Transplant 6–8" apart	30–40 days	100–120 days	Tango, Tall Utah, Ventura
Kohlrabi	Direct sow or transplant 4–6" apart	20–25 days	45–60 days	Purple Vienna, Kolibri, Winner
Onions (sets/bunching)	Plant sets 1" deep, 4" apart	N/A	60–90 days	Texas Sweet, White Lisbon, Red Creole
Peas	Direct sow 1" deep, 2" apart with support	N/A	55–70 days	Sugar Ann, Little Marvel, Oregon Sugar Pod
Potatoes (seed)	Plant 4" deep, 12" apart	N/A	90–110 days	Yukon Gold, Red Norland, Kennebec
Radishes	Direct sow ½" deep, thin to 1"	N/A	25–30 days	Cherry Belle, French Breakfast, Watermelon
Spinach	Direct sow ½" deep, thin to 3"	N/A	35–50 days	Tyee, Bloomsdale Long Standing, Space Hybrid
Swiss Chard	Direct sow or transplant 6–12" apart	25–35 days	45–60 days	Bright Lights, Fordhook Giant, Ruby Red
Turnips	Direct sow ½" deep, thin to 2–4"	N/A	40–50 days	Hakurei, Purple Top White Globe, Tokyo Cross
Mustard Greens	Direct sow ¼" deep, thin to 4–6"	N/A	30–40 days	Southern Giant Curled, Green Wave, Red Giant
Lettuce (leaf/head)	Direct sow ¼" deep or transplant 6" apart	20–25 days	40–55 days	Buttercrunch, Black Seeded Simpson, Parris Island

Flowers to Plant in February in Zone 9

Flower	Planting Method	Soil Type	First Bloom	Type
Alyssum	Direct sow or transplant, surface sow lightly	Well-drained, moderately fertile soil	Late winter–spring	Annual
Calendula	Direct sow ¼" deep	Loamy, well-drained soil	Spring	Annual
Dianthus	Transplant seedlings 6–10" apart	Loamy, well-drained soil	Spring–summer	Perennial
Dusty Miller	Transplant seedlings 10–12" apart	Sandy, well-drained soil	Spring–summer (grown for foliage)	Perennial
Larkspur	Direct sow ¼" deep	Loose, well-drained soil	Spring	Annual
Petunias	Transplant seedlings 10–12" apart	Light, fertile, well-drained soil	Spring–frost	Annual
Pansies	Transplant seedlings 6–8" apart	Moist, rich soil	Winter–spring	Annual
Phlox (annual)	Direct sow lightly, do not bury deep	Well-drained soil	Spring	Annual
Snapdragons	Transplant seedlings 9–12" apart	Moist, well-drained soil	Spring	Annual
Stock	Transplant seedlings 8–10" apart	Rich, well-drained soil	Spring	Annual
Sweet Peas	Direct sow 1" deep with support	Rich, loamy soil	Spring	Annual vine
Violas	Transplant seedlings 6–8" apart	Moist, fertile soil	Winter–spring	Annual

I only plant frost-tolerant flowers outdoors now. Keep covers ready if temps drop near freezing.

Fruits and Berries to Plant in February in Zone 9

Fruit/Berry	Planting Method	Soil Type	First Harvest	Variety Recommendations
Blackberries	Plant bare-root canes 3–4' apart, provide trellis	Well-drained loamy soil	Next summer	Triple Crown, Prime-Ark Freedom, Navaho
Blueberries	Plant bare-root or container 4–5' apart	Acidic sandy loam (pH 4.5–5.5)	Next summer	Sunshine Blue, Misty, Jewel
Citrus (dwarf lemon/orange)	Plant container trees 8–10' apart in full sun	Slightly acidic, well-drained sandy soil	1–2 years	Meyer Lemon, Satsuma, Calamondin
Figs	Plant bare-root or container trees 10' apart	Loamy, well-drained soil	Next summer	Celeste, Brown Turkey, Kadota
Grapes	Plant bare-root vines 6–8' apart, trellis support	Well-drained sandy or loamy soil	1–2 years	Muscadine Carlos, Thompson Seedless, Concord
Peaches	Plant bare-root trees 15' apart	Loamy soil with good drainage	Next summer	Florida Prince, TropicBeauty, Desert Gold
Pears	Plant bare-root trees 15–20' apart	Well-drained loamy soil	1–2 years	Hood, Flordahome, Pineapple Pear
Plums	Plant bare-root trees 12–15' apart	Sandy loam, well-drained	Next summer	Methley, Santa Rosa, Bruce
Pomegranates	Plant bare-root or container trees 10–12' apart	Loamy or sandy soil, slightly alkaline	Next fall	Wonderful, Eversweet, Angel Red
Raspberries	Plant bare-root canes 2–3' apart with support	Moist, well-drained loamy soil	Next summer	Heritage, Caroline, Autumn Bliss
Strawberries	Plant bare-root crowns 12" apart	Rich, well-drained loamy soil	Spring	Chandler, Albion, Camarosa, Sequoia

In my personal opinion, plant fruit trees when the soil is workable. Prune dormant trees before new growth begins.

Herbs to Plant in February in Zone 9

Herb	Planting Method	First Harvest	Flavor	Variety Recommendations
Chives	Sow seeds or divide clumps 6–8" apart	50–60 days	Mild onion flavor	Fine Leaf, Garlic Chives, Staro
Cilantro	Direct sow ¼" deep, thin to 6"	40–50 days	Fresh, citrusy flavor	Calypso, Santo, Marino
Dill	Direct sow ¼" deep in full sun	40–60 days	Fresh, tangy, slightly sweet	Fernleaf, Bouquet, Mammoth
Parsley	Sow seeds or transplant 6–8" apart	60–70 days	Mild, fresh, slightly peppery	Giant of Italy, Forest Green, Triple Curl
Oregano	Transplant young plants 10–12" apart	60–75 days	Strong, earthy, aromatic	Greek, Italian, Hot & Spicy
Rosemary	Plant transplants 18–24" apart	60+ days (light harvest)	Pine-like, bold, savory	Arp, Tuscan Blue, Salem
Sage	Transplant plants 18" apart	60–75 days	Earthy, warm, slightly peppery	Common, Tricolor, Berggarten
Thyme	Transplant small plants 10–12" apart	60 days	Savory, slightly lemony	English, Lemon, French
Fennel (herb type)	Direct sow ¼" deep, thin to 8–12"	60–80 days (leaves)	Sweet, anise flavor	Florence, Bronze, Sweet Fennel
Mint	Plant rooted cuttings or divisions (container recommended)	45–60 days	Cool, refreshing flavor	Spearmint, Peppermint, Mojito Mint

Herbs need 6+ hours of sun. Too much fertilizer reduces flavor.

Parvez Akhtar Pasha

Hi, I am Parvez Akhtar Pasha. I was in school when I first saw a plant grow from a seed. Over the years, I have gained a lot of experience in gardening, and I will gradually share it with you here.