Brian,

I moved from zone 4 to 6 to (now) 9. Let me share some thoughts. Yes, the plants are different and the 'full sun' is really unrelenting. But what is really different is the timetable for herbs and veges.

You have to have your young tomatoe plants in by March 1 - 15. They're 'done' by June 1 to June 15. Once temp does not go below 80 at nite, the blossoms won't set. In very hot springs, I shade plants with cheesecloth. Replant young tomatoe plants aroung Labor Day for harvest in late Oct /Nov.

I plant marigolds, pansies, snapdragons seeds around Sept 1 right in the beds for pretty flowers by late Oct through March. Most any zone 4 spring plant is a great late Oct to March plant in zone 9!

One other thing about zone 9. Everything grows - - bumper bug crops, mold, fungus, etc. There are things here that damage plants that I have never heard of before! Oh and the soil. In Houston area it really isn't soil - it's clay. We pulled out all the soil down 2 feet in every bed we made and hauled in good quality soil that we then filled in and built up to about two feet above ground level. The bottom of the beds were spread with about 6 - 12 " of small rock - covered with sand, then quality soil with lots of sand mixed in. Drainage can be a huge problem here.

We did it all ourselves and it took about two years to get the new house landscaping done. Couple of beds each spring and fall. (It's a lotta work.) Then we experimented with different plants. At least that what we called it when we lost a plant and had to rethink the appropriateness of the location!!!

Good luck in your new home. Zone 9 is differnet - but it's lots of fun for planting. So many tropic and sub-tropics that can be incorporated.

Sue