This is a timely post, many times these threads don't get going til after Labor Day and by then it's too late for alot of stuff. veggiefaery - you mentioned planting Garlic this fall for next Spring Harvest. I am a Zone or so warmer than you and my garlic just sent up scapes, so my harvest will not be for a month or so. I just wanted to mention that in case you were planning a following crop. Lolear -- In general people say to plant your fall crops by looking at the DTM and then counting back from your average first fall frost date, although the farther north you are the shorter those fall days get, so I always add some days to the DTM thing. ( That is why I am already planting some things now :-)

I agree. You missed you chance for many things already. You may still have time to transplant kale and lettuce starts as well as direct seed fast growing, cold hardy things like what Glib mentioned as well as radish and other greens in the mustard family (tatsoi, mizuna, boc choi, etc). -Mark

It looks like its going to last through the winter. I've read today that this year is the coldest year of the 21st century so far. It has warmed back up to average, but it looks like its not going to last long, because next tuesday's forcast high is 73. It still looks like its going to be an early winter, dispite getting back to average temps, the leaves on the trees are still changing, so looks like a long cold snowy winter this winter, and not enough sunlight during winter, during the shortest days of the year, the direct sunlight only reaches here for only 6 hours, and its still daylight for 10 hours, but it takes a little while for the sun to reach here, and now the sunlight reaches here about 8 1/2 hours a day. I hope its not like last winter, really slick roads, and blizzard like conditions, their hasn't been a blizzard here since 1998, but its waiting to happen again, and I'm sure its going to happen again, and the blizzards came so close that it looked like they were going to hit, and their was blizzard warnings but they didn't hit, so its not going to last long until one hits, because the last few winters they been right around the corner, and the dead scenery, and the low sunlight give me winter blues, its depressing to see my Musa basjoo go for winter, because its beautiful and constantly changing all summer, but it will be gone for the summer, in about a month or so. Lee

Thanks for the feedback! I live in the bay area as well, Santa Clara. It very rarely freezes, but does occasionally, I think last winter was a rare one in which some people had things dying off they hadn't planed. :( I was really hoping the purple fountain grass would be a perienal, so I guess I should definately wait until spring to do anything to make sure it survives the winter. I do love how it floats about in the wind. lesdvs9, you're right! I definately wasn't planning on doing in in August! I should have been more clear, I was kinda debating on fall as in Sept/Oct versus next year in spring or even next fall. But good idea on cutting it down a bit, I hadn't really thought of that either. Calfornia has such a wide range of microclimates, it really is a learning curve for my own individual one, huh? Makes it seem a bit overwhelming... Thanks again.