uscjusto- I'm guessing you are in SoCa from the usc (university of spoiled children) reference? I'm in Northern CA and sometimes my "summer " crops will go into November and I've even had tomatoes into January! I try to keep 2 raised beds JUST for fall/winter crops. I let the carrots and broccholi hang out and go to seed, then clear the beds, add in compost and manure, start the seeds in the shade or indoors in about a week. I'm just starting to save seeds (just retired 3 weeks ago!), and am getting serious about starting stuff from seed! Some things such as lettuce can be sprinkled around under some things like tomatoes, utilizing the cooling shade. I've been gardening about 12 years and I'm still kind of confused about the summer/winter stuff! That's why I decided 2 beds would be "winter only" beds! Nancy

I found this on a site......does it help you figure out when in your area? I think the photoperiod info is the most useful. Climatic requirements. Average temperatures of 55°-70° F (13-21° C) are favorable. Temperatures above 75° F (24° C) may cause some burning of the tips and prolonged temperatures below 55° F (13° C) can cause premature bolting. Bok choy is also very sensitive to photoperiods for flowering. Long days (16 hour days for a month) induce flowering in some cultivars. Short days and warm temperatures keep the plant in the vegetative phase. I'll give you some info about what happened with mine this year. First of all I planted a baby bok choy because somewhere I found info that it took heat better. Next we had a strange spring and I didn't get it into the ground until late April......that means the days are pretty long and warm here. It grew fast and didn't bolt....I think it's because it never got under 55 degrees the whole time and it got confused about not having a cool period. Sorry I haven't really given you any local info but it might help you figure out how it gets the signal to bolt. Good luck.....I'll be trying some this fall so maybe next year we can trade results.

yep same here with the cilantro! i got...maybe two small tufts of cilantro for all the seeds i planted....and now its spindly and flowers. a few weeks ago i just started some more and they sprouted fast. i think they will grow better with the later planting. its a little cooler here than there...but snow peas are defintely something i am planting now. this is a good time for them, but i can plant them whenever and they do good, or ok, any time of year. re: mulch - i have no idea if this will work better, but i am thinking it will. i think i let the sprouted carrots dry out, or??? idk exactly, but i have hard time with carrots, they are fussy. in general mulch is like magic and makes happy happy plants. =)thick mulch...freshy mulch, yeah plants really respond to this well. it also keeps it from drying out, holds in moisture, thats basically why i am thinking the carrots will like it. just to sprinkle the seeds on top. and totally with the staggered plantings, its for sure the way in this kind of climate. have keep it in mind to resist the temptation to start too many seeds of any one thing. i have a limited amount of space that is greenhouse like...so its always packed with plants.i move things around, outside and inside, and do some container gardening with that. this is the best way to get good peppers here and tomatoes.... i have a lot of potatoes in the ground, but i started some off in a big container and they are doing great. i might start off a couple of those....with different edibles. they are just plastic tub storage containers with holes drilled in the bottom. been throwing the potato bits in there as i use them, and the ones in the container are looking better than the ones in the ground. they are digging on the fluffy soil. and some of the stuff i plant would seem way out of season...i experiment a lot. and planting odd things at different times of year, some of it works and some of it doesnt. i dont always get as many sprouts but usually will get a few of each planting time (about once a month i start different seeds)...and then have some plants in different stages come spring. and i over winter whatever i can inside...get peppers ripening at variety of times.

Lots of things, but I need to plant most seeds in August or early Sept. to grow into the fall. I have a lettuce mix and mache planted late Aug., spinach planted around the same time. I planted some bush beans beginning of August, they are blossoming now and I hope we get a harvest before 1st frost. I planted carrots end of July and they are ready now, but I will leave them in the ground til frost and pick as needed before the ground freezes.