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

it's time to start planting everything it's just like the begining of febuary right now except with the warm soil everything gets going in a hurry i pulled out all the old cukes and patty pans and planted pumpkins and zukes a couple weeks ago nursed all my tomatoes and peppers through the brutal heat and i'm now in the process of pruning back all the dead foliage for a new fall crop and the hotter i gets the better my okra does ....... btw my chili plants are now 2 years old and still going strong

Hey Kevin, I'm asking the same question! Colemans book says to plant first planting end of July and 2nd planting the first of August( this is in Maine and Zone 5 with ave high temp in july of 78)...In my area of SE Missouri we are still hitting the high 90s and probably continue till end of August. I'm going to try it the first of Sept in hoop house and see what happens..according to the book they must be up and growing before the "Persephone Days" (days that have less than 10 hours of daylight)because all plants slow way down and don't grow until the day lengthens again...It's not temp but day length they respond to. Now I'm trying to find out just when the Persephone days are in my area. Lextra

all 3 are cool weather plants & can be planted as soon as soil is workable. If it has been dry in your area, soak the beet seeds before planting. You can stagger-plant carrots every few weeks until August or earlier if it remains hot weather. hope this helps. Here is a link that might be useful: gardenweb