14 Days to our second growing season

Okay, we're 14 days away from October. I think of October has the start of Southern California's 2nd spring. September is often a little hot to start our cool season crops.

That said, for those of us without a solid transition plan, we need to start figuring out which plants we're going to let push into October and which need to come out to plan our cool season crops. I'm sure some of you have stories of squeezing in 4 crop rotations a year. I'll be happy with 2 solids and some 3rds.

For those following other threads, my white fly problem is still a problem. The lady bugs are munching away, but probably too little too late. I may sneak a melon or two off the green machine melon that is minimally affected.

I have the canary melon badly affected but am hoping the one melon makes it to maturity before the vine gives up. I may need to give up and rip them all out.

The sweet potatoes should be ready to go on October 1. They've been in since June 16 so they've got plenty of heat. I'm just hoping I didn't have too rich of mix so that I ended up all show and no tuber. I've poked a little but not deep and haven't felt any big spuds but I don't really get down more than a 1/2 inch as I can feel the roots all through the surface and don't want to disturb that much.

For my fall planting, I'm going to do a rolling 4 week conversion.

Lettuce mix about two squares. Carrots in two squares. I'll give the beets a whirl just so I can give beet chips in the dehydrator a whirl, two squares. Garlic in two squares. Shallots in two squares. I'll be splitting the two squares between the problematic raised bed and the containers.

Anybody have suggestions on flowers to plant with the garlic, onions and shallots? I've got a couple wine barrels I want to continue but need a little color in them so they don't look barren.

If I were you I would plant strawberries with your alliums! I would also plant beets and nasturtiums in the wine barrel, I just love the look of beet tops and nasturtiums are edible. Have fun with your second season