October in SoCal, time to plant!

Alright, in lieu of a custodian for our SoCal board, I'll repost the October Plant list.

October kicks up a little more into the cool season:
Beets
Broccoli
Bussel Sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Leeks
Lettuce
Onions Bunching
Onions/Garlic sets
Parsley
Peas
Spinach

We're kicking off the business planting season here in SoCal. How's your garden doing?

My boxes are up and running. My carrots have sprouted nicely. Trying to squeeze a last square of bush beans in. I also have radishes given a couple squares in the new beds a spin and my Tomato plant in the old bed hasn't given up the fight.

I'm having a bit of trouble getting my beet and turnip seeds to sprout. Granted I'm intentionally using a bunch of old seeds I've collected over the last three years and kept in the house. Just planting heavier and hoping to need thinning. My hothouse cucumber is hanging on and has two cukes left.

I feel like you are just rubbing it in to us Northerners expecting our first snow already  

You also just reminded me that I have not received my garlic and shallots from Territorial Seed yet either 

Haha, just came to work this morning and guess what was waiting for me? Shallots and garlic  

Your list is spot on. My chard and spinach I planted from seed are coming up nicely. My lettuce I planted 2 weeks ago has failed to germinate do you have any tips? For the spinach I soaked them in water the day before, does this work for lettuce as well?

HiDesert wrote:Your list is spot on. My chard and spinach I planted from seed are coming up nicely. My lettuce I planted 2 weeks ago has failed to germinate do you have any tips? For the spinach I soaked them in water the day before, does this work for lettuce as well?

That's odd, I've had the exact same problem and haven't gotten any lettuce to germinate. I was thinking maybe too hot with the heat wave.

I have just set up my first SFG and planted from starts the following - Leaf lettuce, chard, brussel sprouts, bush beans and carrots (from seed).  I have had several failures in my attempt at gardening so I am very hopeful!  I have the following seeds sprouted indoors - Romain, leaf and mesclun lettuce and spinach. 

I have a 8x10 'pop up' greenhouse that is pretty well ventilated which I am hoping to squeeze some additional tomatoes out of.

Mike,  I think I missed welcoming you.  Welcome to the Forum!   

Just spent 5 days vacationing in San Diego.  What a great weather for gardening year around.  We visited the Botanical Garden and saw the banana grove.  Talk about perfect weather.

Don't be shy - post photos.  We love seeing other gardens.  Photos also help the members help you when you have a question.

Planted 10/25/13 zone 10a.  I have since separated the 2 tomatoes to corner 1 & 4.  As is I planted from starts Row1 - (Top) 2 Roma tomatoes (Which may have been a mistake?), 2 Brussel Sprouts.  Row2 - Butter crunch lettuce, Swiss Chard, 2 Brussel Sprouts.  Row3 - Same as Row2 except box 2 has 1 lettuce and 3 chard.  Row4 - Marigolds, Carrots, 2 boxes open.



I am also in the process of building another 4x4 as I am sprouting leaf lettuce, Mesclun lettuce, spinach.

Gotta love Cali and Florida!

I just sowed all my seeds a week ago...all brand new from Baker Creek so I haven't had any real issues with sprouting...

Radish, Lettuces, Kohlrabi, Collards, Mustard Greens, Kale and Arugula shot right up in a few days...

Beets, Chard, and Carrots were a few days behind but they're almost all up now...only thing that seems to be doing nothing is cilantro.

Hoping to be able to sow most of my crops throughout the winter...I'll just replace whatever I harvest with new seeds...Here's to hoping the pests left with the hot weather! The weather has been as gorgeous as it gets in FL over the past week 

Mike,  Looks good.  2 free squares, hmmm.  How about garlic, even if it is from the grocery?  It's a great confidence builder, even if you don't like garlic.  There's always neighbors or co-workers!  

Relatives in Westminster (up the road from you) bought a house this spring and the cherry tomatoes from the prior owner have taken over the one flower bed and still producing.  My point is, you may actually get some tomatoes!  I guess the other point is that you may have to let those Romas fall over their corners and just grow on the plastic! You can grow them vertically, but that's another subject.

I find garlic a bit finicky in Orange County.  It grows fine, but a little slow and it seems to take forever to produce particularly when planted in October/November.

It's a little late for green beans but the ones I planted a month ago are flowering which means beans on the way!

As for tomatoes, I have them  popping up everywhere I put compost. They're worse than weeds.  

Thank you all for your advice, I hope its ok I am posting my pictures in your thread.  About 2 weeks before I researched SFG I had an empty flower "circle" that I had been dumping the remnants of my compost tea from the summer in.  I added about 2-3 inches of compost and dug in about 6 inches then planted (from top) bush beans, red onions and carrots.  I am hopeful for a few beans and carrots but not sure on the onions.  The carrots are the only plants from seed planted 10/12/13 

Mike, The folks enjoy photos.

I love 'em. It's like window-shopping for dreams.