Those all sound good to me now, CA having a warm La Nina winter, but I think it will be another foggy spring. Peas jump to mind for now, potatoes and garlic still okay, berries and fruit trees can be transplanted now.

Thanks, Dicot. I am finding the limitations of referencing zone 9 in these queries. Lots of variation, we don't get any fog and only clouds when the occasional rain storms come through.
Thanks for the suggestions. I'll get some potatoes, There are lots of Ollalie berry suckers that can be organized into a new row.

spinach.

Spinach is good. Does anyone grow Malabar spinach? What is that like?

For seed sowing, you can also plant kale. I'm in your zone, and I just planted cilantro to see if it would grow. Both summer and winter squash can be planted now, though you'll have to wait a good long while to eat any.

Here is a link that might be useful: What's Growing On?

I'm glad you asked this question because Ive wondered the same thing. I've been gardening going on 4 yrs. now so I am still a 'baby' at it. Getting two seasons of things here where I live is confusing. I am Hollister, CA, 95023, zone 8b I guess or now the new zone 9b on the updated map. Sunset zone is confusing for me too, because we aren't as warm as Orange County or Socal that's for certain. But we aren't hot like Fresno or Sacramento either. We get enough ocean influence (we're an hour from Monterey) to cool things down at night.

I JUST planted carrots outside thinking I was wasting my time because it's a bit late but I'm glad to see others think that direct seeding of these and other so called 'cool season' stuff can still be started now. I planted snap peas two weeks ago and they are just coming up now.

I've had a rough go of it this winter and just couldn't get my 'groove on' gardening wise until recently. I need to get moving though, as I spent the last couple years tearing apart much of my back yard and putting in 10+ raised beds. No pressure, really. HA.

Thanks for the heads up!
Angie

I don't know what county you are in, but in some counties the Master Gardener website will advise you on what vegetables to plant when.

Here is a link that might be useful: Santa Clara County vegetable planting calendar

I am also fairly new to gardening, coming to my 4th year. I have a pot of cilantro that just keeps reseeding itself since last summer. I notice that they seem to have picked up their growth recently. I also kept the green onion head from the market and just soaked them in water. They have also grown very well. So Cilantro and Green onion are two great options. I've also pull up the horseradish I planted last year and divided them up into 4 plants.

Thanks for the posts. There really are a lot of things.Sounds like some of you are about where I am, hopefully on the verge of getting on a roll. Hot weather stuff has been so much easier.

I suppose I could look up the master gardeners but I wanted to hear from people here. I have lots of charts including an old Sunset Western that lists planting time(it doesn't work very well here). I find that trial and error and taking notes/comparing notes is needed too.

Cilantro is doing pretty good. I started two large pots on a warm table and then when the plants were about two inches tall I dumped them and casually planted clumps a week ago. all clumps have double in height a breath. Yesterday I planted a row in the garden with green onions.

Fennel is another one. It fun to grow and the bulbs are good.

So glad I found this, and maybe you can help! This is just my 2nd year planting in this location. I am on the Central Coast (Atascadero in San Luis Obispo County.) As I understand it the USDA zones really help mostly for winter hardiness? Our micro climate is quirky. Just in our county there are probably 5 or more different planting zones. This is so different than anywhere I've gardened, which are the two extremes, really - zone 3 in Montana and on Maui!

Anyway - don't know when to start my "cool" veggies. We are still having evenings in the low and mid twenties (but mostly 30's) and yet days are 70's and Sunday (when we tilled, of course) was 80. I won't be surprised to see it regularly in 80's in April, with the nights still in low 40's. Are nights still too cool to start the spinach and other chilly guys? I'm wondering if I wouldn't be better off waiting until Fall (noooooo!) On the plus side, hot weather guys do great!

Hope I'm not in bad form, hijacking a thread. This is my first post. Hollister is probably most similar to us.
Thanks for your help!

GCD,
I think it is getting late for the cole crops, not sure, but I am done planting them for my climate. As I understand it bok choi planted now will bolt but it grows so fast and is good at immature stages that I have planted some just a few days ago. Everything else mentioned is a go still. I haven't heard about planting garlic at this time until this thread. Can't hurt to plant a little of everything to get a good, very local perspective.

Good point. conditions permitting, I think I'm goin' in this weekend. Like you said, a little of the various things I believe will like the cool. THIS year will be the year I keep records! The worst that can happen is "not much!"
I have a spot that I have planned for an early/ and short-quick group of greens, peas, etc. I'm hoping it will be up and out by June, as I plan to put corn, beans and squash there in June. I will, however, space it so that the corn can go in between if the greens are still bearing nicely.
Eager to get going, but reluctant to have a big dud, too ;0)