With how strange the weather has been this year, who knows when the rains will start and the temperatures will really start to drop? Typically it can stay warm all the way thru to Halloween, with November usually being wet, windy and cold at night. We might still be due for some major heat wave and extreme fire danger in the hills, but then again, it could be early rainfall.

You don't need to drive all the way to Napa to see great fall color, any of the east bay parks will have the native Bigleaf Maples, Buckeyes, turning colors, and in urban settings, certainly the Chinese Pistache, Liquidamabar, Gingko, and Gleditzia are already starting to turn color. Napa vineyards are also probably already starting to have the grape leaves color up, but even more colorful by mid October. Usually after the first rains, the hillsides will be starting to green up again in a month's time as well.

However, don't rush autumn just yet, September and October into November are still prime blooming months for all the subtropicals and fall blooming shrubs. Sasanqua camellias, the first Magnolias, Tree Dahlias,
Cannas and Hedychium gingers, Nerine bowdenii, Crinum moorei, Schizostylis coccinea, Abutilons, are just some examples of plants just coming into prime bloom over the next few months. If you really want to be amazed at what perennials and annuals you can have blooming in fall and winter here, check out the display beds and nursery tables at Annie's Annuals in Richmond, or any good full service retail nursery such as Berkeley Hort Nursery, or get down to UC Santa Cruz for their fall plant sale on Sat, Oct 14th. They have all those fantastic South African and Australian plants blooming now, like Grevilleas, Hakeas, Proteas, Leucodendrons and Leucospermums still blooming from last spring, it is wild!

There are reports that this will be an El Nino winter, so brace yourself. Fall color changes are more subtle, but still beautiful. Fall is our best season of the year. Spring is when your garden will start to pop much earlier than MI. Although the seasons are different than the east, they are never boring and each year is very different.

We used to have wonderful colors in the vinyards until the switch from red wines to white. Now the grape leaves just turn yellow before falling off. Some of the most beautiful color I have seen over the years is on the trails at Bothe State Park.

Since the bad winds were early this year, it feels like an early autumn.

Penny

Classic fall foliage can be found on the roads out of Tahoe, Hwy 89 is quite gorgeous although very leisurely compared to using Hwy 80 to come back home.

This is also the very best time to plant, so you may want to combine your auto trips with a few stops at good local nurseries, LOL!

Yup, traffic sucks. It is supposed to a mild El Nino year, so expect a bit more rain than usual, but not the really really bad flooding conditions. Our rainy seasons start the end of October, but that's just an average, it can be earlier or later. And rain makes the commute traffic much worse, I'm afraid -- always listen the traffic reports before leaving the house!

Fall is a more common term here than autumn.
Still it is one of the best times of the year.
We may have "Indian Summer" weather sometime in October, which is warm, gorgeous weather.
Rain may show up in October but November is a sure bet.
Winter is very boring here generally...we may have one or 2 big wind storms...the only excitement would be massive rains/flooding and power outages. You may be surprised by the length of any power outages. You would think with mild winters, there would not be a problem with restoring power. Sometimes there are lengthy delays which are quite inconvenient.
The only leaf coloring I notice is on Chinese Pistachio trees, which go orange/red.
Make a short trip to the UC Berkeley Botanical Garden in February to see the massive rhododendrons in flower...admission is 3 bucks or so.
People in CA cannot drive in the rain. Most have no clue. Make allowances.

Welcome to CA! I'm a former Michigander also! How about those Wolverines! WOOHOO!
If you are already missing the color, you're really going to miss it. I miss the lilacs and robins and color also.
See link below for fall color and here is one for wildflowers:http://calphoto.com/wflower.htm
and here is one for desert spring wildflowers...they are awesome if enough rain:http://www.desertusa.com/wildflo/ca.html

Get yourself a Sunset Western gardening book if you do any gardening. What grew in MI won't grow here well. But you can put some houseplants outside and Jade grows wild.

Here is a link that might be useful: CA fall color

Hey gobluedjm! I see you're a Michigan State fan! ha ha ha ha ha

I see you might know something about indoor plants. I want to make my living room more tropical-looking. Where is the best place to buy indoor plants? I have a lot of light in the room, but tend to close the blinds so the sun doesn't bleach my furniture. Do Costco's plants do okay? (don't laugh).

Nice to be here in California but I always enjoy reminiscing (spelling) with a former Michigander!

Go Blue!

Marlene (from Michigan)

p.s. My daughter went to State.

Lucky you, you get to have a Bay Area fall. I'm a recent transplant to SoCal after 30 years in the Bay Area -- You're heading into the loveliest time of the year in your region. Expect some rain spits in Oct. but if all goes well and normal you will get some 2 to 3 weeks of simply stunningly beautiful weather in October. You might even get a blazing heatwave to make you dance in the sprinkler and pretend its high summer in Kansas while the rest of the country is sweeping its first snow off their porches.

Fall colour is a pallid thing here compared to the eastern states -- Vermont in Oct. was a revelation to me the first time I saw it (at age 35, stopping dead in the middle of a woodland hike and suddenly _realizing_ FOR REAL that all those leaves that my grade school teachers would pin up on the bulletin boards in fall were actually, real, honest-to-god leaves and not just some Platonic ideal of "fall leaves" (which is what I'd thought they were all of my life). Phew. No, none of that here, unless you or your neighbors have planted liquid ambar trees or some other tree that actually manages to go fall nuts in CA in spite of no frost.

Yes, You will see fall color in the Napa Valley, but, unfortunately the vinyards that you see exhibiting beautiful reds and oranges are all infected with phylloxera and should not be showing those colors at all... oh well, they're still pretty. Try taking a drive through the Berkeley hills around 3 pm -- the angle of golden light and the gentle autumn colours are simply spectacularly beautiful (Just drive up Marin to the top and toodle along the ridge -- its gorgeous).

Rain.... yep, wait for November. That's your prime rain season. Though as others have mentioned, we are apparently headed into a mild El Ni this year which should mean elevated rain levels. Still, I'm guessing we won't really see it 'til Nov.

Nasty? Nope. 3 to 4 days of rain, followed by coolish sunshine for 5 or 6 days is the usual fall rain pattern unless we get in for a serious El Niño wet season. You will probably never put on your serious overcoat here all winter. You will also probably have to simply give away 3/4 of your sweaters since it will never get cold enough for you to wear them here, unless you go camping in the eastern part of the state. When I came back from college in Oregon, I dragged 2 large boxes of cashmere sweaters shearling coats, etc. around for 5 years before I finally acknowledged that would never, ever, get cold enough in the Bay Area for me to actually wear them, in spite of having spent 15 years in the SF sunset heights area -- yep I wore polar fleece year-round, especially in the miserable summer, but never "out to nice places", so many pounds of clothing headed to Goodwill.

Favorite nurseries: Sloat (SF and Marin), Half Moon Bay Nursery (on the road to Half Moon Bay), and Berkeley Hort Nursery.

Boy, I'm jealous. I miss the northlands terribly down here in San Diego....very especially at this time of the year -- I miss that incredible golden angle of light in the afternoon. I miss the golden sheen of the hills with the black oaks streaking across them. I miss kissing the fog goodbye and having a month and a half of mosquito-free barbecues..... oh sigh. So hard to move on......

Welcome to The Golden State! I'm a transplant myself, but have lived here for so long I drive like a native. Fall in northern California is my favorite time of the year, too. The light and air seem to shimmer, as if Monet were painting the scenery.

Plumas County is famous for fall color, if you are looking for a weekend trip. Their website will even tell you when it's the best time for "leaf peepers." However my favorite place is Yosemite National Park. It is gorgeous any time of the year and much less crowded now.

When a glimpse of winter comes towards the end of this brief but glorious season, I think of Barry Manilow's song "I Hate to See October Go." That about sums it up for me.

Hi and Welcome! I agree, there is subtle fall color but it pales in comparison to the eastern version. I'm a transplant from Maryland 30 years ago. You will scoff at our winters and wonder why we wear coats when it's not even cold. It took me about 6 years to think of winter in CA as cold. LOL

Yep, NOW is the time to plant your garden. The roots get established so much better with the cooler weather and winter rains, plus the ground is softer and easier to dig.
I have a stockpile of plants just waiting to get planted.

I'm a little south of you in San Jose and it's generally nice and sunny here with a little rain here and there until around Dec., my favorite time of year. Jan. and Feb., and sometimes even March seem like the longest months with the heaviest rainfall. But even our rains will seem like light showers to you. Our rains are nothing like the rain back east and what will seem like light showers to you will cause major problems here (Traffic, flooding, outages, etc).
It's a whole different world......Enjoy

OH...and someone mentioned Annie's Annuals. They're having their fall planting party this weekend and their plants are 30% off!! If you can make it, it's well worth it.

wanda

Oh yeah, forgot to add -- enjoy our brief autumn, because the magnolia trees will bloom in late January, which is when our spring starts!

Costco is fine for plants, as is Evil Orange aka HDepot. Kentia palms love it indoors, I had one grow to 12' in foggy SF.

I first lived in Southern CA and left Chicago in November. It was quite unreal to wake up on Christmas Day to 72 degree temps with a mass of roses blooming outside the window. Despite this unnerving introduction to CA, I adore living in the SF Bay Area and would never, ever live back East again! Welcome to California!

The best place for indoor plants is probably a nursery that has them. Yeah Lowes and HD have them if you get them when they first arrive. Otherwise check for bugs and soggy plants. Never seen them at Costco but I don't see why they wouldn't be ok. You can always rescue them and give some TLC and they'll be ok.
Once next summer rolls around you'll find yourself outside and all the new plants you can grow.

Come over and hang out at the houseplants forum also. Great bunch of peeps there and lots in CA.

All my mom's family is from Lansing area...then she got converted when married my dad!

I'll probably get in trouble for posting these:

You know youre a Wolverine when...

1. You beat Ohio State.

2. Youre the best in the Conference.

3. You think Heaven must be a lot like Ann Arbor, Michigan.

4. You think the colors of the rainbow are Maize, Blue, Maize, Blue.

5. All your kids are named "Blue".

6. Michigan games come before...well...anything.

7. You count Wolverines when trying to fall asleep.

8. You believe the Wolverine should be our National symbol.

9. You paint your vehicle Michigan Blue.

10. You petition for a carving of a Wolverine to be added to Mt. Rushmore.

11. Youre Winning and on a roll.

12. Your entire wardrobe is Maize & Blue.

13. You name your family pet Blue.

14. You honestly believe the Wolverines Rule.

15. You petition to change the National Anthem to the Michigan Fight Song.

You Know You're From Michigan If:

1. You've never met any celebrities.
2. "Vacation" means going to Cedar Point.
3. At least 1 member of your family disowns you the week of the Michigan/Michigan State game.
4. Half the change in your pocket is Canadian.....eh!
5. Your idea of a 7-course meal is a six-pack and a bucket of smelt.
6. You drive 86 mph on the highway and pass on the right.
7. Your idea of a traffic jam is 20 cars waiting to pass an orange barrel.
8. You know how to play (and pronounce) Euchre.
9. You know the "Big Mac" is something that you drive over.
10. You know how to pronounce "Mackinac".
11. You've had to switch on the "heat" and the "A/C" in the same day.
12. You can see a car running in a parking lot with no one in it, no matter what time of the year.
13. You end your sentences with a preposition; example: "Where's my coat at?"
14. You bake with SODA and drink a POP.
15. All the festivals across the state are named after a fruit, vegetable, grain, or animal.
16. You think of the 4 major food groups as beef, pork, BBQ sauce, and beer.
17. You carry jumper cables in your car.
18. You design your kids Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit.
19. Driving in the winter is better because the pot-holes are filled with snow.
20. Your favorite holidays are Christmas, Thanksgiving, and the opening of Deer Season, which you consider a National Holiday.
21. You have 10 favorite recipes for Venison.
22. You know what "cow tipping" and "snipe hunting" are.
23. Your little league game was snowed out.
24. You learned to drive a boat before you could ride a bike.
25. You owe more money on your snowmobile than your car.
26. Your snow blower has more miles on it than your car.
27. Shoveling the driveway constitutes a great upper body workout.
28. You attend a formal event in your best clothing, finest jewelry, and snowmobile boots.
29. The municipality buys a zamboni before a bus.
30. The word "thumb" has geographical, rather than anatomical significance.
31. You show people where you grew up by pointing to a spot on your left hand.
32.Traveling coast-to-coast means driving from Port Huron to Muskegon.
33. You measure distance in minutes.
34. When giving directions, you refer to "A Michigan Left".
35. You know that Kalamazoo not only exists, but isn't that far from Hell.
36. You have experienced frostbite and sunburn in the same week.
37. Your year has 2 seasons: Winter and Construction.
38. Home Depot on any Saturday is busier than toy stores at Christmas.
39. You know when it has rained because of the smell of worms.
40. Owning a Japanese car was a hangin' offense in your hometown.
41. You believe that "down south" means Toledo.
42. You think that everyone from a bigger city has an accent.
43. YOU ACTUALLY "GET" THESE JOKES AND FORWARD THEM ON TO ALL YOUR MICHIGAN FRIENDS AND FAMILY!

Subject: YOU KNOW YOU ARE IN CALIFORNIA WHEN-------

1. Your coworker has 8 body piercings and none are visible.
2. You make over $250,000 and still can't afford a house.
3. You take a bus and are shocked at 2 people carrying on a conversation in English.
4. Your child's 3rd grade teacher has purple hair, a nose ring, and is named Breeze.
5. You can't remember...is pot illegal?
6. You've been to a baby shower that has two mothers and a sperm donor.
7. You have a very strong opinion about where your coffee beans are grown and can taste the difference between Sumatran and Ethiopian.
8. You know which restaurant serves the freshest arugula.
9. You can't remember.....is pot illegal?
10. A really great parking space can move you to tears.
11. A low speed pursuit will interrupt ANY television broadcast.
12. Gas cost 75 cents per gallon more than anywhere else in the U.S.
13. A man gets on the bus in full leather regalia and crotchless chaps. You don't even notice.
14. Unlike back home, the guy at 8:30 am at Starbucks wearing the baseball cap and sunglasses who looks like George Clooney IS George Clooney!!
15. Your car insurance costs as much as your house payment.
16. Your hairdresser is straight, your plumber is gay, the woman who delivers your mail is into BDSM and your Mary Kay rep is a guy in drag.
17. You can't remember...is pot illegal?
18. It's sprinkling and there's a report on every news station about "STORM WATCH 2000."
19. You have to leave the big company meeting early because Billy Blanks himself is teaching the 4:00 PM Tae Bo class.
20. You pass an elementary school playground and the children are all busy with their cell phones or pagers.
21. It's sprinkling outside, so you leave for work an hour early to avoid all the weather-related accidents.
22. Hey!!!! Is Pot Illegal????
23. You AND your dog have therapists.

Thanks so much for all the info! I came to the SF Bay Area of California to visit a couple of times - both during winter. It was rainy and cold. We drove to L.A. and I swear it was worse there! Streams of cold water coming down the streets. I got cranky!

In Michigan, SAD (seasonal affective disorder - I think)would set in sometime in October. Do you guys get that here as well? The only thing that keeps me going is that I know the plants need the coolness and the rain....

Spring in January??????????????? Yes!

p.s. gobluedjm: I loved the funny stuff you sent, especially about California! And the list about Michigan - two seasons - winter and construction! What a hoot! Let me tell you the roads are horrendous there. The state is suffering financially... my husband and I got out just in time.

If we have too much fog which in my area isn't very often I demand sun. I hate not having sun. So I can only handle couple days in a row without it.
I have a home and garden full of sun, so many more choices IMO on plants.
You are going to enjoy learning so much, seeing things, experiencing things and enjoy not wearing all those winter clothes!
Yeah back in the 80's we used to say, the last person out of MI, turn out the lights.

What's wrong with the California sayings? They make perfect sense to me

LOL

(I've never lived anywhere else in my life)

Amanda 'romando'

Those CA sayings make sense to me, and I've only been here since '69, LOL!!!

Well, I do know some who suffer from SAD even here. But microclimates abound here, and my friend happens to live in the East Bay Hills, Oakland side, in an older neighborhood full of narrow, winding streets and huge towering pines. I live barely 5 miles away (= 1 big hill downwards towards the Bay) and often I can't believe how cold and dark her area is compared to our house! In the winter she gets clinically depressed; it is actually very dark inside her house (and she's self-employed working at home, so has to make an effort to actually get out into the daylight). Not only is my street noticeably more sunny than hers (due to the 1940's developer cutting all the local trees down when he put the houses up, LOL) but we have a ton of windows put in when the house was remodeled, so we get more light inside than she is able to get in her home.

Heck, if the weatherman's correct you'll see what it's like this week -- clouds and overcast forecast for the next week. It isn't unbearable, but it does get tiresome if it goes on for two weeks and we only see the sun in brief glimpses. Of course, then we'll get a high pressure floating in and get a bunch of warm days again, reminding us that we do indeed live in sunny CA!

The California list makes perfect sense to me but I've only lived here since '82 (of course, I was only 5 at the time). Then again, the Michigan list makes perfect sense too since I was born in Jackson, MI and still have a lot of family back there.

While the weather can be cloudy and cool anywhere in California during the winter (even the summer along the coast), there are few places that are as depressing as Michigan in the winter (in fact, I once heard an Alaskan complain about how depressing Michigan winters were).

Ryan

I didn't mind the snow so much as a child, but hated the cold. But then when I had to shovel and plow the drivway 2-3 inches of snow at a time was enough, but when you get dumped on with 6-8 I was done with that crap. Then would come ice, sleet, freezing rain etc and tornadoes in the summer and those afternoon t-storms with lightening.
I'll take a quake anyday over all that!

Oh and Yosemite and Kings Canyon have a winter storm watch for Wed and Thurs this week.

Marlene, there's an excellent article on fall color (including a quick warning about the bright red color of poison oak - what you call poison ivy back East, that is rampant here in the hills so be careful when hiking around) in the SF Chron Home & Garden section today. Here's a link to the on-line article.

Here is a link that might be useful: Fall color in the Bay Area

Here's some info on Phylloxera, I googled phylloxera and found this very useful:

http://hubpages.com/_reader/hub/Grape-Vinyards-and-Phylloxera

Here is a link that might be useful: Phylloxera in Grape Vinyards