2010 - What's the earliest time to sow in SoCal, Zone 8-11

I'm about 1-2 weeks away from harvesting my crop and now I'm thinking about next year. I checked the 2010 Farmer's Almanac for the frost dates, which are Dec 4 and Jan 2 for Sacramento. But I'm six hours drive further south, closer to LA.

I can't find a solid guide that tells me my area's zone. The city to the north is zone 8, the city to the east is 10, the city to the west is zone 11. I'm just guessing but I think I'm in 9 or 10.

I usually never pay attention to frost dates to much. That's because I usually just buy small plants and put them into my raised garden bed. Even annuals survive through the winter here. It's the Sana Ana winds that's more of a problem, blowing down fences and trees.

But this next grow I really want up my game. I just got my hands on some good seeds: LA Confidential, Fucking Incredible, and a mix of seeds from Nirvana seed bank.

The grow will be organic and in a raised bed with my own soil mix. When do you guys think is the earliest I could sow the seeds?

I was thinking I might be able to get away with the 2nd week of Feb, and I wonder if in anyone in SoCal managed to pull it off around that time or sooner. I know spring starts in March, but fuck me that's feeling like forever and day. haha

just a guess but id say late April early May

as soon as there is no threat of frost, and if a frost comes by surprise, put a cardboard box over it at night, you can get a real jump on the season that way, im further north but this has always worked for me

Here ya go...
NCDC: Freeze/Frost Maps

I guess feb is pushing it then. Probably not enough light anyway, unless I get an auto-flower. It didn't cross my mind to use a cardboard box. I was just going to put a thick layer of mulch to keep the roots warm, but using a box is an interesting idea too. Thanks for all the suggestions.

OH and just in case it helps anyone... I found a cool link that tells you the sunrise and sunset times for past, present, and future dates. http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/RS_OneDay.php

To add up the dates, use this time duration calculator http://www.easysurf.cc/tspan.htm

I did the math for Jan, Feb, and March and found realized each month will only give me 12 hrs of light. In the 2nd week the April I should see 13 hours of light. Now i'm just wondering what's the minimum amount of light I can get away with without worrying about it flowering early. 18/6 is what I do indoor, but hmm... I wonder if 13 hrs would be ok. Deng. lol. I'm thinking about this to much.

I'm in Norcal, but otherwise my methods are similar to yours. I'll post a couple pix of one of my beds.

I start my plants in December and add warmth and light until flowers show in February. They finish blooming in mid April when I harvest a small crop. The plants naturally reveg and are in full veg by mid may. Because they have a well developed root system, they grow very rapidly through the summer, and get very large.

I suggest starting those seeds, ASAP, and watch the forecasts.

I start indoors, and put them out last week in Feb. Norcal. Covered at night and when it rains