I agree with you Dotty. Not only the state or province, but the nearest city would be most useful. Just California, Texas, or Illinois is often not enough. Especially for garden or lawn information.

But does it really matter if you know the person is living in a particular part of the state or province.
What would be gained by knowing a message is from a person who might be across town from you---but still far distant from everyone else.
As far as local zones being somewhat the same as possibly a zone across the world, blame it on the weather....it ..and the fact that the world is tilted.
The reason why our seasons are what they are is because the Earth doesn't sit level--its tilted.
The reason why Florida grows plants that can grow nowhere else--yet other places have the same zone is because Florida is a peninsula---surrounded on three sides by water.

But that said, a plant that grows well in southern B.C. may not thrive the same way the same plant would grow in another zone having the same number.

You can take the girl out of the country....but you cant take the country out of the girl.
A plant that grows in zone 5 Ontario may not thrive as well as the same plant grown in Denver, Colorado.
A plant grown in zone 8 B.C. may not do as well as bringing it to Georgia and putting it into the ground there.
Bring a plant out of zone 7 California and take it to the Niagara peninsula and you'd probably have a dead plant in no time. Yet, they have the same USDA identification to their zones.

A plant is a plant is a plant....we sometimes utter.
But a plant naturalized in B.C...such as a holly, bring it to Toronto and it wont grow near as well....if at all.

The biggest problem I have seen in not letting people know where you are is that you may get back incorrect information. I have seen questions asked that are very time or location dependent where the person asking did not give their location or zone. This is quite forgivable for a new poster, but then I have seen very experience Garden Webbers post a reply that is possible only appropriate for their own situation.

The biggest benefit I see is that I get to know who my GW neighbors are. I love knowing that someone is right down the road when I communicate with them here. That's no slight on the rest of the community (I have shared wonderful moments with many of you), but there is a certain extra little warm and fuzzy when I know I am communicating with someone close to me here in norther Alabama.

Steve

Dotty I've just changed my profile to say I'm in zone 3 BC Canada. To anyone who knows this province it means I don't live at the coast but other than that I'm not going to be more specific on the net. Too many strange people out there. If there are other gardeners who think they might live nearby they can PM.

Thanks for adding this info to your profile. I too am concerned about security but it really is helpful to know approximately where the post comes from. It certainly doesn't need to be specific. Having said that, I have met and visited other g/webbers gardens and exchanged plants with them and they are just middle aged women like me. With nice plants!

Dottyinduncan said:

" Since our countries are so large and diverse, I really appreciate when poster's profiles include the state or area where they live, rather than just saying USA or Canada."

I am so glad you brought this up Dotty. At times I am reluctant to comment in a thread because of "not knowing" what area of the world (imagine that, who would have thought) we are talking about. I too had to look at my own profile and saw some of its shortcomings; as you can see we have modified some of those things and plan on updating the entire page very soon.

It is the small things that can make a difference when sharing knowledge or just providing encouragement to other members. As Luckygal has stated, Internet safety is most important; however, we can do some things to put members more in the ballpark. I do appreciate you calling attention to this minor (but important) community concern. Again, thanks for the "heads up"Â

Blutranes

Dotty--You're from Canada? Do you know my friend John?

Before you start your reply, check the date of my post.

Some very wise posters are using their postal zip code either as part of their name or on their page. Won't protect your privacy if you live in a small town where everyone knows you are the nutcase that composts but works well in most cases.

Yes, I need to change mine.

"Won't protect your privacy if you live in a small town where everyone knows you are the nutcase that composts but works well in most cases."

Yup, that's my problem as there are limited postal codes in our area and as well I'm often a blabbermouth so if I'm more specific and some dumb stalker is into stalking old ladies I could be in trouble! Just a warning I live with a well armed old man. LOL

All the USDA Plant Hardiness Zones tell anyone is what plants can survive an average winter in that zone. Whether any plant will actually grow there can also depend on soil, weather, moisture, information that the PHZ does not privide. A general location, such as West Central Michigan along the lakeshore is a bit more informative, but still does not give good information about soils because some of us here have Lake Michigan beach sand for soil while others, just a short distance away can have clay. That is specific enough to be much more informative about the persons garden without being specific enough to allow stalkers to find you.
Also do those of you living in Canada use the AgCanada Plant Hardiness Zones or the USDA? There are people in Canada that do not know they have those and that they are much more descriptive than the USDA PHZs.