About the USDA zone map
stillanntn6b
3 months ago
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beesneeds
3 months agomad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
3 months agoRelated Discussions
new USDA zone map
Comments (20)fruitnut, I've always thought the reverse with regard to extreme cold in the humid east versus arid west, but I guess it really has much to do with the plants in question. I'm thinking more about things like cacti, tree yuccas, desert willow, desert bird of paradise, and others that make it here well beyond their zone designations (all of these survived a zone 4 winter last year) but would have a hard time in the Northeast. In terms of figs, I wonder if being so far south (lots of warm days in winter) is a problem with proper hardening off. Large fig trees in Albuquerque don't die back in average winters with a night or two in the single digits. Last winter was different with temps below zero, and 88 consecutive hours of subfreezing weather in the city. Both figs and pomegranates were killed back significantly....See MoreNew USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map Released
Comments (13)It surprises me how many people still don't understand the idea behind a climate zone map, including those who should know better. We had an article in our local paper today about the new USDA map (which puts most of Ohio in zone 6). They interviewed a manager at our largest (and best) nursery in central Ohio (which was previously placed on the border between zones 5 and 6 and is now all zone 6). He said he was continuing to tell customers that we are in zone 5, because we're still going to have extreme winters or severe storms from time to time. That's not the point of climate zones, which are determined by the average winter low temperature. If zone 6 gardeners see an wintertime low on average of -5F but are faced every decade or so by a drop to -20F, they are still in zone 6, not the border between zones 4 and 5. A severe cold snap might damage or kill susceptible plants (depending on site, drainage and snow cover) but it doesn't make sense to garden with these extremes in mind. Of course you could play it safe and only use plants that are semi-guaranteed to be rock-hardy in your area, but you'll miss out on a lot of great things. If (for example in my area) you get years of enjoyment from a Nandina or crepe myrtle but it eventually succumbs to a hard winter, you're still ahead of the game....See Morerelease of the new usda plant hardiness zone map
Comments (2)Thanks KimKa. I recently looked at this out of curiosity....See More2010 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map
Comments (9)I think it includes the UHI (urban heat island) effect, buyt I don't buy anything zone 7 for Akron, or, anywhere in Ohio. In fact it seems any reference to zone 7 has disappeared when I look at Akron on that map. When I zoom in on zip 44308 (downtown) it also says "days over 86F" as "rare" which I don't buy. I guess it depends on your definition of rare, but since 86 is only 4 degrees over the average high of 82, it's hardly 'rare'. Just looking at Akron-Canton airport (more exurban than the city, but the closest data) the last 10 years winter minimums were: 2002: 6F 2003: -8F 2004: -4F 2005: -4F 2006: 3F 2007: -6F 2008: 0F 2009: -14F 2010: 2F 2011: -2F That averages out to -2.7F, so that's a mild zone 6 for sure, but the fact that it dipped to -14 in 2010, and, a few times in the 90s even colder, I'd hesitate to plant anything less hardy than a zone 6, or it won't last a decade most likely....See Moresultry_jasmine_nights (Florida-9a-ish)
3 months agolast modified: 3 months agoPDXRobertZ8
3 months agosultry_jasmine_nights (Florida-9a-ish)
3 months agoBenT (NorCal 9B Sunset 14)
3 months agobeesneeds
3 months agoBenT (NorCal 9B Sunset 14)
3 months agobeesneeds
3 months agojacqueline9CA
3 months agomad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
3 months agojacqueline9CA
3 months agomad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
3 months agojacqueline9CA
3 months agocatspa_zone9sunset14
3 months ago
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