If you think it is time to start growing some of your own food, knowing your hardiness zone is absolutely step one. In the US the U.S. Department of Agriculture created the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. This interactive map shows the growing zone of every inch of the continental US, Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico.
Knowing your zone can help you know what kind of plants grow best in your area. It can also be the start to learn when your growing season starts and ends. With dramatic temperature differences between Alaska and Puerto Rico and all other locations in between, knowing your zone can help you filter out information from people who grow in a completely different zone. Be aware that Hardiness doesn’t include rainfall which can dramatically affect growing as well.
The Zones are determined by a range of the coldest temperatures ranging from 1a (with temperatures of -60 degrees fahrenheit and -51.1 degrees celsius) to 13b (with winter lows of 65 degrees fahrenheit and 18.3 degrees celsius.
It is an undisputed fact that winter temperatures have been rising, and new areas that have historically had too long of winters can now accommodate plants that couldn’t have been grown in the region forty years ago. On the flip side, some areas are now too warm to grow the plants that once used to thrive, so be sure to check with current information instead of what historically has been grown in an area in the past. But on a positive note – you don’t have to turn away from growing just because you live in a zone that doesn’t accommodate your favorites. Not only are there plenty of things to grow in most zones, but greenhouses can extend a cold zone’s growing season dramatically. Greenhouses can be a very cost effective way to artificially change your zone for planting.
When purchasing plants make sure to check with the grower whether the plant will do well in the zone you live in. Some plants have been specifically transferred to a heartier, and more resilient, root stock to endure longer-colder winters. While other plants have been bred to endure longer and hotter summers. Many growers will have this information on their websites, but all nursery growers will know what works best in what Hardiness Zone.
HELPFUL HINT: When you are growing a garden your plants can adapt to the local weather. Buying heirloom and open pollination plants instead of hybrid seeds. This will allow you to save the seeds of your plants year after year as they grow accustomed to your particular climate. Hybrid seeds offer unique artificially-bred strains that can be quite resilient with heat, pests, or cold and can occasionally be the optimal choice for an at-home gardener. However, hybrid seeds do not ensure the next generation will be anything like the hybrid – making it a bit risky for the seed saver. You will see Hybrids labeled as an “F1” or “F2” when you are looking into purchasing your seeds.
Once you know your Hardiness Zone you can learn:
- When the growing season starts in your area.
- Which plants do the best where you live. This includes:
- Fruit Trees
- Decorative Trees
- Which flowers and plants are perennial (some are in one zone but not another)
- Veggies and Grains
- What times of year to plant which plants.
- When your growing season ends.
Growing a garden has many ups and downs, but knowing your Hardiness Zone can make all the difference in making sure you’ve got the right plants to begin with.