hardiness zone?

I can't find a good map that gets close-up enough to tell if Portland is zone 8a or 8b. Half of the Portlanders put one and half the other. So, I'm taking an informal poll, is Portland 8a, 8b, or a little of both? And by the way, aren't the Sunset zones much more accurate anyway?

I never know my exact zone either. I think it can vary yard by yard.

I used to live in the Calif bay area and used the Sunset zone somewhat as wel lived 10 minutes from Sunset. But up here, no one uses it. And to be honest, I just usually used the regular US zone even there most of the time. And unless it's a Sunset book, books don't use it either.

Also, when I'm looking at a plant that is close to my zone, I tend to give it a try if it's not overly costly cuz you just never know.

But I would like to know exactly what zone my house is in!

Gwen

GWEN!! YOU?? A californicator!! Waaahhh!!

Bluelytes

Yes, I admit it. 4 years in Washington, 47 in Calif, 2 of those in Lake Tahoe, the rest in the Bay Area. Oh, and 2 years in the Phililppines when I was in jr high.

So I'm pretty much a California girl.

Gwen

GWEN,
And I WAS starting to LIKE you!!! :( :( :( hehehe ;)

Regards;
bluelytes

It's rough when you are on that side of the state. Take a look at the zone maps for western WA, lol! But if you are either 8a or 8b - there really isn't much of a difference and plants from either should do well for you. :-) I'm zone 5b or 6a and I wish I had a longer growing season like you!

I find the Sunset system does give a lot more info about what our regions conditions are, but Dave's Garden spans many countries, let alone many regions. That being said, the USDA system really lacks precision and falters as a guide for the parts of the PNW that are mild wintered but grey and the deep south, also mild wintered, but with such summer heat and humidity. And you are right- the USDA maps don't make it easy to read zone boundaries.

The other thing it doesn't take into account is water. For instance, according to temps, we should be able to overwinter dahlias here, but I think it's the heavy rainfall that makes it so we can't, not the temps.

Gwen

Hey, I'm another California expat, So. Cal. in fact. I figure natives have little cause to be offended since I'm not actually trying to turn this place into California. I left for good reasons and I like it better here. I prefer green to golden brown, don't think you ought to be able to grafitti a river bed and like trees that aren't on artificial life support and I utterly wilt in anything like real heat. Besides, I got through most of my first decade without EVER complaining about rain.

KYRA,
First decade is ALL YOU lasted?? lol


Regards;
bluelytes

I'm not a big fan of hot either. I was too hot the other day when it was 70 here! LOL I didn't complain about the rain until this year. And then it wasn't really the rain, it was the grey grey grey! Just would NOT go away. The first 3 winters were much nicer!

Gwen

It's already been close to 90 here. But since it is dry it doesn't feel how 90 would feel on the west side of the state.