I'm cross-posting this in the forums I most visit.
http://www.arborday.org/media/zones.cfm
It's my understanding this is very close to the new USDA map.
Happy holidays!
-Joe G.
New Arborday.org Hardiness Zone Maps
How interesting!! I think this site should be posted on all forums, maybe there is a place in the newsletter. Thanks !!
I just love this and cannot imagine why there are no more replies, I guess everyone is getting over Christmas and ready for 2007...or maybe everyone has seen it but me. I dunno.
Over in the Ohio River Valley Gardening forum there's one person who seems to think this map is really evil. :) I guess we either love it, or hate it. :)
-Joe
Might I ask why or how or what the cause it that might deem it evil?? Would it be okay if I post the site to the rose forum or would you post it there or have you already done that???
I don't know why anyone would think it's evil--it could cause controversy since it's a bit different from the old USDA zones that have been around forever and people tend to resist change, but I don't think it could be considered evil! I may have to go check out that other thread and see what the fuss is about!
If you find out, let me know, lol!! I think the 'old' zone map was 1990 - 2006 and, with regard to my zone, it is right on. If it wasn't, it wouldn't bother me at all - what is or isn't going to grow, is or isn't, regardless of my zone, old or new. I admit to being a zonie but that is so that I won't get plants that prefer cooler weather than I will ever have here, because my zone 8a is hot/humid and either too wet or too dry...
You need to be careful using the zone number to judge how plants will stand up to heat--the USDA zones (and the ones in the link above) are based only on typical winter lows and give no consideration at all to summer highs and other factors like rainfall, humidity, etc. If you want zones that take heat into account, the American Horticultural Society has developed heat zones which are based on the avg # of days per year over 85, and nurseries and magazines who've adopted their system will list the acceptable heat zones for a plant along with the zone for winter cold. And Sunset magazine has developed a great zone system that takes into account summer/winter temps, rainfall amts/patterns, humidity, etc to give a much better picture of what will do well for you. The Sunset zones are used pretty widely out here on the West Coast since our weather is so different from other parts of the country that are in the same USDA zone. I know they've developed zones for the entire country but the info can be harder to find outside the west coast but theirs is far and away the best system for taking into account all the weather related factors that determine how plants will grow.
Hahahaha, ecrane3, believe me, I'm careful. I'm also an accidental gardner, and I do not take gardening (or much of anything) 'seriously', but as a pastime that keeps me in touch with the earth & nature, my body & spirit, my friends and family. I started my DG gardening faze via brugmansia, which, IMO, is most zonal oriented. In this country & Germany, zone 5 is the magical zone of brugs. Following that, in the US, zone CA ranks a close second, along with other other costal zones, FL, TX, etc. My zone, 8a, will never be a brug contender, which I learned quickly and I've branched out - right now, I'm in love with roses. I especially enjoyed the 'new' zone map because it goes along with what appears to back up what I thought, that my own particular zone has not changed in the past 16 years and the zone of middle Arky has, according to this zonal map...
Hi Sherry,
Evil is my own word. :) A less florid description of the general tone of the dissenters would be they seem to be highly skeptical. :)
If you wanna post this on the roses forums I don't care.
I agree with ecrane about the sunset zones. They are much more highly detailed, and in my opinion much more useful in the long run for the average gardener. The hardiness zones are just a general guide. I have found things that are only rated to zone seven that survive just fine here, for instance it's common wisdom that four o'clocks come back from their roots if they're planted close to a house's foundation. They're supposed to be, zone 8 I think?
Mimosas are supposed to be hardy only to zone 7, which jibes with the new map where volunteer seedlings are found as far north as southern Ohio, but mimosas also thrive here, and north of here, in Michigan, in Wisconsin, in northern Illinois. The plants have as much say where they'll grow as any chart. :)
-Joe
Hahahahahaha, Joe, I knew exactly what you meant re 'evil'. I must look up that thread, I cannot imagine one being skeptical with regard to a zone - some why, that is comical (to me).
I'm a zonie Joe. 'My' zone, that is. I have a difficult zone with rough and tough summers that go almost all year round. Since my local nurseries don't carry many of the plants that I want, of course, I order them; however, for the most part, I prefer to buy plants from areas similar to mine, or, at the least, plants that are bred to survive & thrive in zone 8a in Arky...
I read the other thread. Errr, maybe i shouldn't post the site on the rose forum, I'm joshing. I don't know those posting on the other thread, but could you tell me, unless one is moving, what difference does the zone make. I've lived in this same area/zone, all my life and even if the zone changed on the zone map, the weather will continue to be the same. Do they think that they feel that vendors would change the zones on the plants and we might find ourselves with plants that will not thrive?? I think it's a fun subject...never dreamed it might be an 'issue'...
I think there are two things that can go on which cause people to take issue with maps like this. Sometimes people resist change because it's confusing, if someone's always been zone 6 and now they're zone 7 or zone 5 that could confuse things, and who knows when you go to the nursery if the plants will be labelled with the old zone or the new zone, so people are afraid they might buy something that won't like their climate. The other thing that happens is some people just don't trust the zone map, they know that such and such a place that's hours north or south of them can or can't grow a certain plant and because of how that plant does for them they say there's no way they could possibly be in the same zone as the other place which the map says is the same zone as them. Or maybe their area is a warmer/colder microclimate within a particular zone which really makes them a zone different than the surrounding area, but the map isn't always detailed enough to catch all of those types of areas.
I agree ecrane, you are correct. And, I'm a weird duck, I'm allergic to things being the same, lol, but true...
To add to ecrane's comment, sometimes something doesn't flourish because it's simply planted in the wrong area. :)
I have a gardenia, Kleim's Hardy. Granted, this winter so far hasn't been like one of our typical zone five/six winters, more like a zone seven winter, but it is absolutely flourishing, outside, in the microclimate I planted it in. It's against the foundation of the house, in a window well, nestled into a very sheltered southeast corner. I cover it with an old window and plug the open end up with straw when temps get beyond its range.
I know people in zone seven who insist that it's just too cold for gardenias. I would suggest they look to their soil.
OOOOH since we're on gardenias, and this is the fragrant gardening area, I am REALLY excited about gardenia "Chuck Hayes"! It's a very, very cold hardy double that is supposedly just covered with flowers most of the season! http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=ie7&rls=com.microsoft:en-US&ie=utf8&oe=utf8&q=gardenia+%22Chuck+Hayes%22
This is my next gardenia purchase. :)
-Joe
This message was edited Jan 2, 2007 4:04 PM
Gardenia is my fav flower & my fav fragrant flower, once you get them going here, they are wonderful. I'm fixing to move one, wish me luck, once they settle in, which can often be difficult, they don't like to move...