A new zone map is out for the first time in over a 10 years
The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map is a valuable tool for gardeners and plant enthusiasts, helping them determine which plants are most likely to thrive in a specific geographic area based on average annual minimum winter temperatures.
Zones are typically defined by a 10-degree Fahrenheit difference in the average annual minimum temperature and are particularly important to pay attention to when gardening in our area if you want success with both blooms and crops.
The United States Department of Agriculture has an excellent website page showing the updated Zones, and provides Map Downloads and also a primer on how to use the maps here.
While our specific zone (according to zip code) hasn't changed - we're still in Zone 5b, we have see a +2 degree F change in the past 10 years.
Map credit: USDA
Zones are typically defined by a 10-degree Fahrenheit difference in the average annual minimum temperature and are particularly important to pay attention to when gardening in our area if you want success with both blooms and crops.
The United States Department of Agriculture has an excellent website page showing the updated Zones, and provides Map Downloads and also a primer on how to use the maps here.
While our specific zone (according to zip code) hasn't changed - we're still in Zone 5b, we have see a +2 degree F change in the past 10 years.
Map credit: USDA