Posted on 01/26/2012 12:04:04 PM PST by JustaDumbBlonde
USDA Unveils New Plant Hardiness Zone Map
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today released the new version of its Plant Hardiness Zone Map, updating a useful tool for gardeners and researchers for the first time since 1990 with greater accuracy and detail. The new map — jointly developed by USDA's Agricultural Research Service and Oregon State University's PRISM Climate Group — is available online at http://www.planthardiness.ars.usda.gov . ARS is the chief intramural scientific research agency of USDA.
For the first time, the new map offers a Geographic Information System based interactive format and is specifically designed to be Internet-friendly. The map website also incorporates a "find your zone by ZIP code" function. Static images of national, regional and state maps have also been included to ensure the map is readily accessible to those who lack broadband Internet access.
"This is the most sophisticated Plant Hardiness Zone Map yet for the United States," said Dr. Catherine Woteki, USDA Under Secretary for Research, Education and Economics. "The increases in accuracy and detail that this map represents will be extremely useful for gardeners and researchers."
Plant hardiness zone designations represent the average annual extreme minimum temperatures at a given location during a particular time period. They do not reflect the coldest it has ever been or ever will be at a specific location, but simply the average lowest winter temperature for the location over a specified time. Low temperature during the winter is a crucial factor in the survival of plants at specific locations.
(Excerpt) Read more at usda.gov ...
My neighbor gave me over a set of onions. He had several varieties and not enough room in his garden. I finished planting them yesterday. If they all make, we won’t be buying any later this year.
There are many other issues beside plant hardiness that a gardener should consider. Sunset Magazines list 19 gardening zones for California alone.
Dittos on Sunset guide
Hopefully, we will be covering some of those issues in the weekly threads.
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