Any faith in the recent USDA hardiness zones? - Page 2

efisakov · February 17, 2016

Our zone is 7b. Last year we had few nights in single digits. The coldest was 1 degree Fahrenheit. My neighbor's fig tree almost froze. She thought it was gone until new shoots came straight from the roots.
This year we got a deep freeze on Valentine's Day, 0 degree. The coldest Valentine's in the last 100 years. So, I am not sure about that 7b zone.
And all 3 groundhogs in our area predicted 3 weeks of winter. I do not trust them neither.

Ricky Shaw · February 17, 2016

I had no idea figs could be grown outdoors in New Jersey.

efisakov · February 17, 2016

We are next to the water. It is milder than most of NJ. There are fig trees in New York city.

joseph · February 17, 2016

USDA plant hardiness zones are based on the average low winter temperatures over decades... So a temperature plus or minus 5 degrees from the average low is still an average winter.

I definitely don't start my annual garden based on the lowest temperatures during the coldest part of the winter. I start my annual gardens based on the temperatures in the springtime... I love indicator plants like when the daffodils are blooming. When the amaranth germinates, etc...

jmsieglaff · February 17, 2016

Since USDA zones are based on average annual minimum winter temperature I pay absolutely no attention to it for spring/summer time gardening.

Last frost dates are important for gardens, coldest average winter temperature is important for perennial plants, trees, etc.

Example: Juneau, AK and Atlanta, GA are in the same USDA zone. Rochester, NY and Topeka, KS are in the same USDA zone. Gardening in those locations will be drastically different despite the same USDA zone.

peppero · February 17, 2016

I can say this; the killing freeze came about three weeks later than the previous year.
It also appears that the safe date will be early as it was last year. I think that the zone change went from 6b to 7a. Either way I will be ready.

Jon

henry · February 17, 2016

Smoke from the fires shut gardens down out west last year.

February 17, 2016	#16
efisakov Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: NJ, zone 7 Posts: 3,162	Our zone is 7b. Last year we had few nights in single digits. The coldest was 1 degree Fahrenheit. My neighbor's fig tree almost froze. She thought it was gone until new shoots came straight from the roots. This year we got a deep freeze on Valentine's Day, 0 degree. The coldest Valentine's in the last 100 years. So, I am not sure about that 7b zone. And all 3 groundhogs in our area predicted 3 weeks of winter. I do not trust them neither. __________________ Ella God comes along and says, "I think I'm going to create THE tomato!”

February 17, 2016	#18
efisakov Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: NJ, zone 7 Posts: 3,162	We are next to the water. It is milder than most of NJ. There are fig trees in New York city. __________________ Ella God comes along and says, "I think I'm going to create THE tomato!”

February 17, 2016	#22
henry Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Midway B.C. Canada Posts: 311	Smoke from the fires shut gardens down out west last year. __________________ Henry

February 17, 2016	#17
Ricky Shaw Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Zone 6a Denver North Metro Posts: 1,910	I had no idea figs could be grown outdoors in New Jersey.

February 17, 2016	#19
joseph Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: Cache Valley, N/E of The Great Salt Lake Posts: 1,244	USDA plant hardiness zones are based on the average low winter temperatures over decades... So a temperature plus or minus 5 degrees from the average low is still an average winter. I definitely don't start my annual garden based on the lowest temperatures during the coldest part of the winter. I start my annual gardens based on the temperatures in the springtime... I love indicator plants like when the daffodils are blooming. When the amaranth germinates, etc...

February 17, 2016	#20
jmsieglaff Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Southern WI Posts: 2,742	Since USDA zones are based on average annual minimum winter temperature I pay absolutely no attention to it for spring/summer time gardening. Last frost dates are important for gardens, coldest average winter temperature is important for perennial plants, trees, etc. Example: Juneau, AK and Atlanta, GA are in the same USDA zone. Rochester, NY and Topeka, KS are in the same USDA zone. Gardening in those locations will be drastically different despite the same USDA zone.

February 17, 2016	#21
peppero Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: selmer, tn Posts: 2,944	I can say this; the killing freeze came about three weeks later than the previous year. It also appears that the safe date will be early as it was last year. I think that the zone change went from 6b to 7a. Either way I will be ready. Jon