If you started gardening before 2012, you may be astonished to discover that your hardiness zone has changed from that point forward. A standout amongst the most vital factors in which plants will do well in your garden is how cold the winters are.
Maps created by the National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) that look at 30-year averages of the coldest days of the year show that since the 1980s, hardiness zones have been consistently moving northward and upward in height—and many parts of the country have encountered enough of an uptick in overnight lows and winter temperatures to climb a zone. See the shifts in U.S. planting zones in this map!
What does this mean for your garden?
The good news are that shifting temperatures, particularly in supposed “negligible” territories of the map (where one zone adjoins another) mean you can expect accomplishment with a more extensive scope of plants than earlier—in parts of northwest Montana, which have been moved from zone 5b to 6a, longer summers and shorter winters have made it possible for gardeners to grow artichokes and ginger, WBUR announced this summer.
The bad news: trees such as sugar maples that rely upon freezing winters to battle off pests and diseases, have been dying in the southern compasses of their extents. For orchardists, fiercely fluctuating winter temperatures make a more serious danger of frost harm, as one cool night can destroy a whole plantation’s too soon blooms. What’s more, planters of all stripes need to manage more pests, which have better conditions to flourish and spread all through natural landscapes, unchecked by a winter freeze.
What should you do about it?
First of all, there’s no need to rip out what’s doing well in your garden if your zone has changed. And if you’re considering planting a tree, which will need to weather long-term climate changes, be sure to consult the Arbor Day Foundation’s 2015 USDA Hardiness Zone Map (which uses more recent data than the U.S. Hardiness Zones map, which was last updated in 2012) to see if your zone has shifted, and check out their tree finder, which can recommend the best tree for your zone.
Source: www.rodalesorganiclife.com
