Maps For Plant Hardiness Zones

It's very important to know your planting zone, also known as cold hardiness zone. Gardeners everywhere need to be aware of the coldest temperature that can be expected in the area where they live. Why? Because the degree of coldness directly affects each and every plant — and adversely in many cases.

When cold weather arrives in your area, it will prompt many plants to start going into dormancy, which is a "good thing" and certainly necessary for their little biological clocks. They sleep through the winter and wake-up in spring, ready to bring beauty to your garden or landscape just as they did the year before. However, many other plants are not cold hardy, don't enjoy getting chilled, let alone frost-bitten, and will die as a result of being exposed to the lower temperatures.

Though we do need to know our planting zone, please keep this in mind: a zone map is merely a good guideline for the survival of appropriately chosen plants for your area. Other stressful factors such as acid rain, air pollution, toxic wastes, or a lower than average amount of rainfall for your city can significantly decrease the potential for satisfactory performance of any plant that you've carefully selected. Use your better judgment!

Though most garden stores and nurseries take out the guess work for their customers by offering perennials, trees and shrubs that are very hardy for their area, you'll more than likely find half-hardy and frost tender plants for sale, too. This is why you need to know your planting zone.

And another thing .... please read the plant's label! I always pay attention to it — you'll find the plant's sun exposure, water and temperature requirements listed. Should you discover that you want to include a half-hardy or frost tender plant in your garden, be aware that when the temperature starts to dip at the end of your growing season, you will need to give it a warm place to over-winter if you want it to still be alive the next spring!

I have to bring many of my "outside" plants into my home in late fall ... I'm not lucky enough to have a greenhouse (well, not right now at least!).

So, now that you're armed with the information I've just shared, you're another step closer to having an upper hand on being successful in a long term gardening relationship with all your plants!

Please click one of these links to view your specific planting zone:

United States
Australia
Canada
Europe

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