Zone 7a. Heat zone 7. Easy to remember!
Quote:
Originally Posted by roadfamily6now
I apparently live in the No Grow Zone.  |
LOL They do leave Alaska out a lot don't they? I know more than one gardener in Alaska and have seen pictures of things they can grow as well as all the wild flowers. Some links seem to leave out Alaska but it does have zones. Try the following:
USNA - USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: Alaska
I noticed a few western (especially west of the Rockies) gardeners reply about being in a range of zones. More and more plant sellers have been including alternative information like the Sunset zones to help with deciding what grows well. You can also use the maps that are based on zip codes to get a more exact zone.
As to the zones on LI, I was kind of surprised to see it initially but it is an effect of the ocean currents and the eastern tip, like the Islands of Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard end up with a milder winter than in any other direction from NYC. The zones were bumped up a lot from the original map and that may be because with all the roads and buildings covering it it is a bit of a heat sink. I do remember that forsythia would bloom sooner out east then they did on the Queens-Nassau border, and were a full week ahead of anything in Westchester County.
Most of the southern gardeners should really know their heat zones as well. The winters may be milder but some plants will never do well because they suffer in heat (and don't make good deep roots) and then the first cold snap will do them in. People often assume a perennial didn't make it because it couldn't handle the winter. Sometime a full sun plant will need some afternoon sun protection to thrive for the same reason.
Even when you know your zone there are exceptions locally due to elevation and other geographical changes. Even on a single property there are areas that can be warmer or colder, enough to make a difference in a plant making it or not. These are called microclimates.
No one number will let you find the perfect plant, it is a combination of factors. Knowing all the "zones" for your area is a big part of the equation. The rest is more trial and error....
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