Knowing your virginia zone understanding the usda planting map. Use the usda zone finder from the national gardening association to discover your zone based on your zip code. A hardiness zone is a geographic area defined to encompass a certain range of climatic conditions relevant to plant growth and survival the original and most widelyused system, developed by the united states department of agriculture usda as a rough guide for landscaping and gardening, defines zones by annual extreme minimum temperature. Sunset climate zones sunset western garden collection. The hardiness map has been modified recently with a 5degree fahrenheit change for both cold and warm climates. Of 24 climate zones defined in the sunset western garden book and the 20 zones defined by the.
What are hardiness zones, gardening zones, growing zones and plant zones. Planting zones map find your plant hardiness growing zone. Sunsets climate zone maps take all these factors into account, unlike the familiar hardiness zone maps devised by the u. Using this system, california is divided into not just 10 zones as in the usda map, but into 24 zones. Backyard gardener understanding climate zones, february 7, 2001. East of the sierra and cascade ranges, you can hardly find a better gardening climate than zone 3a. Its easy, you can use your zip code, geolocation with gps, or click on a location on the map. The sunset western garden book creates climate zones based on many more factors that simply temperatures like the usda. The usda zones work well for the east, while the sunset zones work excellent for the west. Planting zones map find your usda gardening zone by zip code. Only a shade of difference exists between zone 8 and zone 9, but its an important differencecrucial in some cases. Climate maps planting zone maps, such as the united states department of agriculture hardiness zone map, show lowtemperature extremes by gardening zone. Garden basics your essential winter gardening todo list everything you need to know about maintaining your winter garden and paving the way for spring growth, tailored to every region in the west.
If you see a hardiness zone in a gardening catalog or plant description, chances are it refers to this usda map. Shop new sunset western garden book 9th edition in the books section of. The map is identical to the sunset map, but it uses different numbers. For more about the new sunset western garden book or to purchase it, go to. Its information is climate driven, not hardiness driven. Julie christensen learned about gardening on her grandfathers farm and mothers vegetable garden in. Sep 21, 2017 that correlates to winter low temperatures ranging from 0 to 45 degrees f. There are 24 sunset zones, divided by a number of factors to help gardeners identify the most appropriate plants for their needs. Gardenality is a gardening centric site made by gardeners for gardeners with tools that enhance any gardening for the expert to the weekend gardener. Then, match the color of that location to the legend to the right. Above is the map of the usda colorado hardiness zones.
For more information, consult sunsets national garden bookand western garden book. The excyclopedia section describes over 6,000 plants, and includes at least one drawing. For a more detailed map, go to the sunset plant finder and click on the find your zone link. The sunset climate zones take into account idahos latitude, elevation, seasonal rainfall regimes, humidity, influence of ocean and continental air masses, and soil types. It also shows up in western montana and nevada and in mountain areas of the southwest.
List of hardiness zones for colorado cities and locations. Its frostfree growing season runs from 150 to 186 days. In using the web site, go to the plant finder site, and click on find my sunset climate zone. You can also find this information in the sunset western garden book. The map considers average annual extreme winter temperature data over a 30year period to create growing zones in 10degree f.
The sunset western garden book is a popular reference book that also features a series of climate zone maps. Sunset western garden book zone map agriculture and natural. Climate mapsplanting zone maps, such as the united states department of agriculture hardiness zone map, show lowtemperature extremes by gardening zone. Based on the 1990 usda hardiness zone map, this interactive version covers the state of oregon which ranges from usda zone 4a to usda zone 9b. This interactive map will help you find the correct planting zones or hardiness zones for gardening accurately. However, these aesthetics dont mean much if the weather conditions in your gardening zone will wilt, freeze, or decay tender plants. Plants with hardiness zone numbers higher than your region are not adapted for your area. Our completely revised edition of the popular western garden book includes more than 2,000 new plant entries, all new fourcolor plant illustrations, improved climate zone information for the western states and new maps for alaska, hawaii, and southwest canada. The two or three recent reissues of sunsets western garden book have become more posh and sophisticated, like coffeetable issues, not meant for nittygritty work in the yard. Mar 31, 2009 find your climate zone the key to knowing what plants thrive in your area. Its important to understand each piece because knowing your zone and planting at the proper time for your zone will not equate to success without these essential elements. Colorado hardiness zone map for planting gardening know how.
Plants from the mediterranean and near eastern regions thrive here. Colorado hardiness zones for selected cities and locations. With a new, easytoread design, more plant photography, larger illustrations, and more than 8,000 plant listings500 of them newits the essential book for gardeners in the western states. Sunset magazine has created a climatic zone for the western united states that is more useful than the usda plant hardiness zones. Hilltops and valley floors of interior southern california. The sunset climate zone map for gardening was devised in the mid20th century for thirteen western states. For years, landscape architects have used the sunset western garden book climate maps to help decode californias complicated patchwork of climate zones and find plants that will thrive. This is not the only edition of the western garden book i have owned. Sunset has been the recognized authority among western gardeners for more than 100 years. Planting zones are essential to your garden, but they arent the knowallendall. However, the usda zones are still of importance to western gardeners, since the usda zones are used in the rest of the country. Usda zones are widely used and are found in all sorts of gardening literature.
The third and least known, plant climate zone system was developed by the university of arizona cooperative extension. Sunset climate zones are based more on local microclimates and quirks of our western landscape. Nevada, wyoming, utah, colorado sunset western garden. For more information, consult sunsets national garden book and western garden book. The national garden book sunset publishing corporation, 1997. A photo gallery shows the wests most innovative gardens, from alledibles front yards to stylish waterwise and firewise gardens to living walls and green roofsall with ideas you can use. In the west, most gardeners use the zone maps featured in sunsets western garden book. Sunset magazine classifies 33 western zones, numbered from harshest zone. Its a bit pricey compared to most apps, but with 1 gb of content, the book is packed full of tried and true tips. Jun 05, 2018 in fact, the sunset zones and maps are what are listed for each plant in sunsets western garden book and western garden cdrom, which are considered the standard gardening references in the west. In order to find your usda planting zone, simply look at the map and locate where you live. Sunset zones for california california native landscape designs. This feature adjusts the transparency of the zone colors which allow the underlying attributes of the selected base map to be more or less visible. More than 8,000 plants the right plants for your climate tips from western garden experts edition 8.
Find your climate zone the key to knowing what plants thrive in your area. The sunset western garden book has been the western landscape architects constant companion since the early 1900s. The usda offers a handy planting zones by zip code search function. Gardeners in the western united states are often familiar with the sunset zone system, as the sunset western garden book is one of the most venerable and widely used gardening references in. The ultimate gardening guide sunset western garden book. Of 24 climate zones defined in the sunset western garden book and the 20 zones defined by the united states department of agriculture usda, california has 20 and 16, respectively.
Buy map titlegeneralized plant climate map of california. If you live in virginia, you will be in one of the four virginia usda plant hardiness zones that range from 5a in the western mountains to 8a on the eastern shore. The new sunset western garden book now available on ios. A guide to western climate zones for gardening sunset. By understanding your planting zone for colorado, you will be more successful in your efforts to create a wonderful garden.
Eastern washington, eastern oregon, and idaho sunset. Usda colorado hardiness zone map for trees and plants. Aug 24, 2011 gardenality is a gardeningcentric site made by gardeners for gardeners with tools that enhance any gardening for the expert to the weekend gardener. In addition to the minimum temperature, the sunset climatic zones also take into account important factors such as the number of daylight hours, marine influences, elevation, and rainfall. Apr 10, 2020 this zone system for gardening also allows for microclimates, small pockets in otherwise uniform regions where growing conditions are markedly different. List of hardiness zones for colorado cities and counties. The sunset new western garden book, with well over 2 million copies sold in previous editions, is referred to by professionals as the authority on western gardening. These zones help you pick the plants that will thrive where you live. Fans of the sunset western garden book requested that we put their favorite garden book online. Sunset magazine has the best and most useful climate classification system for gardeners and landscape architects.
My gardens have been guided by one edition or another of this garden bible since the early 1980s, when i planted my first garden. This book breaks down the western united states into a number of morespecific climate zones than the usda climate map does. A sunset zone is a climate zone for gardening determined by a system developed by sunset magazine in the mid20th century. Zone 8 makes up most of the valley floor in californias sacramento and san joaquin valleys. Planting zones are areas you can find on a growing zone map that show exactly which plants are best suited to thrive in your given area, or zone.
The interactive map is a multilayered map with zone colors overlaying the selected base map option terrain, road map, and satellite image. Farmers and gardeners who wish to determine winter plant hardiness for particular crops and plants use the usda plant hardiness zone map. Climate zone maps and growingseason graphs for all regions of the west including alaska and hawaii. In fact, the sunset zones and maps are what are listed for each plant in sunsets western garden book and western garden cdrom, which are considered the standard gardening references in the west. You can look at this map to learn the maryland climate zones and which one you live in. For years, landscape architects have used the sunset western garden book climate maps to help decode californias complicated patchwork of climate zones. The older editions have been handed down to my daughters, once they became interested in gardening. Marked by a short growing season and relatively mild summer temperatures, zone 1a includes the coldest regions west of the rockies, excluding alaska, and a. The book includes climate zone maps and growingseason graphs for all regions of the west, including alaska and hawaii. Based only on average winter temperature lows, the usda map is most accurate in flat areas. Based on the usda hardiness zone map designations, this interactive version covers the province of ontario which ranges from usda zone 0b to usda zone 7a. Department of agriculture, which divides most of north america into zones based strictly on winter lows. The idea is to give the garden industry a way to communicate the cold hardiness of landscape plants. The map is based on the average annual minimum winter temperature, divided into 10degree f zones.
These zone descriptions will guide you in choosing the right plants for your garden. In addition, the american horticultural society has published a heat zone map. Maps and regional guides are important when starting your garden. For mo re information on sunset magazines climate zone map system, visit sunsets website or buy the the new western garden book.
Heres a quick way to find your california climate zone cse. The usda created plant hardiness zones to act as a guide for gardeners and farmers. A map of all of the zones will come up and you can click on it to enlarge the regions if desired. This book defines the variety of western climate zones, more than 20, shows on maps which zone you garden in, and rates the plants in its extensive encyclopedia by zone. Published this year, it features climate zones so you can determine which flowers work best in your growing zone.
Sunset zones for climatic differences in california. The usda plant hardiness map divides north america into 11 hardiness zones. The wests climate zones 28 plant selection guide 64. The usda hardiness zone map divides north america into 11 separate planting zones. When shopping for new plants for your garden landscape, the terms plant hardiness zones, growing zones and planting zones may at first seem a bit confusing. This new edition of the western garden book includes a fresh new look, thousands of color photographs, colorful illustrations, and an easytofollow format the book includes climate zone maps and growingseason graphs for all regions of the west, including alaska and hawaii. Coldest mountain and intermountain areas of the contiguous states and southwestern british columbia. The new sunset western garden book is the ultimate flower and vegetable growing guide for this area. These zones should serve as a guideline when selecting flowers, shrubs or trees for your garden. Western washington sunset western garden collection. Youll find this zone stretched over colorados northeastern plains, a bit of it along the western slope and front range of the rockies, as well as mild parts of river drainages like those of the snake, okanogan, and the columbia. As an aside, if you are an avid gardener, then i highly recommend the sunset western garden book.
A guide to western climate zones for gardening sunset magazine. The us department of agriculture produces a garden planting zone map for gardeners based on the average of low temperature readings taken from weather stations throughout the united states. And sunset offers a climate zone map that can help you select appropriate plants. When you have eliminated the javascript, whatever remains must be an empty page. For more information on the usda planting zones map, visit the following links. Department of agriculture understanding the new usda plant hardiness zone map from greenhorn gardening at you tube. This new edition of the western garden book includes a fresh new look, thousands of color photographs, colorful illustrations, and an. Oct 31, 20 a more useful index is the 24 zone climate system published in the sunset western garden book in collaboration with the university of california. The usda planting zone hardiness map provides us with guidelines as to what will, or will not, grow in the area in which we live. Aug 11, 2018 if you garden anywhere from montana, wyoming, colorado, new mexico west to alaska and hawaii and corresponding areas of canada, this is a reference youll return to again and again. Northern and central california coast range thermal belts growing season.
List of hardiness zones for north carolina cities and locations. Jun 28, 1986 gardeners throughout the region will be welcoming a thoroughly updated and freshlooking 8th edition of the bible of western gardening. A more useful index is the 24 zone climate system published in the sunset western garden book in collaboration with the university of california. The 2012 usda plant hardiness zone map is the standard by which gardeners and growers can determine which plants are most likely to thrive at a location. Go to the sunset website, the book sunset national garden book, or sunset western garden book. Were thrilled to be delivering plant finderjust in time for spring, said katie tamony, sunsets editorinchief. Heres a quick way to find your california climate zone. Now i can simply refer her to the appropriate page of her own sunset garden book. Department of agriculture usda hardiness zones and base your plant choices on your position on the planting, growing, and hardiness zone. If you garden anywhere from montana, wyoming, colorado, new mexico west to alaska and hawaii and corresponding areas of canada, this is a reference youll return to again and again. For example, if you live in zone 8, you can grow anything from zone 8 on down though you may need to provide shelter from hot summer rays if youre growing a lower hardiness zone plant in a western, inland garden. Usda map there are very few rules in gardening, but perhaps the most. Choose plants best adapted to your planting zone and plant them at the right time to increase your chance of success. Based on the 1990 usda hardiness zone map, this interactive version covers the state of colorado which ranges from usda zone 2b to usda zone 7a.