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What is a Plant Hardiness Zone?

Your zone number, developed by the USDA, allows you to determine which plants will thrive best in your garden based on the climate in which you live.

BEFORE YOU START GARDENING

If you're just beginning to delve into gardening, you should first learn in which plant hardiness zone of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) you reside. Your zone number, developed by the USDA, lets you know which plants will thrive in your garden based on the climate where you live.

WHAT YOUR ZONE SIGNIFIES

The USDA divided the country and Puerto Rico into 13 zones based on the minimum annual winter temperature of a location. Zone 1, for instance, includes Fairbanks, Alaska, and the northern Canadian islands. Zone 11 encompasses most of Hawaii. Zones 12 and 13 are found in Puerto Rico. Each zone is further subdivided for greater accuracy.

PLANTING IN YOUR ZONE

You'll find that most plants and seeds you purchase come with a label listing their plant hardiness zones. To find out which zone you're in, consult the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, updated by the USDA in 2012 to reflect weather data as recent as 2005.

OTHER CLIMATIC FACTORS TO CONSIDER

Keep in mind that you should consider various factors besides your hardiness zone. These include the type of soil you're working with, altitude, humidity, heat, and wind. If you live in a hot climate, consider purchasing a copy of the American Horticultural Society's Heat Zone Map. This map divides the country into 12 zones based on the average number of days per year that a region experiences temperatures exceeding 86 degrees Fahrenheit.

BECOMING NATIVE

Knowing the hardiness zone of your plants is important, but it's easy to cultivate a vibrant and healthy garden by working with native plants from your region.