As the title says, we are going to be talking about gardening zones and frost dates today! These are two things I had literally never heard of until about a month ago and they are very important. So let's get into it!
WHAT ARE GARDENING ZONES?
Gardening zones were created by the USDA as a way to label different areas of the country by the coldest average temperature they get during the winter.
Each zone is roughly 10 degrees apart, so 30 to 40 for example.
There are gardening zones 1-13 and then each zone has both A and B. So, 8a and 8b for example.
What is the purpose of knowing this?
Your gardening zone will let you know what types of plants will survive your winter weather. This is most important if you plant perennials.
Basically, a perennial is a plant that lives for more than one season. It would be a waste to plant a perennial that needs 30+ degree weather in your area if you frequently get 20 degree winter days/nights because it will die.
This is really the most important reason to know your gardening zone. Otherwise, you just need to be aware of your estimated first and last frost dates for your area.
As far as the United States are concerned, gardening zones are more accurate and helpful on the east coast as opposed to the west coast due to the weather coming in from the Pacific Ocean.
Each zone is roughly 10 degrees apart, so 30 to 40 for example.
There are gardening zones 1-13 and then each zone has both A and B. So, 8a and 8b for example.
What is the purpose of knowing this?
Your gardening zone will let you know what types of plants will survive your winter weather. This is most important if you plant perennials.
Basically, a perennial is a plant that lives for more than one season. It would be a waste to plant a perennial that needs 30+ degree weather in your area if you frequently get 20 degree winter days/nights because it will die.
This is really the most important reason to know your gardening zone. Otherwise, you just need to be aware of your estimated first and last frost dates for your area.
As far as the United States are concerned, gardening zones are more accurate and helpful on the east coast as opposed to the west coast due to the weather coming in from the Pacific Ocean.
Check out the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone map below.
WHAT ARE FROST DATES?
What you need to know is that your growing season happens between the last and first frost dates.
The last frost date happens in the spring and determines the estimated beginning of your growing season. The first frost date happens in the fall and will determine the estimated end to your growing season.
There are plants that can be planted before the first frost and after the last frost. This will depend on what you’re planting and how cool your temperatures are at these times.
Certain plants do well with a chill in the air and a little frost at night.
Simple right?
No? Okay, let's keep going.
The last frost date happens in the spring and determines the estimated beginning of your growing season. The first frost date happens in the fall and will determine the estimated end to your growing season.
There are plants that can be planted before the first frost and after the last frost. This will depend on what you’re planting and how cool your temperatures are at these times.
Certain plants do well with a chill in the air and a little frost at night.
Simple right?
No? Okay, let's keep going.
HOW TO FIND YOUR GARDENING ZONE + FROST DATES
You can easily google the gardening zone and frost dates for your area or you can use the USDA zone finder and visit the Farmers Almanac website to find your frost dates.
Frost dates can sound intimidating at first, but once you know your average last and first frosts, you can get into the fun of planning your garden.
It's really not as scary as it may seem. We're all learning and if something dies, you can always try again!
Frost dates can sound intimidating at first, but once you know your average last and first frosts, you can get into the fun of planning your garden.
It's really not as scary as it may seem. We're all learning and if something dies, you can always try again!
WHAT IS A GROWING SEASON?
Your growing season is the time between your area’s last frost date and first frost date.
These numbers are just estimates based on previous years and are meant as a helpful guideline and not as an exact measurement.
The length of your growing season will determine which plants you will be able to grow to maturity.
There may be plants that can survive your daily spring and summer temperatures, but if your growing season isn’t long enough, certain plants will not reach maturity to bear fruit.
Different zones and different areas of the country will have different growing season lengths. The number of days you have available to you to grow, are crucial to know when deciding what to plant.
These numbers are just estimates based on previous years and are meant as a helpful guideline and not as an exact measurement.
The length of your growing season will determine which plants you will be able to grow to maturity.
There may be plants that can survive your daily spring and summer temperatures, but if your growing season isn’t long enough, certain plants will not reach maturity to bear fruit.
Different zones and different areas of the country will have different growing season lengths. The number of days you have available to you to grow, are crucial to know when deciding what to plant.
GARDENING ZONES VS GROWING SEASONS
Gardening zones can differ even inside the same zone number. So, if you live in an 8b zone and a family member lives in another part of the country in 8b, your growing seasons could be very different.
Gardening zones really only determine your perennial options where growing seasons determine what and when you can grow and harvest during the spring and summer months.
Gardening Zones = Perennials* | What will survive your winter.
Growing Season = Annuals** | How much time you have to grow them.
*Perennials are plants that last longer than one season. They will grow again for years as long as they are healthy.
**Annuals have to be replanted every season.
You will want to make sure that the length of time to maturity stays within the length of your growing season in order to get a harvest before the frost returns.
So, if you buy seeds for a plant that takes 120 days to mature and your growing season is only 100 days, you won't get to see a harvest from that plant.
Now, if you were to start those seeds indoors a few weeks before your growing season starts, you could move them to the garden and then possibly see a harvest before the first frost arrives.
This could be a lot of fun or could quickly turn into anxiety.
Let's aim for fun!
There is a lot of information out there about companion planting, but you don’t need to stress yourself out about all that. It’s most important to get your seeds or plant starts into the ground and learn how they grow.
Depending on what you want to plant, you may need to get seeds in the ground before your last frost date or start those seeds indoors. You can then plant them after the last frost in order to give your plants a headstart if you have a shorter growing season.
The fall and winter months are a great time to start doing research on seeds and learning about the growing tendencies and needs of different plants.
Some seed companies will send out free seed catalogs that you can flip through and find some really cool varieties. It’s easy to get sucked into the pretty photographs and all of the wild-looking fruits and vegetables.
But who cares.
You're not doing anything else important...right?
I hope today's post was helpful! I'm learning every day and want to make sure I share as much as possible with you. Don't forget to follow me on Pinterest so you don't miss out on future content!
In a forever busy world, it's nice to spend some time slowing down and filling our minds with things that will grow us as people.
What are some gardening questions you still have? Let me know down in the comments.
Thank you for dreaming with me!
Gardening zones really only determine your perennial options where growing seasons determine what and when you can grow and harvest during the spring and summer months.
Gardening Zones = Perennials* | What will survive your winter.
Growing Season = Annuals** | How much time you have to grow them.
*Perennials are plants that last longer than one season. They will grow again for years as long as they are healthy.
**Annuals have to be replanted every season.
HOW DO I KNOW WHAT I CAN GROW IN MY GARDEN?
If you are buying seed packets, you can check the back and see what the suggested gardening zones are and how long it takes the plant to get to maturity.You will want to make sure that the length of time to maturity stays within the length of your growing season in order to get a harvest before the frost returns.
So, if you buy seeds for a plant that takes 120 days to mature and your growing season is only 100 days, you won't get to see a harvest from that plant.
Now, if you were to start those seeds indoors a few weeks before your growing season starts, you could move them to the garden and then possibly see a harvest before the first frost arrives.
HOW TO PLAN YOUR GARDEN
Once you have made a wishlist of what you want to grow in your garden, you will need to plan out your space and decide where to plant everything.This could be a lot of fun or could quickly turn into anxiety.
Let's aim for fun!
There is a lot of information out there about companion planting, but you don’t need to stress yourself out about all that. It’s most important to get your seeds or plant starts into the ground and learn how they grow.
Depending on what you want to plant, you may need to get seeds in the ground before your last frost date or start those seeds indoors. You can then plant them after the last frost in order to give your plants a headstart if you have a shorter growing season.
The fall and winter months are a great time to start doing research on seeds and learning about the growing tendencies and needs of different plants.
Some seed companies will send out free seed catalogs that you can flip through and find some really cool varieties. It’s easy to get sucked into the pretty photographs and all of the wild-looking fruits and vegetables.
But who cares.
You're not doing anything else important...right?
I hope today's post was helpful! I'm learning every day and want to make sure I share as much as possible with you. Don't forget to follow me on Pinterest so you don't miss out on future content!
In a forever busy world, it's nice to spend some time slowing down and filling our minds with things that will grow us as people.
What are some gardening questions you still have? Let me know down in the comments.
Thank you for dreaming with me!
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