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Home > Dig in with Kym
New USDA hardiness map a tool for gardeners
Published: Friday, January 27, 2012, 11:10 AM
PM
Updated: Friday, January 27, 2012, 12:08
By Kym Pokorny, The Oregonian
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In the Northwest, gardeners love to
brag that plants grow bigger and
better than in other parts of the
country, if not the world.
"People sometimes approach
hardiness zones like, 'Hey, what's
your sign? I'm a Zone 8b,'" says
Sean Hogan, owner of Cistus
Nursery on Sauvie Island.
View full size
The Associated Press
Even though Portland moved into Zone 9, doesn't
mean we can grow a whole new palatte of plants.
The cactus (such as prickly pear) that have always
been hardy are fair game, but those such as
sagaro are still not suitable.
More Dig in with Kym
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1
Northwest Flower &
Garden Show: Two
displays hit high notes
If you live in inner Portland, your
pickup line just got better. The
newest plant hardiness map by the
U.S. Department of Agriculture,
released Wednesday after several
years of anticipation, confirms
rumors of higher average winter
temperatures around the U.S. and a
change in parts of Portland from
Zone 8b (average lows from 15 to
20) to enviable Zone 9a, with
average lows of 20 to 25 degrees.
That doesn't mean you should go out
and buy cactus. Average temperatures are figured by taking readings over a period of time -1976 to 2005 for the newest version and 1986 to 1990 for the previous one -- and don't
indicate when winters are colder or warmer. Anyone who experienced the extreme weather of
the past two years knows that. In fact, Portland squeaked into Zone 9a by only 3/100th of a
degree.
The new map was developed with interactive elements to make it Internet-friendly.
Be sure to click on the Interactive Map button. The ZIP code feature does not bring up the
new data.
"People think the zone map is law and dictates what can be done and what can't be done,"
says Paul Bonine, co-owner of Xera Plants, who will speak on "The Ways of Weather in
the Garden" at February's Yard, Garden & Patio Show. "But they're just snapshots.
They're just another tool to determine if a plant will survive."
http://blog.oregonlive.com/kympokorny/2012/01/new_usda_hardiness_map_a_tool.html
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New USDA hardiness map a tool for gardeners | OregonLive.com
2/19/12 12:05 AM
"If we plant Zone 9 plants, we have to do it with a grain of salt," says Hogan, who worked on
the map committee.
Loree Bohl, a gardener in Northeast Portland who enjoys pushing the boundaries of
hardiness, says she was excited to see the map, even though nothing changed in her part of
town.
"I see most of Portland zoomed into Zone 9," she says, "but I'm still a Zone 8."
No matter what zone you garden in, consider the role and price of plants. If you love a plant
and it's not too expensive, it's no big deal, Hogan says. But planting a tree is different
altogether. "Make sure you do your research. Make sure the tree will survive over the long
run," he says. "You don't want to end up with free firewood."
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Related topics: cistus nursery, hardiness zones, usda hardiness map, xera plants
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January 27, 2012 at 12:38PM
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They have 217 listed as 210 (Hwy) on the interactive map...Who needs to be contacted to
get that corrected?
Other wise, great map, just disappointed we are not listed zone 9A, although with
microclimates I think our front yard is zone 9, and the backyard zone 7
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kympokorny
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January 27, 2012 at 12:55PM
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I know what you mean about your microclimates. My old house had several ... I know this
because I measured the temperatures and kept compulsive records!
http://blog.oregonlive.com/kympokorny/2012/01/new_usda_hardiness_map_a_tool.html
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New USDA hardiness map a tool for gardeners | OregonLive.com
2/19/12 12:05 AM
As for getting the map corrected, good luck with that. You can send an email or "ask the
expert" on the website: http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/HelpContact.aspx
Let me know how it goes.
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edb10856
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January 27, 2012 at 6:38PM
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show northwest gardening
parking strip plant of the week
plants shrubs slugs trees
vegetable gardening weeds yard
Oh gawd, tell me about the microclimates. I've got a shaded sloping back yard that's best
for growing mushrooms but we refer to part of our front yard as the "hell strip" and have it
planted exclusively in heat resistant lavender. Somewhere in between we manage to grow
a few vegetables, sometimes, if we're lucky.
Reply
gardening great plant picks hardy
plant society of oregon joy creek
nursery lawn log house plants
monrovia northwest flower & garden
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New USDA hardiness map a tool for gardeners | OregonLive.com
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