For some reason I was under the impression that I lived in zone 10. But I happened to check the Natinal Gardening Assoc website and put in my zip code. It says I live in 8B!
I'm confused...
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adebourget
- Full Member
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- Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2010 11:48 pm
- Location: Los Angeles, CA
The gardening zones of the western states are different, because the geography of an area can vary widely. In some cases, a single zip code can cover multiple gardening zones.
You might find it better, as do many of us who are located in the west, to use Sunset gardening zones. Perhaps the following link will be of help:
https://www.sunset.com/garden/climate-zones/sunset-climate-zone-los-angeles-area-00418000067298/
In fact, I strongly encourage you to get a copy of Sunset's Western Garden Book. It's a fairly expensive book, but your local public library probably has a copy you can look at, and many bookstores and garden supply stores carry it. Of course, it's available for purchase online, as well, from sites such as Amazon. For anyone gardening in the western U.S., this book is an outstanding resource of information.
You might find it better, as do many of us who are located in the west, to use Sunset gardening zones. Perhaps the following link will be of help:
https://www.sunset.com/garden/climate-zones/sunset-climate-zone-los-angeles-area-00418000067298/
In fact, I strongly encourage you to get a copy of Sunset's Western Garden Book. It's a fairly expensive book, but your local public library probably has a copy you can look at, and many bookstores and garden supply stores carry it. Of course, it's available for purchase online, as well, from sites such as Amazon. For anyone gardening in the western U.S., this book is an outstanding resource of information.
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adebourget
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Sunset divides western states into more zones than the USDA, simply because of the problems I mentioned earlier, such as zip codes covering multiple zones in the West. The Sunset zones are more detailed than the USDA zones. Unfortunately, the USDA zones are the ones you usually see listed on plant tags and descriptions of plants. If you look up a plant in the Western Garden Book, you'll know whether it will grow in your Sunset zone.
You might find this map a better way to determine your USDA zone, rather than trying to use your zip code. Make your determination based on the minimum temperature chart shown to the right of the map.
https://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/hzm-sw1.html
You might find this map a better way to determine your USDA zone, rather than trying to use your zip code. Make your determination based on the minimum temperature chart shown to the right of the map.
https://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/hzm-sw1.html
The link you gave says that I'm in 8B also. Maybe it just defaults to 8B for anyone on the Pacific Coast? 
Anyway, what the USDA Hardiness system tries to summarize in only 11 zones, the Sunset system specs out 29 systems for (western states, provinces + Hawaii and Alaska special zones), or 44 if you want all of North America.
So you can see that the Sunset zones are much more specific, and the Sunset advice will be much more pertinent to your needs.
Which is why I always show my Sunset *and* my USDA zones. Sunset, because that's what I actually use (plus some changes for my particular yard), and USDA, because most North American gardeners get an idea of my conditions from that number.
Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9
Anyway, what the USDA Hardiness system tries to summarize in only 11 zones, the Sunset system specs out 29 systems for (western states, provinces + Hawaii and Alaska special zones), or 44 if you want all of North America.
So you can see that the Sunset zones are much more specific, and the Sunset advice will be much more pertinent to your needs.
Which is why I always show my Sunset *and* my USDA zones. Sunset, because that's what I actually use (plus some changes for my particular yard), and USDA, because most North American gardeners get an idea of my conditions from that number.
Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9
I don't think it's a default. It tells me I'm in USDA zone 7b.
USDA zones are pretty broadly defined, and set up based on 10 degree differences in minimum temperatures. They don't take matters such as aridity into consideration at all. There are regions in the U.S. that, although they have the same minimum temperature as my location here in Oregon, receive much less rainfall than my area. Those areas also might experience much higher summer temperatures than is normal for my area.
What that means is that, while I can grow any plant that is shown as hardy for my USDA zone, I might have to grow it in a container, or take other steps to protect it from the high rainfall where I live. In the same vein, someone in the same USDA zone as I could grow any plant that thrives in my area, but might have to provide it with significant amounts of additional water, or protect it from extended periods of high temperatures during the summer.
Essentially, all the USDA zone number tells you is that a given species of plant won't freeze to death in your location. It might die because of too much heat, or because it received too little or too much rainfall, but it won't die because it froze. Other than the minimum temperatures, the USDA hardiness zones tell you nothing. You have to learn the other details through other means. That's why I prefer to go by Sunset's gardening zones.
USDA zones are pretty broadly defined, and set up based on 10 degree differences in minimum temperatures. They don't take matters such as aridity into consideration at all. There are regions in the U.S. that, although they have the same minimum temperature as my location here in Oregon, receive much less rainfall than my area. Those areas also might experience much higher summer temperatures than is normal for my area.
What that means is that, while I can grow any plant that is shown as hardy for my USDA zone, I might have to grow it in a container, or take other steps to protect it from the high rainfall where I live. In the same vein, someone in the same USDA zone as I could grow any plant that thrives in my area, but might have to provide it with significant amounts of additional water, or protect it from extended periods of high temperatures during the summer.
Essentially, all the USDA zone number tells you is that a given species of plant won't freeze to death in your location. It might die because of too much heat, or because it received too little or too much rainfall, but it won't die because it froze. Other than the minimum temperatures, the USDA hardiness zones tell you nothing. You have to learn the other details through other means. That's why I prefer to go by Sunset's gardening zones.
Well...not to become argumentative, but I think the source that's telling us "Zone 8B" is flat-out WRONG. According to
https://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/hzm-sw1.html
USDA Hardiness Zone 9a is assigned where the expected minimum winter temp is from 20 to 25 deg. F and Zone 9b is assigned for expected minimum winter temps from 25 to 30 deg. F.
Given that the Big Freeze of 1990/91 and the Chill of December 2008 were noteworthy events and that they were below 25 degrees, I'd say that I'm in Zone 9b--expected winter minima from 25 to 30 deg. F.
In 1990/91, the lows were around 21 or 22 deg. F for several days, and there was major die-off of plants around here.
In December 2008, the temp was 23 or 24 for only two or three days; some plants were lost, but nothing like the Bay Area had experienced 17 years earlier. *whew*
It's possible that adebourget lives at elevation in Los Angeles County; the Grapevine (where Interstate 5 goes over the mountains into the Los Angeles Basin) received 5 to 6 inches of snow on New Year's weekend (hey: Las Vegas had 1.5") and is listed as 8b. But unless s/he lives at elevation, it's difficult to know how a Los Angeles gardener is in USDA Hardiness Zone 8B.
I have *no* idea how El Cerrito is in USDA Zone 8B. I've gardened in Berkeley and El Cerrito for OMG! over 25 years
and have never, no, not one time seen a temp below 20 deg. F, unless we experienced it in passing in the wee hours during the Big Freeze 20 years ago.
Cynthia
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9
https://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/hzm-sw1.html
USDA Hardiness Zone 9a is assigned where the expected minimum winter temp is from 20 to 25 deg. F and Zone 9b is assigned for expected minimum winter temps from 25 to 30 deg. F.
Given that the Big Freeze of 1990/91 and the Chill of December 2008 were noteworthy events and that they were below 25 degrees, I'd say that I'm in Zone 9b--expected winter minima from 25 to 30 deg. F.
In 1990/91, the lows were around 21 or 22 deg. F for several days, and there was major die-off of plants around here.
In December 2008, the temp was 23 or 24 for only two or three days; some plants were lost, but nothing like the Bay Area had experienced 17 years earlier. *whew*It's possible that adebourget lives at elevation in Los Angeles County; the Grapevine (where Interstate 5 goes over the mountains into the Los Angeles Basin) received 5 to 6 inches of snow on New Year's weekend (hey: Las Vegas had 1.5") and is listed as 8b. But unless s/he lives at elevation, it's difficult to know how a Los Angeles gardener is in USDA Hardiness Zone 8B.
I have *no* idea how El Cerrito is in USDA Zone 8B. I've gardened in Berkeley and El Cerrito for OMG! over 25 years
and have never, no, not one time seen a temp below 20 deg. F, unless we experienced it in passing in the wee hours during the Big Freeze 20 years ago.Cynthia
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9
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adebourget
- Full Member
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- Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2010 11:48 pm
- Location: Los Angeles, CA
Wow. That's a lot to think about. I think I'm ok on my plants, but I want to plant blueberries in containers here in Los Angeles and I'm trying to figure out which variety is best. Once source said Southern Highbush - sunshine blue, but now I'm confused by the zones. Guess I'll need to do more research.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Cynthia! I didn't mean to imply that I thought that site was correct, just that it wasn't giving an automatic default response! I don't think USDA zones are of much use in the West. The only reason for trying to identify in which USDA zone one is located would be to be able to use the information printed on a plant tag. I really don't pay much attention to that particular piece of data when purchasing plants or seeds, myself. When I want to browse for plants I'm not familiar with, I go to locally owned, independent garden supply stores. The staff have always been able to give me good advice about how a particular species will perform in this area. They don't usually even stock plants that won't succeed here, because either nobody would buy them, or those who did would end up being dissatisfied customers.
In general, I avoid buying plants online. I've almost always been disappointed with the ones I've purchased that way. Even when I've contacted the company to ask for advice, the person I talk to on the phone, or who answers my e-mail, knows little to nothing about the growing conditions where I live.
Another thing about the USDA hardiness zone numbers is that the climate seems to be changing, but as far as I know, the zone numbers haven't been updated. I've been gardening this piece of land I live on for over 30 years now. I remember back in the '70s and '80s there were only 2 weeks of triple-digit temperatures, and they always occurred in August. Now, we get that kind of weather in June and July, as well as August and September. In the winter, we would rarely see snow that stayed on the ground here on the valley floor, and when we did, it would be in mid February. Now, we seem to get it every year, often as early as November. (Boy! I sound like some kind of old fogey, waving my cane in the air and proclaiming in my rusty voice, "When I was your age, young fella, ... !"
)adebourget, this is the answer you may have been looking for. Seek out a local, independent garden-supply store. Ask the staff questions. Tell them you're a new gardener. They'll be pleased to help you out and will give you knowledgeable, good advice.Kisal wrote:When I want to browse for plants I'm not familiar with, I go to locally owned, independent garden supply stores. The staff have always been able to give me good advice about how a particular species will perform in this area. They don't usually even stock plants that won't succeed here, because either nobody would buy them, or those who did would end up being dissatisfied customers.
In general, I avoid buying plants online.
The Big Box staff probably sold paint or lighting fixtures last weekend and just want to move stock. Cynthia
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rainbowgardener
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- Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
- Location: TN/GA 7b
Just to complicate it a little more, besides the USDA cold zones, the AHS (American Horticultural Society) publishes a heat zone map:
https://www.ahs.org/publications/heat_zone_map.htm
The heat zones unfortunately aren't used as much, in giving information about plants. But if you live in LA, you know there are lots of plants that winter over just fine, but can't tolerate the summers. Heat zone info helps with that.
https://www.ahs.org/publications/heat_zone_map.htm
The heat zones unfortunately aren't used as much, in giving information about plants. But if you live in LA, you know there are lots of plants that winter over just fine, but can't tolerate the summers. Heat zone info helps with that.
