Topics

New USDA cold hardiness zones

Edit: Changed from 6b to 7a

I don't believe it for a second.


download.png 


Think I am one of the few whose zone got colder. Based on seeing some single digit temps in the past 2 years and a whole passel of temps in the teens, It fits pretty well. We went from 7b to 7a. Now if it could just be 7b temps in winter and 7a temps in summer, it would be great. Colder is bad for the figs but on the other hand, it will help bring back the trout population in our streams which have been suffering due to overly warm water temps.

Sorry you have to hear about it Noel, but until it's fixed the drum beat will go on.

@ greg. Yep. How is it they can basically go up 5 degree's across the board when it takes detailed measurements over an extended period of time to even establish a zone rating? Pure political B.S. coming out of Washington. They could give a Rip what impact it makes on people who farm and garden. My 2 cents LOL  :)
 

People are playing politics with this, like they do with everything, but this didn't start in Washington.  I'm a chemical engineer and I'm happy to discuss the science driving this with you offline if you'd like.  But it would be nice to keep the politics off the fig board....there's plenty of other websites for that.  I'm sure we all have lots of strong feelings on lots of issues and that they conflict with each other.  The one thing that makes this board work is our common love of figs and the desire to help each other.

BTW, the USDA was very conservative with this redo on the hardiness zones.  They extended the period of years that they averaged from back into the cold 70's period to blunt the temperature changes being measured more recently at weather stations.  They were trying to protect farmers and gardeners from making too much of the warmer weather in case of another cold snap.  But at least here in Maine our frost free season has extended significantly.  If they hadn't extended the range of years that they average the zone map would have looked like the one that Arbor Day put out:
http://www.arborday.org/media/map_change.cfm

Sorry Greg, I wasn't 'discussing' politics here.  The top link says 2012 so is this new stuff? I wouldn't bring up real politics (gives me heart-burn) and please note I didn't say a single word about my party affiliation or that I'm a staunch Independent. LOL. So it's weather station data? How was it compiled?  What were the guidelines used? Did weather change across the board?  Forgive me if I somewhat wary of the motivation behind the update. We've had so much smoke blown up our bottoms from D.C. (since this is a government agency) it's a wonder we don't all have lung cancer.  And remember D.C. is filled with every party affiliation so I'm not pointing a single finger- well, except maybe one. ;)  BTW. Your link doesn't seem to be working. Be well! And of course- Happy Figging!!!



So... The zones (considering each zone number is divided into a and b) are set 5 degrees apart... If the change represented a '5 degree increase across the board' the borders of the zones would not have changed at all, just the colors. Try thinking of it that way Noel. 


Didn't mean to make you sorry about it Noel...no Fig Fun in that.  Just a subject I'm sensitive about.  Drop me your address and I'll send you a 258 cutting to get the fun back :)

Gee, with an offer like that, I should wear my heart on my sleeve more often haha. Thanks for being a good sport.

Okay Greg, if that is what it takes to get an I-258 then.... just kidding I already have 258 what else do you have? One day, one generation will know for sure and we won't be around to say whatever. Now in the meantime.....how about them figs!

I'm setting myself up for trouble, aren't I Wayne!

Maybe this link will work?
https://www.arborday.org/media/zones.cfm
Not sure why the other link isn't working as it's the URL that I just visited now???

Dang, that one doesn't seem to work either????

If you google  "Arbor Day zone map" you'll find the site quickly.  Sorry about that...no idea why.

No, I'm a firm believer but for arguments sake we need to stick to figs for the fun of it. That's our forum. But one thing is plainly clear to me, I now live in 10A which used to be 9B, same house only the climate is getting warmer. I started my mango trees in pots and planned on them staying in 25 gallon pots and moving them to protection on frosty nights, since my 20+ foot in-round trees were killed back to the bud years ago during several nights of 22-30 degree temperatures. But now I am rethinking my plans. They are going in the ground because I feel it will be really rare to see those low temperatures again. Maybe one day I will be able to grow mangos on my property in North Alabama, just kidding, but maybe my grandchildren will. I moved to Florida from New Hampshire in 1976 after many days of shoveling snow and getting stuck in waist deep snow. I was tired of carrying sand/salt and snow shovel in the trunk knowing it was going to be used....a lot. It snowed a few months later, January 1977 at my new home in Labelle South Florida. But I still love NH....in the spring, summer and fall. I have visited NH in January 2014, that week was super warm for NH, only wore a long sleeve shirt and a sweater. In Southwest Florida, this last week, we have experienced record breaking days, 86-88 degrees. Great for figs. I believe we have been experiencing more and more extreme weather conditions. But for the sake of keeping this a fig forum.... How bout them figs. Okay Greg, do I get something for agreeing with you, be a good sport just one more time.

That was pretty good Wayne, PM me what you're looking for, I might have one more "good sport" left in me :). If I have what you're looking for I'm sure it'll be happier living in Florida then in Maine!  Last year my wife hurt her back shoveling snow...now she's talking about moving somewhere warmer too.

Just having fun, one of these days we can do some trading. I really do love the states of NH, Maine and Vermont.....my growing-up states.

My zone was changed to zone 6 from zone 5. The last two winters we hit zone 4 temps. So lot's of zone 6 plants have been dying here. Lake Superior is 7 degrees colder than normal. I would love to get real warm weather here. We could grow so much more in this state. Our season is way too short!

Reply Cancel
Subscribe Share Cancel