Summary
Have you ever tried to grow a tomato plant that you bought from the big box garden centers only to end up disappointed when the plant died? Chances are, this was because you got a variety of tomatoes that don’t do well in your grow zone.
Grow zones are vital to what a gardener can grow and how successful their harvest will be. Essentially, they categorize your climate, affecting what you can grow successfully. Understanding your grow zone is key to gardening success.
Table of Contents
- What Are Grow Zones?
- Why Are They Important?
- How Do They Affect What We Can Grow?
- Best Way to Find Out What Grows in Your Area
If you’ve made it to this blog post, I know you are deep into this gardening thing—LOL. Once you start trying to understand your grow zone, you mean business and have probably had some failures with growing certain plants. Worry not, my friend! I’m here to help. I, too, am knee-deep in my gardening “hobby” and had to learn the hard way about grow zones and their importance.
What Are Grow Zones?
Let’s make this as simple as possible because, honestly, we don’t need all the extra scientific shiiii behind this. To put it plainly, a grow zone is a category created by the USDA to divide the USA into different climate areas.
When I say climate, I’m mostly referring to the overall temperatures in your area. There are about 26 grow zones in the USA, all based on your area’s average minimum winter temperature.
Here’s a picture of how they’ve categorized the areas. On the bottom right-hand side, you’ll see the zone area labeled by color:
Source: https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/
Why Are They Important?
Whoop-dee-doo, you found out you live in central Florida where it’s hot as balls, and you’re in zone 9b. Now what? You already knew it was hot there!
By figuring out your zone, you’ve unlocked one of the biggest secrets to a successful garden. Your grow zone determines what will thrive in your area. Not all plants are meant to survive everywhere, which is why nature gives us different types of plants in different parts of the world.
When we’re gardening, we want to mimic what nature does. This will make gardening easier, less stressful, and even reduce pest problems. Knowing your grow zone allows you to choose plant varieties that will actually thrive in your garden.
How Do They Affect What We Can Grow?
Here’s an example: I’m in zone 9b and love romaine lettuce. I’ve tried growing lettuce from the grocery store, but it always dies on me. It’s not because I’m doing something wrong—it’s because romaine lettuce isn’t adapted to grow in zone 9b. Romaine loves the cold and isn’t meant to grow in hot summers.
But that doesn’t mean I can’t grow lettuce at all! Instead, I choose heat-tolerant varieties like Lollo Rosso, a red leaf lettuce that can tolerate temperatures up to 75°F.
Knowing your grow zone opens the door to exploring more varieties. We often think grocery store vegetables are the only options, but they’re just one variety chosen for shelf life, not necessarily for flavor or suitability to your zone.
Best Way to Find Out What Grows in Your Area
- Google it! Look up what varieties grow well in your zone.
- Follow local gardeners. Bloggers in your zone often share tips and plant recommendations specific to your area.
- Avoid big box garden centers. They divide the USA into only four parts instead of using grow zones, meaning their plants may not be acclimated to your area. Seed packets from these stores also lack variety.
Instead, find reputable seed dealers that are local to your zone. They’ll offer a wider selection of plants suited for your area.
For my fellow zone 9b gardeners, here are a few local seed dealers I recommend (they ship too!):
Wanna Dive Deeper?
Check out my other blog posts for more gardening tips and tricks!
Happy growing, friend!
