Ann B.
01-06-2002, 12:56 PM
Someone gave me the idea of discussing zones and the different areas of the country and how that impacts the choice of plant material in your landscape or nursery business.
As all of you know, my area is categorized as zone 8, but as you probably also know zones cross a large amount of territory and there are many differences within a zone. Not only that, but there are many microclimates in small areas.
What effect does that have on you and me? It can have a lot of effect. I am actually located in zone 8b, and I have been told that some consider us zone 9. When I research a plant, I take that into consideration.
But there are many other things to take into consideration. We normally have a great amount of rainfall, and my property floods badly. So, when I plant bulbs, I have to worry about drowning them. Lilium, for example, really do not do well with wet 'feet', and after experiementing in several locations, I have found that they will only survive if I amend the soil with sand and use the raised bed concept. Of course, they also do well in pots.
Another consideration is the extreme heat and humidity in the summer. Yet, another is the low number of chill hours. All of these can attribute for lack of success with certain plants. Soil ph also has a huge impact on some plants.
Here are some of plants that are marginally successful and difficult (and sometimes impossible) to grow where I live, yet some may grow in other zone 8 gardens:
Hosta
Pussy Willow Trees
Non-native Willow Trees
Fuschia
Dutch Iris
Lamb's Ear
Smoke Trees
Astilbe
Poppies
Tulips
Peaches
Lilac
I am sure there are many more. How do you know before making that investment? Check with your local cooperative extension agent. Believe me, they are the ones who get all the calls about plant failures. They also work closely with the Universities and local Horticulture Departments to determine why problems exists with certain plants. They can provide you with the optimal growing conditions in your area. Many times, they will have handouts and pamplets that you can pick up.
Some plants will survive in our gardens for years only to be killed by sudden extreme weather conditions. These conditions may only occur every 100 years, such as the 100 year floods. BTW, we got 2 of those in one year a few years back.
There were many people from all over the country in the Master Gardener Training that I recently completed. One was from England, and one of the attendees in the 'Green Thumb' class is from Canada. They were disappointed to find out that some of their favorite plants simply do not do well here. But then, again, there are so many that flourish here that do not grow well at their former homes. Help them out, and share in your experiences and love for plants.
Just remember that zone numbers are only a small indication as to whether a plant is hardy in your area. If you can't afford to lose, play it safe, do research and if you are lucky to have experienced experts in your neighborhood, then by all means, seek their advise.
Please share your thoughts on this topic, so we can all learn from each others' experiences and knowledge.
As all of you know, my area is categorized as zone 8, but as you probably also know zones cross a large amount of territory and there are many differences within a zone. Not only that, but there are many microclimates in small areas.
What effect does that have on you and me? It can have a lot of effect. I am actually located in zone 8b, and I have been told that some consider us zone 9. When I research a plant, I take that into consideration.
But there are many other things to take into consideration. We normally have a great amount of rainfall, and my property floods badly. So, when I plant bulbs, I have to worry about drowning them. Lilium, for example, really do not do well with wet 'feet', and after experiementing in several locations, I have found that they will only survive if I amend the soil with sand and use the raised bed concept. Of course, they also do well in pots.
Another consideration is the extreme heat and humidity in the summer. Yet, another is the low number of chill hours. All of these can attribute for lack of success with certain plants. Soil ph also has a huge impact on some plants.
Here are some of plants that are marginally successful and difficult (and sometimes impossible) to grow where I live, yet some may grow in other zone 8 gardens:
Hosta
Pussy Willow Trees
Non-native Willow Trees
Fuschia
Dutch Iris
Lamb's Ear
Smoke Trees
Astilbe
Poppies
Tulips
Peaches
Lilac
I am sure there are many more. How do you know before making that investment? Check with your local cooperative extension agent. Believe me, they are the ones who get all the calls about plant failures. They also work closely with the Universities and local Horticulture Departments to determine why problems exists with certain plants. They can provide you with the optimal growing conditions in your area. Many times, they will have handouts and pamplets that you can pick up.
Some plants will survive in our gardens for years only to be killed by sudden extreme weather conditions. These conditions may only occur every 100 years, such as the 100 year floods. BTW, we got 2 of those in one year a few years back.
There were many people from all over the country in the Master Gardener Training that I recently completed. One was from England, and one of the attendees in the 'Green Thumb' class is from Canada. They were disappointed to find out that some of their favorite plants simply do not do well here. But then, again, there are so many that flourish here that do not grow well at their former homes. Help them out, and share in your experiences and love for plants.
Just remember that zone numbers are only a small indication as to whether a plant is hardy in your area. If you can't afford to lose, play it safe, do research and if you are lucky to have experienced experts in your neighborhood, then by all means, seek their advise.
Please share your thoughts on this topic, so we can all learn from each others' experiences and knowledge.