Hardiness Zones Explained
The USDA has divided the US into 13 Hardiness Zones. Each area is classified into a Hardiness Zone based on the lowest temperatures experienced in that area.
Find your Zone by entering your zip code at the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map here.
It is important to know your area’s Hardiness Zone as a gardener because it can mean a longer or shorter growing season. Hardiness Zone even affects whether a plant grows as a perennial or annual in your area.
Native plants thrive because they are well suited for their Zones. Once you know your hardiness Zone you can plant a sustainable garden by choosing varieties that grow best in your climate Zone with less worries about water, sun, and frost.
Knowing your Zone helps you pick plants better suited for your area. There are many varieties of fruit, greens, herbs, beans, corn, citrus, berries, and much more so be sure to pick those specifically suited for your Zone. For example, purple varieties of lettuce will grow better and have longer growing seasons than green varieties in warmer zones where sunny weather encourages bolting among green lettuce varieties which will go to seed instead of making new leaves.
Piñata lavender require less water and is better suited for warmer zones than English lavender which is better suited for colder zones.
The backs of seed packets provide growing and planting guides for many zones. Within each zone there are also a and b zones for example San Francisco is hardiness zone 10b because it rarely gets colder than 35F while San Bruno is zone 10b because it can experience drops as low as 30F.
Zone 1: -60F to -50
Zone 2: -50F to -40F
Zone 3: -40F to -30F
Zone 4: -30F to -20F
Zone 5: -20F to -10F
Zone 6: -10F to -0F
Zone 7: -0F to 10F
Zone 8: 10F to 20F
Zone 9: 20F to 30F
Zone 10: 30F to 40F
Zone 11: 40F to 50F
Zone 12: 50F to 60F
Zone 13: 60F to 70F
Find your Zone’s hardiness with your zip code by following the link below.
US Department of Agriculture Hardiness Zones
It is important to know your area’s Hardiness Zone as a gardener because it can mean a longer or shorter growing season. Hardiness Zone even affects whether a plant grows as a perennial or annual in your area.
Native plants thrive because they are well suited for their Zones. Once you know your hardiness Zone you can plant a sustainable garden by choosing varieties that grow best in your climate Zone with less worries about water, sun, and frost.
Knowing your Zone helps you pick plants better suited for your area. There are many varieties of fruit, greens, herbs, beans, corn, citrus, berries, and much more so be sure to pick those specifically suited for your Zone. For example, purple varieties of lettuce will grow better and have longer growing seasons than green varieties in warmer zones where sunny weather encourages bolting among green lettuce varieties which will go to seed instead of making new leaves.
Piñata lavender require less water and is better suited for warmer zones than English lavender which is better suited for colder zones.
The backs of seed packets provide growing and planting guides for many zones. Within each zone there are also a and b zones for example San Francisco is hardiness zone 10b because it rarely gets colder than 35F while San Bruno is zone 10b because it can experience drops as low as 30F.
Did you know Zone 10 has one of the longest growing season (10 months)? If you find your self in San Bruno, California or surrounding Zone 10 areas you are one lucky gardener. After harvesting in late summer Zone 10 gardeners can start their winter garden seeds as early as August!
Zone 1: -60F to -50
Zone 2: -50F to -40F
Zone 3: -40F to -30F
Zone 4: -30F to -20F
Zone 5: -20F to -10F
Zone 6: -10F to -0F
Zone 7: -0F to 10F
Zone 8: 10F to 20F
Zone 9: 20F to 30F
Zone 10: 30F to 40F
Zone 11: 40F to 50F
Zone 12: 50F to 60F
Zone 13: 60F to 70F
Find your Zone’s hardiness with your zip code by following the link below.
US Department of Agriculture Hardiness Zones
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