In November of this year, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) updated the plant hardiness zones. Although this might not seem like a big deal, changes in these zones could have greater impacts than you would expect. Plant hardiness zones are standards used by gardeners and growers to help determine which plants can grow and survive in your local area. These hardiness zones are determined based on each location’s average annual minimum temperature. These annual minimum temperatures affect the plants and insects that can survive over the winter. Insect species need to be considered in this because they also affect the types of plants that can survive in an area. Insects help contribute to beneficial processes for plants such as pollination, controlling pests, and maintaining healthy soil. Without the assistance of these insects, these plants would not survive.
Due to increasing temperatures, these zones have needed to be adjusted. This affects not only the native plants in your area but the crops that farmers grow as well. With the change in hardiness zones, these growers need to make sure that the variety of plants they are growing can withstand these new conditions. In addition to the annual minimum temperature, other factors such as local rainfall and soil type also affect which plants can survive in an area. This could lead to issues down the road. These shifting conditions could expand the range of harmful and/or invasive plant and insect species which can overtake native species and cause competition within the ecosystem.
See the updated map (linked below) to ensure success with your garden
What’s Your Planting Zone? | USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map | The Old Farmer’s Almanac