Re: zone map with cities

**"* C* <d*@sympatico.ca>**

Hi Marge et al.
I have no disagreement with anything in your post and, in fact, have said
much the same thing in my columns.
I'm just being a titch overly sensitive about ..."just because some nursery
has put a zone number on a particular
plant does not mean they will be able to grow it successfully or that they
will not." [The day job that supplements my writing income is in a nursery.]
Proper plant outlets will have a very good handle on which plants will grow
in their customers' gardens regardless of what zone is indicated on the tag.
Their staff  will do what you suggest we "garden communicators" should do
and that is to educate the customer/reader.
IMHO the good guys will consider it a job well done if they talk a customer
out of buying an unsuitable plant.

There is no doubt that the revisions in the zone map (both American and
Candadian versions) are necessary. Global warming is a fact.  We have seen
many plants overwintering that did not  survive here two decades ago and we
are beginning to see some that are "browning out" in the summer.
Perhaps some of you folk can answer this- does the USDA make use of strictly
climatic data or does it look at indicator plants as well?
Thanks,
Dan

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Marge Talt" <mtalt@hort.net>
To: "Garden Writers -- GWL -- The Garden Writers Forum"
<gardenwriters@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Saturday, February 21, 2004 5:27 PM
Subject: Re: [GWL] zone map with cities

> From: Marty Wingate <martywin@earthlink.net>
> Also, I would be interested in hearing more feedback about the new
> zone
> map that Daryl mentioned, and also the inconsistencies that Stephen
> mentioned.  Zone maps are handy tools that we refer readers to
> regularly, but I'd like to be able to also include realistic
> cautions.
> ----------
>
> Well, FWIW, I think zone maps are only a starting tool in the search
> for information about whether you will be able to successfully grow
> any plant.  They are highly inaccurate and don't take micro-climates,
> rainfall, soil and other important issues into consideration.  For
> instance, the USDA hardiness map puts parts of the Mid-Atlantic and
> the PNW in the same zones, along with areas in the center of our land
> mass.  Ridiculous.  Completely different climates, rainfall patterns,
> heat and humidity.  The revised version, removing the a & b
> designations is worse than the original one.  At least that gave
> people the idea that there were some differences in areas designated
> with the same zone.
>
> That said, for the novice gardener, they at least point out plants
> that are highly unlikely to survive for them.  But the danger is what
> has happened - gardeners relying too heavily upon a zone designation
> for a plant and being disappointed when the durn thing turns up its
> toes and croaks.
>
> While I always use them when I write about plants - if I can find
> what I consider a relatively reliable source giving the zone
> designation, I think it's most important to note the provenance of
> the plant, if you can, and try to, over time, make your readers aware
> that just because some nursery has put a zone number on a particular
> plant does not mean they will be able to grow it successfully *or*
> that they will not.
>
> If you look around, you'll find an incredibly wide range of zones for
> any given plant, so when that happens, if you have no personal
> experience with said plant, all you can do is give that range or
> throw a dart at it and pick the winner.
>
> The heat map from AHS is, IMO, about totally useless in the real
> world.  They could have done so much better. Since they did not, it
> would have been best if they'd canned the whole idea.  It's not just
> heat but humidity and particularly hot, humid nights that make the
> difference between life and death for many plants.  That heat zone
> map only deals with the number of days above a certain temperature,
> if I am not mistaken....useless information.
>
> So, caveat emptor IMO when you deal with zone designations and
> readers need to be told this.
>
> Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
> mtalt@hort.net
> Editor:  Gardening in Shade
> -----------------------------------------------
> Current Article: Battling Bambi
> http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/shade_gardening
> ------------------------------------------------
> Complete Index of Articles by Category and Date
> http://mtalt.hort.net/article-index.html
> ------------------------------------------------
> All Suite101.com garden topics :
> http://www.suite101.com/topics.cfm/635
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> gardenwriters mailing list
> gardenwriters@lists.ibiblio.org
> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/gardenwriters
>
> GWL has searchable archives at:
> http://www.hort.net/lists/gardenwriters
>
> Send photos for GWL to gwlphotos@hort.net to be posted
> at: http://www.hort.net/lists/gwlphotos
>
> Post gardening questions/threads to
> "Organic-Gardening" <organic-gardening@lists.ibiblio.org>
>
> For GWL website and Wiki, go to
> http://www.ibiblio.org/gardenwriters

_______________________________________________
gardenwriters mailing list
gardenwriters@lists.ibiblio.org
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/gardenwriters

GWL has searchable archives at:
http://www.hort.net/lists/gardenwriters

Send photos for GWL to gwlphotos@hort.net to be posted
at: http://www.hort.net/lists/gwlphotos

Post gardening questions/threads to
"Organic-Gardening" <organic-gardening@lists.ibiblio.org>

For GWL website and Wiki, go to
http://www.ibiblio.org/gardenwriters