Although we can’t predict the weather, by learning more about past weather we can make a more educated guess about the future. By understanding your garden’s microclimate, you’ll be able to choose plants that will thrive in your particular neck of the woods.
Many gardeners rely on the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map for a quick and dirty way to decide what to plant based on their “zone”. Zones are also a favorite qualifier of some nurseries and seed companies. There are two main reasons I encourage you to look beyond your zone and more closely at your garden’s microclimate. For one, your zone–is based only on the “average annual extreme minimum temperature.’ For another–it is outdated. It’s developed from data from 1976 to 2005.
