By WEATHER WORLD on Jan 27, 2012, at 2:00 PM Updated on 1/27 at 4:26 PM
WEATHER WORLD
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Here is the new map of Oklahoma, from the USDA.
You couldn’t tell by
standing outside this afternoon, but as it turns out, it’s still the middle of winter.
While it may feel like spring and you might want to get your green thumb dirty, you should hold off on planting your spring garden. But not as long as you may have previously thought.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture released on Thursday its new
Plant Hardiness Zone Map. The map zones show the average annual extreme minimum temperatures for a given location. It gives an idea of how plants will survive in different climatic zones, in a nutshell.
It’s the first time the USDA has redone the map since 1990.
Here are
the highlights:
- It’s warmer than before! Generally. The zones have shifted north by about 5 degrees across the U.S. In northeast Oklahoma, we used to be on the edge of zones six and seven. Tulsa is solidly in zone 7A now.
- It’s interactive! At this website, you can go down nearly to the street, click on a spot on the map and see the zone, average extreme minimum and range. Though when you get down that close, minute changes may not be that detrimental, but it’s still handy to know.
- It’s more sophisticated! The new map takes into account such factors as “changes in elevation, nearness to large bodies of water, and position on the terrain, such as valley bottoms and ridge tops.” That makes it the most detailed and precise map available. Even in the more mountainous regions of the country, the sophistication has actually decreased the temperature in some areas compared to 1990
- More Zones! This map includes two additional zones in the United States. Zones 12 and 13 are the warmest, but you won’t find them on the mainland. Look to Hawaii and Puerto Rico.
My go-to source for all things horticulture is, of course, my father. He works for a canning company in Arkansas that works with farmers across Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas and Missouri.
A new Plant Hardiness Zone Map? “Cool,” he says.
I asked what that means. He said most people who work in the plant field (lol) know it is a little warmer now than 1990. So that won’t have a monumental effect. The interactivity and detail of the map could help anybody who deals with plants, from the backyard gardener to the large corporate farmer.
An example he gave was for landscape companies. Changing zones could have some affect on what plants could be planted where. Some companies could have to adjust their mixes to make sure they fit within the new zones. Another example was fruit trees, which can be very adversely affected by harsh winters. Warmer zones could mean more fruit trees able to thrive further north.
Below is a (crude...) 1990 map followed by the new 2012 map. It's not easy to really tell the big differences here, but it gives you some kind of idea.
--Jerry Wofford
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