What is My Hardiness Zone? Why is it Important?

Understanding USDA Hardiness Zones

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) divides the country into 13 Hardiness Zones, using the annual lowest winter temperatures recorded in the areas. Since the zones directly correlate to seasonal temperatures, they are applicable only to outdoor and in-ground planting. 

Hardiness Zones may seem complicated but Garden State Bulb is here to break it down for you! 

Purpose of Hardiness Zones

Hardiness Zones are designed to determine what will grow well in an area, when to plant, and when to expect results. This can help gardeners, landscapers, and farmers save time, effort, and money. 

Imagine investing in a wide range of flower bulbs, vegetable seed sets, and bare root vines–only to discover that your area is too cold for them to grow or survive. By checking your Hardiness Zone first, you can avoid the pain and heartache of a frozen garden. 

How to Use Hardiness Zones in Your Garden

Not only are Hardiness Zones helpful for determining when to harvest crops, they can also help flower growers achieve continuous colorful blooms for multiple seasons. 

For example, planting layers of Dutch Iris and Crocus above Tulips and Daffodils could result in continuous blooms from early spring to late fall. 

Importance of Knowing Your Hardiness Zone

The USDA Hardiness Zones are differentiated by 10°F increments. Each zone is further divided into subzones by 5°F increments. Zone 1 is the coldest, while Zone 13 is the warmest. 

You can check your zone and subzone at the USDA map by Clicking Here. 

What is My Hardiness Zone?

Hardiness Zones span states and in some cases, overlap: 

• North Central Region: Zones 2-5
  • North & South Dakota 
  • Minnesota 
  • Wisconsin 
  • Nebraska 
  • Iowa 
  • Illinois 
  • Kansas 
  • Missouri 
• North East Region: Zones 1-7
  • Michigan
  • Indiana 
  • Ohio
  • Kentucky 
  • Virginia 
  • West Virginia 
  • Pennsylvania 
  • New York 
  • New Jersey 
  • Maryland 
  • Delaware 
  • Connecticut 
  • Massachusetts 
  • New Hampshire 
  • Maine 
  • Vermont 
  • Rhode Island 
•  North West Region: Zones 3-9
  • Washington
  • Oregon 
  • Montana 
  • Idaho 
  • Wyoming 
  • Northern California
• South Central Region: Zones 6-9 
  • Texas (partial) 
  • Oklahoma 
  • Arkansas 
  • Louisiana 
  • Mississippi 
  • Alabama 
• South East Region: Zones 7-10
  • North & South Carolina 
  • Tennessee 
  • Mississippi 
  • Alabama 
  • Georgia 
  • Florida 
• South West Region: Zones 3-10 
  • California 
  • Nevada 
  • Utah
  • Colorado 
  • Arizona 
  • New Mexico