Over the past several years, you could talk to any home gardener and they would increasingly be able to tell you firsthand how they’d had to adapt their gardening plans in response to fluctuating climate conditions — shifting planting times or mixing up what they’re growing. In late 2023, the Department of Agriculture seemed to validate their experiences when it released its updated plant hardiness zone map — moving more than half of the U.S. into warmer climate zones.
The well-regarded map distinguishes different growing regions in the U.S. based on 30-year averages of the lowest annual winter temperatures at specific locations. Knowing what zone they’re in helps gardeners and farmers determine which plants will survive in their specific location and when to plant them to ensure that they thrive.
