Hardiness Zones & Frost Dates: Tools for Successful Gardening

Whether you’ve had a green thumb your whole life-long or you’re just getting started in the gardening world, there are two phrases you’ve probably heard before: “Hardiness Zone” and “Frost Date.” These two terms are very helpful to understanding how to set your garden up for success, and we’ll dive into the basic definitions of each in today’s blog.

Hardiness Zones

You’ve probably heard plants referred to as “hardy” before, and generally when someone uses that term, they’re implying that the plant will thrive in their particular area of the country. In a country as large as the United States, there are many different climates to navigate (Just ask any gardener who has moved across the country!) To make sense of these regional climate differences, the United States Department of Agriculture has compiled data on the average annual wintertime low temperatures, and then divided the nation up into 10 degree bands or zones of climate. These hardiness zones allow gardeners and agricultural industries a guideline for what kind of temperatures to expect in their area.

You can find your hardiness zone information at the USDA’s website by clicking here. With your hardiness zone information in hand, you’ll be able to reference the zone information on plant tags or product listings. Most will include a range of zones in which the plant is considered “hardy.” (ie: Zones 5-8, etc)

Frost Date

Another very valuable piece of information about your area is the frost date. Frost date is a term generally used to refer to two different averaged points on the calendar: The first frost of the year (fall) and the last expected frost of the year (spring). These dates are calculated based on the average of recorded weather patterns over time, so they are just an average, not a guarantee of favorable weather. Generally the last frost of the year kicks off spring planting season, when tender annuals can be safely planted out in the garden, and the first frost of the year in the fall ends the gardening season.

To be on the safe side, we always recommend folks wait until mid-April (near our region’s last frost date) to plant out spring and summer annuals, but it is always a good idea to keep an eye on the forecast before planning to plant heat-loving annuals.

Equipped with both your hardiness zone information and your area’s frost dates, you’ll be set up for successful selection and planting of your garden year after year!