The U.S. Department of Agriculture has produced a new “USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map” (PHZM). Most of the info I am presenting here I gleaned off USDA websites. When you log on to the USDA website - http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/ , you first want to select "Interactive Map". You will be asked to enter the security question, this is called a “Captcha”.
You will enter the Captcha. Remember these are case sensitive. Next ckick "Validate" to access the Interactive Hardiness Zone Map. Next enter the zip code for your area of interest and click "Find". At the “Choose Base Map” pull down, select “Satellite”. To see the satellite view, slide the “Zone Color Transparency” from “0” to “100”. Using the "Zoom Level" on the left, zoom in on the map as tight as you can. Move your mouse/pointer over your property/garden area and Click on your location and your data will Pop up.
This data, the “Plant Hardness Zone Values”, will give you your Hardness Zone, Avg. Temp., Range of Temp. and Latitude & Longitude
If you slide the Zone Color Transparency from “100” back to “0” you will be able to see the color depiction of your area.
If you select “About” it will give you topics such as “Maps & Gardening” and “Map Making”. The hardiness zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum temperature during a 30-year period, not the lowest temperature that has ever occurred.
The USDA web site says USDA will not produce posters/maps of the Hardiness Zones. State, regional, and national images of the map can be downloaded and printed in a variety of sizes and resolutions.
With the addition of Zones 12 and 13 the new map now has 13 zones. The zones are still divided by 10˚F graduations but are further broken down to A and B subdivisions (these are divided by 5˚F increments).
Compared to the old 1990 map many zone boundaries have shifted. This is mostly a result of using temperature data from a larger period of time (1974-1986 vs 1976-2005) and using more reporting stations to report the temperature.
With the addition of Zones 12 and 13 the new map now has 13 zones. The zones are still divided by 10˚F graduations but are further broken down to A and B subdivisions (these are divided by 5˚F increments).
Compared to the old 1990 map many zone boundaries have shifted. This is mostly a result of using temperature data from a larger period of time (1974-1986 vs 1976-2005) and using more reporting stations to report the temperature.
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