Heat domes, atmospheric rivers, bomb cyclones, and polar vortex—you’re not crazy, the weather is. And last week, the USDA confirmed it by releasing an updated climate zone map for 2023. And for many ...

Before wasting time, money and effort in the garden, you need to take a close look the USDA Planting Zones. Here is how to understand it. You don’t want to start planting your garden without knowing ...

Whenever you purchase a new perennial plant, shrub, or tree, you've probably noticed information about hardiness zones on the plant tag or description. But what does it mean? "Plant hardiness zones ...

Farmers aren’t the only ones who start the day by checking the weather report. Backyard gardeners do it, too. We like to be warned if frosts or polar vortexes are headed our way. If all I grew were ...

Recent weather has lot of gardeners gun-shy on what plants are hardy and what plants aren't. With so many choices, knowing what to choose can be a daunting task. While we do worry about plants that ...

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has released a new Plant Hardiness Zone Map (PHZM), the first update since 2012. The new map shows that most of the country, including New York State ...

Tom Oder is a writer, editor, and communication expert who specializes in sustainability and the environment with a sweet spot for urban agriculture. The official news that 2012 was the hottest year ...

Dallas-area gardeners have known for years the region is warmer than its official status as USDA Zone 7. The government acknowledged the fact on Jan. 25 with the release of its updated Plant Hardiness ...

Question: My husband bought a few plants at a nursery recently. There was a tag describing the USDA Climate Zone. I live in Sonoma 9a, but I saw other zones mentioned such as 9b and 10. There was also ...

Question: I’m confused about climate zones. Sunset garden books give the Willamette Valley a different number than USDA gives. Please explain. Answer: Good question. This is the time of year — garden ...