How to Plant for My Hardiness Zone

For a seemingly simple hobby, gardening is endlessly complex. It might seem like you can just dig a hole in the ground, insert a plant, and add some water. Only when you dig deeper into the many variables that impact how plants grow will you be able to help your landscaping reach its true potential. 

In this article, we’d like to cover one of the most important topics for gardeners to understand – hardiness zones. Knowing what a hardiness zone is, and which one applies to your area, will instantly make you a better gardener and might resolve some of your past frustrations. If you still have some confusion after reading this article, or if you’d simply like to get some assistance with an upcoming landscape design or maintenance project, contact TLC and we’ll be proud to serve you. 

What is a Hardiness Zone?

The Plant Hardiness Zone Map is produced by the United States Department of Agriculture. The purpose of this map is to help anyone who is growing plants to determine how hardy those plants need to be in order to survive in a given location. In other words, how cold is it expected to get in that area, and what plants can deal with such cold conditions? 

It’s pretty easy to understand the value of this type of map. The types of plants that are going to be suited for growing in Florida, for example, are far different from what will be a good fit here in Jackson. After all, even the coldest winter day in Florida would feel downright warm in the middle of a Wyoming winter. The zone assigned to a given area is based on the average annual low temperature recorded in that place. So, this is a scale that is based on extremes, as it uses the very lowest temperature from each year to perform its calculations.

There are a total of 13 hardiness zones used in the map, each of which represents a 10-degree range. For added specificity, each of the 13 zones is divided into an “a” and “b” section, meaning there are 26 designations in all. When looking at the scale, remember that the lower the number, the colder the winter temperature in an area. So, low numbers tend to be associated with the northern parts of the U.S. (and up into Canada), while the highest numbers are reserved for southern states. 

What Hardiness Zone is Wyoming?

Of course, Wyoming is a big state, so there are actually several zones within the state. As you might expect, the higher zones tend to be in the southern sections of the state, and at lower elevations. The northern areas and mountainous regions will have lower temperatures, and the lower zone ratings to match. 

For those in Jackson, hardiness zone 4 covers most of the area. Some specific locations will vary between 4a and 4b, but that is a relatively minor difference of just a few degrees. If you are up at a higher elevation around Jackson, you might want to consider your property as zone 3 just to be safe, but most landowners in the area can use zone 4 as their guideline. 

When picking out plants, all you need to do is check out the hardiness rating associated with the plant and compare that with your zone rating on your property. This piece of information is often listed right on the tag or pot when buying from a nursery, or you can easily look it up online as long as you have the name of the plant. You want to be looking for plants that are equal to or lesser than your zone in rating. So, for Jackson, that means a plant rated for zones 4, 3, 2, or 1 should be just fine. 

Do I Always Have to Obey Hardiness Zone Ratings?

What happens if you find a plant that you are excited to add to your landscaping design but it is rated for hardiness zone 5? Well, the choice is yours on how to proceed. Since it is close to the zone rating for your area, you might wind up having success with that plant – but you’ll be taking a bit of a chance. Of course, you wouldn’t want to push your luck very far on this point, as plants with ratings much higher up the scale would have no hope to make it through a Jackson winter. 
Armed with this important information about hardiness zones and how they impact the plants you hope to grow, you can shop with greater confidence and make smart decisions about your landscaping. And remember, TLC can help you with all of your landscaping needs when you contact us today.