So, you’ve caught the farming bug and now want to start your own garden. But what plants can you successfully grow in your garden?
This post goes into the common obstacles you usually face when starting your own little farm and how to tackle them by planning. In a matter of months, you’ll be able to enjoy the fruits and flowers of your labor!
What is a Hardiness Zone?
A question like, “are there any flowers that bloom in winter?” might have you on a long research endeavor when you could just start with where you live. This narrows things down considerably and helps set boundaries to what “winter” even means.
The first thing to look at when starting your own garden is where you live because the climatic region directly impacts what you can grow.
This is called the USDA hardiness zone – a geographic area with certain climatic conditions that suit certain plants.
What Are the USDA Hardiness Zones?
USDA plant hardiness zones are the standard when it comes to determining which plants will grow best in a particular US region, so you need to get clear on this even before you start planning your garden.
The Agricultural Research Service of the United States Department of Agriculture is the official resource on USDA plant hardiness zones.
How Many Planting Zones Are There?
The planting zones start off in the North with Alaska being in USDA zone 1, while Hawaii and Puerto Rico are in USDA zones 12-13. The zones are defined considering the average yearly minimum temperature and are further broken down into two subzones, a and b (so 13 zones, 26 sub-zones total).
Advisory: Up until 2012, there were only established 11 USDA plant hardiness zones. After reviewing weather data from 1976-2005, USDA decided to update the map and add zones 12 and 13 to accurately display the effects of global warming. Many areas were at least half of a zone hotter than the before ‘76 when the data was updated.
As a beginner, you probably won’t have too much to do with sub-zones, but you do need to know that:
1. USDA hardiness zones are rough guides only. The system is highly reliable and of great help to horticulturists, but it doesn’t really take into consideration variables such as season length, day length, or ocean and continental air influence.
In short, this system tells you which plants will survive in your outdoor garden, but this doesn’t necessarily mean they will also thrive.
2. Microclimates are a thing and they can make or break your garden. Microclimates are restricted areas that have different temperatures, humidity, and growing conditions than their surroundings.
A sunny alcove that’s protected from cold winds in your backyard, for example, is a microclimate that enables you to plant perennials that wouldn’t normally survive in your area.
How Do I Determine My Planting Zone?
You can use the next section of our article to find your USDA hardiness zone on this page. Alternatively, you can also scroll down to the end of this article and visit the interactive USDA map.
Once you get the hang of it, the map is pretty easy to read – you’ve got your legend on the right that shows you which colors are used to highlight the USDA zones.
For example, the southern part of Texas is in zone 9 while the northern part is in zone 6. If you live in Nevada, you are in zone 5 or 4. The west coast follows a different pattern though, and is in zones 10, 9, and 8 throughout the region.
USDA Hardiness Zones & Maps by State
A – G
Alabama USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in Alabama: 7a – 9a
Last Frost Date: March 7
First Frost Date: November 18
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 255
Alaska USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in Alaska: 1a – 8b
Last Frost Date: June 18
First Frost Date: August 19
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 61
Arizona USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in Arizona: 4b – 10b
Last Frost Date: May 27
First Frost Date: October 11
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 136
Arkansas USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in Arkansas: 6b – 8a
Last Frost Date: March 14
First Frost Date: November 14
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 244
California USDA Zone Maps - Southern California USDA Zones
USDA Zones in California: 5a – 11a
Last Frost Date: April 9
First Frost Date: October 23
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 196
Colorado USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in Colorado: 3a – 7a
Last Frost Date: May 4
First Frost Date: October 20
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 168
Connecticut USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in Connecticut: 5b – 7a
Last Frost Date: May 6
First Frost Date: October 5
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 151
Delaware USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in Delaware: 7a & 7b
Last Frost Date: April 28
First Frost Date: October 9
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 163
District of Columbia USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in the District of Columbia: 5b – 8a
Last Frost Date: March 30
First Frost Date: November 11
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 225
Florida USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in Florida: 8a – 11a
Last Frost Date: February 3
First Frost Date: January 7
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 337
Georgia USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in Georgia: 6a – 9a
Last Frost Date: March 9
First Frost Date: November 19
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 254
Hawaii USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in Florida: 9a – 13a
Last Frost Date: February 3
First Frost Date: January 7
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 337
USDA Plant Hardiness Maps by State
I – M
Idaho USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in Idaho: 3b – 7b
Last Frost Date: June 25
First Frost Date: September 2
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 68
Illinois USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in Illinois: 5a – 7a
Last Frost Date: April 19
First Frost Date: October 14
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 177
Indiana USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in Indiana: 5b – 6b
Last Frost Date: April 19
First Frost Date: October 24
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 192
Iowa USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in Iowa: 4b – 6a
Last Frost Date: April 14
First Frost Date: October 14
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 182
Kansas USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in Kansas: 5b – 7a
Last Frost Date: March 14
First Frost Date: November 14
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 244
Kentucky USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in Kentucky: 6a – 7a
Last Frost Date: April 13
First Frost Date: October 24
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 193
Louisiana USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in Louisiana: 8a – 10a
Last Frost Date: February 25
First Frost Date: November 24
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 271
Maine USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in Maine: 3b – 6a
Last Frost Date: May 18
First Frost Date: September 23
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 127
Maryland USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in Maryland: 5b – 8a
Last Frost Date: April 11
First Frost Date: October 29
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 200
Massachusetts USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in Massachusetts: 5a – 7b
Last Frost Date: May 1
First Frost Date: October 7
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 158
Michigan USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in Michigan: 4a – 6b
Last Frost Date: June 2
First Frost Date: September 12
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 101
Minnesota USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in Minnesota: 3a – 5a
Last Frost Date: May 23
First Frost Date: September 20
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 119
Mississippi USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in Mississippi: 7b – 9a
Last Frost Date: March 31
First Frost Date: November 1
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 214
Missouri USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in Missouri: 5b – 7b
Last Frost Date: April 8
First Frost Date: October 27
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 201
Montana USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in Montana: 3a – 6a
Last Frost Date: May 26
First Frost Date: September 19
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 115
USDA Plant Hardiness Maps by State
N – S
Nebraska USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in Nebraska: 4a – 5b
Last Frost Date: April 22
First Frost Date: October 14
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 174
Nevada USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in Nevada: 4a – 10a
Last Frost Date: April 24
First Frost Date: November 3
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 192
New Hampshire USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in New Hampshire: 3b – 6a
Last Frost Date: May 20
First Frost Date: September 21
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 123
New Jersey USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in New Jersey: 6a – 7b
Last Frost Date: April 25
First Frost Date: October 18
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 175
New Mexico USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in New Mexico: 4b – 9a
Last Frost Date: May 5
First Frost Date: October 8
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 155
New York USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in New York: 3b – 7b
Last Frost Date: April 1
First Frost Date: November 18
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 230
North Carolina USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in North Carolina: 5b – 8b
Last Frost Date: April 12
First Frost Date: October 25
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 195
North Dakota USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in North Dakota: 3a – 4b
Last Frost Date: May 15
First Frost Date: September 21
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 128
Ohio USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in Ohio: 5b – 6b
Last Frost Date: April 28
First Frost Date: October 9
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 163
Oklahoma USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in Oklahoma: 6a – 8a
Last Frost Date: April 1
First Frost Date: November 3
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 215
Oregon USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in Oregon: 4b – 9b
Last Frost Date: April 17
First Frost Date: October 12
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 177
Pennsylvania USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in Pennsylvania: 5a – 7b
Last Frost Date: April 30
First Frost Date: October 15
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 167
Puerto Rico USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in Puerto Rico: 11b – 13b
Last Frost Date: N/A
First Frost Date: N/A
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 365; the lowest temperature ever recorded in Puerto Rico is 39 degrees in the high mountains, not enough for a frost!
Rhode Island USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in Rhode Island: 5b – 7a
Last Frost Date: May 8
First Frost Date: October 3
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 147
South Carolina USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in South Carolina: 7a – 9a
Last Frost Date: April 1
First Frost Date: November 1
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 213
South Dakota USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in South Dakota: 3b – 5b
Last Frost Date: May 9
First Frost Date: September 24
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 137
USDA Hardiness Zones by State
T – W
Tennessee USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in Tennessee: 5b – 8a
Last Frost Date: April 13
First Frost Date: October 21
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 190
Texas USDA Zone Maps - Western Texas USDA Zones
USDA Zones in Texas: 6b – 10a
Last Frost Date: March 26
First Frost Date: November 11
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 229
Utah USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in Utah: 4a – 9a
Last Frost Date: May 2
First Frost Date: October 13
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 163
Vermont USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in Vermont: 3b – 5b
Last Frost Date: May 20
First Frost Date: September 23
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 125
Virginia USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in Virginia: 5a – 8a
Last Frost Date: June 18
First Frost Date: September 8
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 81
Washington State USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in Washington: 4a – 9a
Last Frost Date: March 30
First Frost Date: November 11
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 225
West Virginia USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in West Virginia: 5a – 7a
Last Frost Date: May 4
First Frost Date: October 12
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 160
Wisconsin USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in Wisconsin: 3b – 5b
Last Frost Date: May 14
First Frost Date: October 3
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 141
Wyoming USDA Zone Map
USDA Zones in Wyoming: 3a – 6a
Last Frost Date: May 30
First Frost Date: September 13
Minimum Number of Freeze-Free Days: 105
Hi! My name is Florina and I’ve been a plant junkie for 4 years now. I love nature, hiking, reading, watching movies, and spending time with my friends and my cat. I’m also very enthusiastic about the World Wide Web – I think it’s an amazing source of info and a great channel for communication.
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