There is no way to sugarcoat the challenges many of us in the Mid-Atlantic region have faced this summer. The inconsistency of rainfall and the extreme high temperatures have greatly impacted our efforts to garden successfully. Even with valiant efforts to apply supplemental irrigation, I have witnessed a wide range of plant material showing signs of drought stress that I have rarely witnessed in my 15-plus years of gardening in this region. To say it is cause for concern would be an understatement. As a result, in the last few months I have been repeatedly asked how we can prepare our beloved gardens to reduce heat and moisture stress for future growing seasons. One answer to this conundrum is to add organic matter to the soil in the form of compost.
How to Read and Use the AHS Heat Zone Map for Gardening
07.08.2024 - 13:39 / finegardening.com
Most gardeners are familiar with the USDA plant hardiness zone map, which represents cold hardiness. But cold hardiness only indicates one aspect of a plant’s preferred conditions. Its ability to tolerate heat is equally important. You might have seen heat zones listed along with hardiness zones on your plant labels, but what do they mean? The following info will help you better understand and use this valuable gardening tool.
The American Horticultural Society’s heat zone map can help you determine how plants will cope with heat.
This map is divided into 12 zones to indicate the average number of days in a year when the temperature rises above 86°F. Since this map was developed for the United States, it does not cover Canada, but gardeners in southern Canada can use the northernmost areas of the map as an approximate guide.
Heat zones are specific areas on the American Horticulture Society’s heat zone map. This map categorizes regions of the United States based on the average number of “heat days” per year—that is, days with temperatures above 86˚F—which is a critical threshold for plant physiology, since most plants begin to suffer stress at this level. Each heat zone indicates a range of the number of heat days in each region.
The color-coded map indicates heat zones across the United States between 1 (no heat days) and 12 (210 or more heat days). Find the color of your region on the map and match it to the key indicating your heat zone, then compare that to plant tolerances. Each plant has a range of heat zones that it can tolerate, which is similar to how plants can thrive in a range of hardiness zones. While not all sources currently indicate a plant’s heat-zone range, the system is becoming more widely adopted,
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Build a $300 Underground Greenhouse for Year-Round Gardening
Growers in cold climates often utilize various approaches to extend the growing season or boost their crops, including cold frames, hoop houses, and greenhouses. Greenhouses—typically glazed structures— are often expensive to construct and heat throughout the winter. But, they have their benefits, which is why underground greenhouses can be viable alternatives.
Download a Free Native-Plant Garden Plan for Your Specific Region
Native plants, as the name indicates, grow naturally in an area or region. There is a growing shift among many people away from a manicured garden with non-local species in support of more natural areas, and especially, for embracing native plants.
Is the Carajillo the Next Espresso Martini?
Espresso martinis have dominated drink menus for several years now, but a new coffee cocktail might be challenging their spot at the top of the happy hour list. Carajillos have arrived on the scene, and they’re a simpler, smaller-sized cousin of espresso martinis (tiny cocktails, anyone?). Made with just two ingredients, this espresso-based cocktail is just as tasty as an espresso martini, but much easier to recreate at home.
4 of the Most Unaffordable Places to Live Are in California
“Impossibly unaffordable” are two words that Californians are probably less than thrilled to hear. In a recent report from Chapman University in Orange, California, and the Frontier Centre of Public Policy (FCPP) in Canada, that’s exactly how four California metros are described. The 2024 edition of Demographia International Housing Affordability shows San Jose, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego listed among the top 10 least affordable housing markets—not just in the United States, but worldwide.
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