Know Your Climate! What The Heck Are USDA Hardiness Zones & Do They Even Matter?

You've probably heard people talk about "zones" or me mentioning our focus for zones 9 and 10. What the heck does it all mean, and why does it matter? Here's what you need to know:
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0:31 Intro
1:04 Zones 101
5:11 Buying for Your Zone
As a seed company based in San Diego, our emphasis is to provide products and resources catered to gardeners in zones 8, 9, and 10. Our information - and even our seeds - are still totally viable for growers in other zones, but you may need to adjust things like timing. It's good to have an understanding of what the different zones are, what makes them different, and what zone you are in.
These numbers were created by the Department of Agriculture to give a GENERAL idea of how weather patterns affect farmers and what they can grow according to how hardy a crop is. Hardiness just refers to the plant's ability to grow during the extreme high and low temperatures in that zone.
As you can see, there are only several zones where most of us might live. If you're way out there in zones 1 or 2, more power to you! If you're in zone 11, let me know what island you're on and when I can visit! Because there are only 6 zones to cover the lower 48, this is a VERY GENERAL estimation of your climate.
Because we are based in zone 10, a lot of what we do is applicable to growers along the West Coast and across the southern band across the continental US. Gardeners in zones 8 and 9 are going to deal with some frost (but also can grow things that need more chill hours), while we rarely get below freezing here at our San Diego location.
I grew up in Kansas which is a very different zone. You have shorter growing windows, or you need to grow plants that can deal with (or even thrive in) cold temperatures. A great example is tulips. No matter how much you want them, they won't grow naturally here in San Diego. That's why you don't seed them in our seed catalog. For something like garlic (which I absolutely can't live without), we have to vernalize them in order to simulate the cold weather.
Just to make things even more confusing, Sunset came out with their own zones. Their system is not the same, so be aware of that. Knowing your zone is so important when it comes to your garden and choosing varieties that are going to do well. We encourage you to keep an eye on your local temperatures and get to know your own micro-climate as well. If you live in a valley or on top of a hill, your micro-climate could vary from your neighbors just a few miles away.
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#Gardening

[@SanDiegoSeedCompany]

Let me know what zone you're in! Drop a comment below :)

[@AlvinMcManus]

Zone 9b according to my zip code 25-20 degrees

[@fuzyhentaipanda]

I'm in zone 10a/b. I really do appreciate your channel, as it focuses on my Hardiness Zone. Thank you for putting out all the content about our area!

[@jett888]

"Eating a bug" Taking one for the team! go San Diego Seed company!! Love this company!! GROW YOUR OWN FOOD!! hurry people! They are trying to kill off our food supplies.

[@kellypetersen8204]

10A Never seen a hard freeze. This year we had a handful of nights with temps below 33F, 27F being the lowest that I have recorded. Has been a cold winter and a late spring here, but of course 85+ is just around the corner. Happy Gardening!

[@walker1662]

Nice explanation. Zone 10a here in Glendale California

[@SanDiegoSeedCompany]

Welcome to the channel

[@katxfish]

Beach city here, zone 10. Never heard of frost but very familiar with drought!

[@SanDiegoSeedCompany]

us too! Hot and DRY for us.

[@emptynestlife1889]

10b Southern California. That’s why I followed you ❤️

[@SanDiegoSeedCompany]

Yippee

[@Metalelbow]

We are going into Winter on the 1st of June in Victoria, Australia

[@AmzBackyardOrchardandVineyard]

Thanks for this video and explanation! Here in the Arizona desert usda zone 9b and sunset zone 12. We start to struggle this time of year with our UV index being 10+ and our temps starting to creep to the inevitable 100+ - 110+ summer season ahead, with our morning lows in the 90's!

[@SanDiegoSeedCompany]

Shade cloth makes a WORLD of difference for your area. sandiegoseedcompany.com/product/tools-and-merchandise/garden-shade-cloth/

[@AmzBackyardOrchardandVineyard]

@@SanDiegoSeedCompany so awesome, thank you. That'll make a world of difference. 😎👍🌻

[@GardenIdeas01]

Growing vegetable and plant base on climate in the country , thanks for sharing about Hardiness Zones to us such informative

[@SanDiegoSeedCompany]

Happy to share

[@PurpleRose8725]

Technically 8b, but the topography makes for a micro zone with lows more like 9 and highs like 10. If you purchase grocery store produce, something came from this area. This year the weather seams to be on steroids and we can't predict anything, lol

[@SanDiegoSeedCompany]

right?

[@daisyblooms4813]

Zone 10a/b. Thank you for this and thank you for mentioning that climate change is changing how we should be looking at these kinds of tools. I think they should be updated.

[@SanDiegoSeedCompany]

Happy to help

[@handleistakenthatisunfortunate]

I'm in zone 3, I chuckle every time you mention how cold it gets in Kansas.

[@SanDiegoSeedCompany]

Yeah your much tuffer than I am!

[@elainejohnson6488]

Think we’re 9b here in Mesa AZ. It is interesting to know the different time of year plants can grow in a particular area. Fall all the way into spring is most productive for us.

[@SanDiegoSeedCompany]

Yes. Summer is hard here too but not impossible with good soil and shade cloth.

[@adriangarciafishing7498]

Spokane Wa zone 6. Growing bananas outside half the year inside still fruiting

[@SanDiegoSeedCompany]

Love that!

[@Crayfish-]

I was hoping to Find something Like This. I live 100 +/- miles away . But you have a Newer Video that should answer my question; What Plants will work I my Climate Zone ? For an Idea for a future Video you could grade the Plants Thriving's, Progress and fruiting's ! ? [ On an A to F / or Even a Zero to 100 ( % or Point ) Scale ] I Apologize for suggesting such a Laborious project. There are Other things that Are unique to each Plants Location such as Soil Elements, water & Excetra.

[@SanDiegoSeedCompany]

What zone are you? Pretty much all plants will still work (except for those that need cold hours maybe), but you just need to adjust your timing. For example, we can grow lettuce all winter. Others have to do it before or after the frost dates. And, yes, all of our advice does need to be tailored to fit your specific growing area.

[@daisygarcia4994]

Love this video!!!! Can you tell me what zone would I be if I am in tecate, baja California (mexico)

[@SanDiegoSeedCompany]

It looks like you're in zone 9, but the main thing to keep an eye out for is the hottest and coldest temperatures you experience in your area

[@AlvinMcManus]

So our garlic in 9b needs 6weeks fridge time for cold stratification? Huh, didn't affect my crop adversely last year not doing it.

[@irisl7817]

The zonings for Florida are not correct on that map. Although it could be that I'm used to looking at maps that sub-divided into A and B zonings for each of those.

[@SanDiegoSeedCompany]

Yes, this map is a very general one. You definitely want to pay attention to your own microclimate more than your region as a whole.

[@horta-mansan6972]

I live in Europe here each country has its own climate zone. Where I live it is zone 2 but it is Mediterranean climate

[@SanDiegoSeedCompany]

Interesting

[@awkward-stranger]

I live in Serra Mesa in San Diego.Does the coastal climate reach me or do you think I am a 10 instead of 9? Thank you.👍👍💚💚😎😎

[@SanDiegoSeedCompany]

Hard to say since you are RIGHT on the cusp but I would say you have a bit of both influences and probably some microclimates if you are on a plateau or in a valley.

[@amaturearcadia]

You're definitely still costal

[@razorhawk9808]

Why is it that southern Florida is a zone 10 and can grow coconut palms, but southern California and Sicily also have zone 10, but don't grow coconut palms?

[@SanDiegoSeedCompany]

The system is not perfect and very much made for generalized climatic information. It does not take in account rainfall, humidity or micro-climates.

[@jett888]

So is it okay to grow a zone 7 or 8 in our zone 10- as long as we somehow get enough cold to the root system to be productive?

[@SanDiegoSeedCompany]

What plant or crop are you looking to grow? Some things need chill hours and we may not get cold enough

[@wereachhomestead6348]

any idea. what Eleuthera in The Bahamas would be?We use Miami Florida as our basis since we are opposite Miami but we are completely surrounded by ocean. Tropical climate.lowest we have ever had is around 55F and very rarely get over 95F.

[@SanDiegoSeedCompany]

Looks like you're probably zone 12 planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/

[@wereachhomestead6348]

@@SanDiegoSeedCompany oh my😓so tough….

[@SanDiegoSeedCompany]

​@@wereachhomestead6348 there are lots of things you can grow! Not as many "cool season" crops but plenty of the warm season varieties

[@wereachhomestead6348]

@@SanDiegoSeedCompany oh absolutely. Right now I am growing many herbs, flowers for my bees, cow peas, okra, sweet potatoes, corn, pumpkin and cantaloupe. So not too bad. Once mid-October comes I can grow anything at that point. Even things like broccoli and cauliflower. We have a great climate for growing we just really fight hard with pests. And I want to be organic. Everyone here uses 7 dust to stay alive but I refuse to use it. So….I keep searching for better options cause neem & bt just don’t seem to cut it.

[@AlvinMcManus]

Gotta stop inhaling bugs!