Just 2 weeks ago the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the release of the new version of its Plant Hardiness Zone Map (PHZM). If you have not heard of the map, it is basically a tool that gardeners and researchers have used over the years to figure out the best plants for growing in their region. The map itself is not a brand new map, it has simply been updated to show more accuracy and detail. The last time that the map was updated was back in 1990.
“The new version of the map includes 13 zones, with the addition for the first time of zones 12 (50-60 degrees F) and 13 (60-70 degrees F). Each zone is a 10-degree Fahrenheit band, further divided into A and B 5-degree Fahrenheit zones.” – usda.gov
This is a great new update that is great for those of you who garden in the Denver area. The new plant hardiness zone map helps you to know what plants are safe to plant for your particular region. You can’t just plant whatever, it has to be both cold and heat tolerant.
If you need help figuring out what plants work best in your landscape and can handle the extreme Colorado temperatures, contact Lifescape Colorado by calling 303-831-8310.