Plant Hardiness Zone Map and Climatological Changes

· Mar. 9, 2012, 7:33 am

USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2012. Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. Accessed from http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov.

Since 1936, American farmers and gardeners have been able to select plants best tailored for their land by using the Plant Hardiness Zone Map, which is produced by the Agricultural Research Service, a branch of the USDA. The map uses average extreme low temperatures to divide the nation into climate zones. The 2012 version of the Hardiness map included significant changes, both in findings and in methods measuring. KRCC’s Kate Jonuska researched the new map’s local relevance.

You can visit the new Plant Hardiness Zone Map here.

This piece was featured in March's Western Skies, which you can listen to here.

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