I'm confused about my zone

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annabelle790 Tucson, AZ(Zone 8b) Aug 08, 2009

Can anyone tell me why some places tell me I am in zone 8b and others tell me I'm in zone 9? Does this make a really big difference?

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ecrane3 Dublin, CA(Zone 9a) Aug 08, 2009

You're probably on the borderline between 8b & 9a, so if you want to be safe then I'd grow plants that are rated for 8b, but if you've got some more sheltered areas of your property you might be able to have some 9a plants. Honestly though the USDA zones aren't always as helpful for the western half of the country, if you want more of a guarantee that you're going to grow things that will do well in your climate I'd recommend the Sunset zone system--they've factored in other climate variables besides just winter cold so you're much more likely to be successful looking for plants that will work in your Sunset zone. Here's Sunset's plant finder tool where you can look up what Sunset zone plants are good in (there's also a link to where you can find out your Sunset zone if you don't know it) http://plantfinder.sunset.com/sunset/plant-home.jsp They also publish the Sunset Western Garden Book which is a really great reference.

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JudyinGA Newnan, GA(Zone 7b) Aug 09, 2009

Annabelle,
Same here. For years, according to all the magazines and books, I was Zone 7. Then they split it to 7a and 7b, and I became 7b. Now DG and GW say I'm Zone 8. (huh?) So I put 7b/8 on my messages and further clarify it by adding, "just south of Atlanta." That should pinpoint it fairly well.

I remember having an old Sunset Garden book back in the '60s, when the "California look" was so popular everywhere. I loved it.

Judy
Just south of Atlanta :-)

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annabelle790 Tucson, AZ(Zone 8b) Aug 09, 2009

ecrane3, thanks for the link I will definitely try using it. Judy, I guess I will just be zone 8b/9a smack dab in the middle of Tucson lol. Hopefully there is not too much difference between the two.

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themoonhowl Prairieville, LA(Zone 9a) Aug 12, 2009

The difference is about 10 degrees of cold. The average minimum cold for zone 8 is 10 to 20 degrees, the average minimum for zone 9 is 20 to 30 degrees. so if you are in 8b/9a the premise is your average winter low temp is 15 to 25 degrees F. The presence of swimming pools, ponds, lakes, concrete and buildings can create microcosims that raise the temps a bit. The sunset zone info is probably a little more accurate for your area. You can call your local county agent and get a little more detailed info for your specific area.

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