Plant zone on all entries

Dave Could you make all entries have a plant zone. I love reading posts from zones that have the most relevance to my zone. Especial when reading the Gardeners' Notes in the Plant Files. If, when adding a new membership could you have the entrants zip code default to the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map and make it part of the author box. I don't care about knowing the city, state location, just the plant zone. Thanks, Patti

Actually, the zone information is submitted by members...so when you see an entry that lacks the correct zone(s), you can add it. We usually encourage consulting standard references (AHS, RHS, other encyclopedias, and other online sources - even commercial catalogs) to get a good feel for what the zones should be.

Or are you referring to the zone information under the member name? I know it doesn't show up if the member doesn't put that information in. Same with their location.

Terry, I understand that currently the listing of a zone in a subscribers profile is driven by the subscriber's choice or by their knowledge to include a zone when they join Dave's Garden. But I would like it either to be required or to be defaulted to when a zip code is entered when someone is applying to be a subscriber. It is frustrating reading in the Gardener's Notes in the Plant File for a author with no zone listed thus giving me no idea if their information is pertinent to my garden's zone. I think it would add a good piece of needed information for many readers. Here is an example which includes you on Mugo pine. I have no idea of where cytania is located as he/she has no zone or state, or country listed. Patti

Neutral Terry On Feb 21, 2003, Terry from Murfreesboro, TN
(Zone 7a) wrote:

One source cites an early 19th century plant encyclopedia as the first instance (and source) of the erroneous spelling 'Mugho'. Incorrect or not, it's still frequently spelled thusly :)

Neutral Cytania On Jul 13, 2003, Cytania wrote:

There are a great many cultivars of this dwarf pine. Mughus is one of the original strains along with pumilis. It acquired a jekyl and hyde reputation in the seventies when sold as a dwarf since many varieties speeded up into good sized bushes.

I would add that knowing at least what state (or region of the country) they're in would be helpful too--just because someone from zone 9b in Florida can grow something doesn't mean I can grow it in 9b in California (and vice versa). Something like that would be especially useful when there are plants that can be weedy/invasive in some areas but beatiful and well behaved in others. I understand some people want privacy and not to let everyone know where they live, but the comments do become much less useful if someone who's reading them has no idea where the poster is located so it would be nice if we could at least know the state or region as well as the zone.

Well, we can't really *require* that information. We request it and we encourage it, but that's about as far as we can push the issue.

We added location info to PlantFiles several years ago, when someone pointed out it would be handy info to include. But there are many PF contributors who are not subscribers, and many subscribers who prefer to not give out that information publicly.

Just because someone adds a comment doesn't mean they can grow (or have grown) it at all, or in their current locale. I know I've added many comments to entries I haven't grown, especially when the PF (then called PDB) was getting started.

If you're looking for an idea of where a plant grows, the regional report is your best bet ;o)

What is the regional report? Or did I miss something?

Jesse

If people have entered their zip codes to say that they've had luck with the plant, there'll be a section on the plant files page called regional report which will list all the places where someone has said the plant grows. If you haven't seen it, it could be that the plant you're looking at doesn't have any zip code reports. To test it out, pick a common plant like petunias or roses, those for sure would have some zip code reports so there'll be something in that section.

A final thought on plant zone information. Honest! End of my plea. Patti

The regional report only works when looking up a specific plant, but when I am reading postings in the various forums that are authored by someone with no plant zone listed (or any geographic information) in the authors profile box, then often the knowledge being imparted is questionable for my specific use. I would want to know when buying a garden book what zone the author gardened in. I use DG as I would a book. I count on this great information that is imparted by it's subscribers and members. I totally respect anyone's right to not list their location. And I appreciate DG's sensitivity to it 's members and subscribers desires. I just wish DG would find a way to encourage people to enter a plant zone.

How about on the subscription form where DG requires the applicant to list a user name in one box and an email address in a second box, adding a third box that the applicant could list their zip code with a clear notice that this box was totally "optional, but very useful" and that this zip code would be used only to match the applicant with the correct plant zone for that zip code. (or something like that)

Maybe you could put a "how-to-add your zone" post on the local/regional forums. Some may have left it blank at first not knowing how to find out, so you could put a link in the thread to look it too.
It has been a question in the past for me as to what the zone was, especially when they don't give a City.