Know Your Plant Hardiness Zone
Hardiness zones, also referred to as gardening zones, are geographical areas across the United States divided up by climate suitable for growing different plants.
In 2012, the USDA published the Hardiness Zone Map which divides the United States and Canada into 13 zones, based on the average annual winter temperature, with zone 1 being the coldest and zone 13 the hottest. The hardiness of a plant is mostly measured by how well it can handle cold winter temperatures.
In your garden you can often control shade or sun levels as well as how well the soil drains water. However, one thing you can’t control so easily is the temperature. That’s why knowing your hardiness zone and considering plants that perform well in that zone is a key factor to consider when buying plants.