More Evidence of Global Warming - Gardening/Hardiness Zones Shifting North

Although it's hard not to notice the warmer temps we've been getting and as a gardener I have noticed that I can grow things up here easily that would have been borderline a few years ago, the interactive graphic at the following Arbor Day link, which shows the "zone"/temp changes from 1990 (when the USDA last updated it's map) to 2006, shows that what I (and many others) has felt was happening truly is and in a rather striking manner.


Link to Interactive map: http://www.arborday.org/media/mapchanges.cfm

Although some may be able to shrug off these changes and think it could be a good thing, it's not. Mother Nature needs balance and there are plants that grow up in the north that rely on and prefer the Winters with it's insulating blanket of snow and colder temps. Two off the top of my head are Maple trees and Lilacs but I'm sure there are more if I thought about it further and poked around a bit. :(

I may not be a major Winter person but I enjoy the crisp smell of an Autumn night, the new fallen snow sparkling like glitter as the moonlight glistens off it, the joy of the first crocus or daffodil as it stretches out after it's Winter slumber. I have 2 grandchildren and another on the way.... I don't want them to only know what snow is from pictures or maybe a "rare" snowfall.. I don't want my great grandchildren to look at me like I'm a few cards short of a full deck when I tell them about snowmobile races or ice skating on the river. :(

Although I love the look and smell of Jasmine and Gardenia's I truly don't want to be able to grow then outdoors in Northern NY. :(

to "Mojave-like ungrowable hell".

drought I take it? In the past So Cal sounded like such a lovely place to live I'm truly sorry to hear it's changed so much.

Got to 119 degrees last summer HALF A MILE FROM WHERE I SIT RIGHT NOW. Highest temp EVER recorded anywhere in LA County.

In the west end of the San Fernendo Valley where I am, our temps often rival or exceed those of Palm Springs and Las Vegas.

I have no problem believing this...last week here in Northern California it was raining and cool/cold...today marks 3 days straight of 90*+ weather. Not much of a Spring to speak of, and it's been this way the last 2-3 years.

Good for the tomatoes, figs, grapes, etc. but the lawns are gonna' need more water than I can reasonably justify.

Thanks for the link; the map is great!

I could get a good look at the whole picture and the change is very obvious.

Since the last time they updated the hardiness map was in 1990 the USDA really should put out a new one with the correct info. Unfortunately since this admin still wants to downplay the global warming problem I doubt it will get done any time soon. x(

Denver is in a bowl. So it's a unique Zone 6 surrounded by Zone 5. Inserting my zip code just 8 miles west of the city, we can plant for 5 or 6.

Remember the sugar maples the best - and my mother's rhubarb and raspberry patches.

sugar maple forest that's tapped. :) When we talked recently with a couple of teens whose father owns it they were very concerned about what they could see happening with the maples being stressed by the warmer weather and the odd temp fluctuations (70 in mid January was weird). When we're out at the local stores it's not unusual to hear folks discussing the weather (farm country) and many are worried especially the family farm owners who seem to look long term more.

~*~
Fresh raspberry's and warm rhubarb sauce is one of the ultimate treats... serve over a really good vanilla ice cream and ::sigh:: :D We just moved to this old farm house recently but rhurbard and raspberry are definitely on my "to plant" list. I have some at the old house where my DD is and will be moving them (as well as some other plants) this year I hope. :)

It was in the high 60's two days ago and yesterday and today it has been in the 90's , quite a hear shock which used to happen gradually .

I recall talking to an older couple back in the mid 80's on a hot day and they said it never got this hot years before , it was moderate days and cool nights , balmy not instant heat stroke .

I moved here in 81 and there were a few really hot days with santa anna winds but not to the point where you burned your hand grabbing the metal car door handle .

fluctuations up here too. Spring is always a bit wild but this was even in the Winter... in January we had 60 and 70 degree temps for a couple weeks and boom it was freezing. The plants and animals all suffered for it too.

This week during the day it's close to 80 and they're saying it's going back down to the 60's over the weekend. This roller coaster ride of weather isn't good for plants, animals or us. :(

The entire country has had strange weather , I have never seen so many tornados so close in time or weather that jumps up and down 30 degrees , perhaps once in a freat moon but never like this .

I have a bad feeling this summer is going to be the worst we have ever had . here we have had no rain to speak of and fires , now the second one in the hollywood hills , who knows how this one started but it it were not so hot and dry then they would be small and easy to put out .

In southern New Hampshire, we've certainly seen the effects.
The plantings around our house used to be pretty well-adapted
to the weather they experienced each year, both during the
growing season and over the winter.

But the last few winters (with periods of intense cold but
essentially no snow cover) have been killing off low-growing
things like ground covers that had been hardy for decades.
And yes, the growing season is stretching as well, with our
local arborists now suggesting species that we would never
have considered when we moved here.

It will probably be sad watching the transition in the
established, mostly-hardwood forest woods behind our house.

Tesha

I have long referred to snow as Mother Nature's insulation. :)

As a youngster I loved to build snow tunnels and stuff but these past winters have left barely enough snow to bother shoveling. The grand kids will surely think gramps is slipping a cog or two at stories of yesteryear.

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

Montana - where it is not unusual for the 'last frost date' to be mid-June at my elevation.

Ants all winter.

Bees few & far between

Bird migration DEFINITELY changing rapidly. More and more migratory birds not even bothering to leave in fall/winter.

of the Canadian Geese flying North in January. A couple days before we got out first real winter snow in late January (Late Nov is more the norm) there was a Robin hoping around looking for food.

If more folks had paid more attention to Mother Nature sooner perhaps we wouldn't be sliding into this abyss that we won't easily if at all be able to pull out of. What really ticks me off is that we knew decades ago that we were messing with the environment too much and that we would have to make changes and sacrifices or pay the price for generations to come.