Planting Zones: 41 Compatible Crops for your USDA Hardiness Zone

Why are planting zones important?

Planting zones are a convenient way to illustrate the diverse range of climates expressed around the world. Each zone is distinguished by the region’s lowest average winter temperature. This post focuses on data found via the USDA’s Plant Hardiness Zones map for North American growers but the general concept applies worldwide.

Planting zones will determine which plants may grow in your region as perennials and which plants will struggle to survive without significant accommodations. Understanding the intricacies of your planting zone is essential for maximizing efficiency on your urban farm.

For sustainability’s sake, farming appropriately to your planting zone minimizes the natural resources and energy required to keep crops alive. Local pollinators will also benefit from the pollen provided by your farm.

keep reading to save yourself some frustration this growing season and learn what grows best according to your planting zone(s). Throughout this article, there will be opportunities to acquire the right seeds for the job from our affiliate at Botanical Interests.

Planting zones 1-4: temp range (-60) to (-20)

Think of Alaska or northern Minnesota. Planting Zones 1 – 4 are some of the coldest places to try and grow good from seed but don’t let the cold intimidate you. While notorious for extremely harsh winters, the growing season in these planting zones provides mild summer temperatures that are great for leafy green vegetables like lettuce and Brussel sprouts.

Above zone 2, fruit trees are more likely to survive freezing winters. Apple seeds even require frost stratification as part of their natural life cycle, so learn to play to the zone’s strength here. Note that the optimal temperature for germinating most vegetable seeds is about 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Consider germinating seeds via greenhouse a couple of weeks before the last frost to extend the growing season and increase germination rates.

Also, most herbs like basil and thyme will successfully grow through zone 1 with the right maintenance as annual crops. Just don’t expect non-native seeds to survive the frost. For sustainability’s sake, save the seeds from each harvest if you can and store them responsibly until spring.

Chef’s Medley Mesclun Lettuce Seeds

Planting zones 5-8: temp range (-20) to (20)

Winters are moderately cold for this range of planting zones but seeds are much more likely to survive the cold. think of the middle region states like Nevada, Nebraska, and Virginia. The growing season from spring to fall is considerably longer around here, giving crops more access to sunlight.

This is ideal for growing crops that take multiple seasons to fully mature and bear fruit as berry plants do. Tomatoes are another choice crop for the region as they can take a while to fully ripen on the plant, though if planted early, you can enjoy tomatoes for a while before winter arrives.

The warmer conditions of growing zones 5 – 8 open up a host of viable crops for urban farmers, however; the zone’s biggest challenge is having to compete with local pests. Insects, birds, and rodents love leafy greens just as much as you do so be prepared to “gift” a few crops to the wild residents. Essentially, don’t bank your entire harvest on one plant.

Red Pride Bush Tomato Seeds

Planting zones 9-13: temp range (20) tp (60)

Planting zones 9-13 represent the warmest of all the planting zones. Think of places like Florida, Southern California, and Puerto Rico. Generally, these planting zones have a year-round growing season and are ideal for growing citrus trees and vegetables with low cold tolerance like sweet potatoes.

Generally, expect to wait many years to harvest any fruit from trees grown from seed. Even in the warmest climates, there is no shortcut to patience and time in the ground. As for other crops, most plants will thrive in these regions provided living soil and adequate fresh water.

One ironic challenge of this region, aside from the pests, is the heat. Leafy green vegetables that are adapted for cold weather risk severe damage beneath the tropical sun, though there are clever exceptions. For example, most lettuce varieties will quickly shrivel up in the heat but kale is excellent at tolerating tropical summers.

Sugar Baby Watermelon Seeds

What the planting zones won’t tell you

The average hottest temperatures

On the opposite end of the spectrum, understanding how hot your zone gets is crucial to an urban farm’s success. Like the previously mentioned lettuce example, extreme heat can kill your plants just quickly as extreme cold. Even in a mild zone like zone 4, the direct summer sun could spell doom for even the savviest urban gardener.

For particularly hot summers, take advantage of shaded areas under trees and north-facing plots of land to obstruct the sun’s full power. Also seriously consider using the shoulder seasons (spring/fall) to prioritize the cold-hardy crops. Just remember to harvest everything before the frost comes through.

Soil quality

Arguably soil quality will make or break an urban farm and this information isn’t apparent from reading any planting zone chart. You could speculate based on your experience with the region. For example, sandy soils are typical of tropical regions while clay soils are more common in the midwest.

Fortunately, the easiest way to tell what type of soil you are working with is via a simple squeeze test. From there, developing organic amendments and beneficial microbial communities is easy to do for the low cost of… free. You can learn how to do so in our post on creating compost tea here.

Rainfall/Drought

Drought is a challenge that more and more gardeners will face as climate change develops. Growing food in a drought is challenging but not impossible. Study your local weather patterns and implement these strategies to combat drought.

If your area is prone to drought, pull back on fertilization until the plant shows signs of producing food. Fertilizing too early can result in the crops growing taller, meaning water demand. Effective mulching will also keep evaporation to a minimum, increasing the urban farm’s efficiency.

Microclimates

Microclimates are areas of land that differ significantly in temperature from the surrounding area. For example, shaded forest areas or south-facing stone walls both count as microclimates.

With strategic placement, you can accommodate plants that are otherwise “out of zone”. Thus, “pushing the zone” beyond the confines of the general climate.

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Thank you for reading our content and we wish you much success this growing season from the all the Earth’s planting zones.