zones?

[dyna99]

Just wondering what zone we are in? I have an outside plant that will do ok outside if in the right zone.....

I also have a portulaca (sp) that I am gonna bring in...will it survive the winter?? We have been able to keep the bogonias alive thru the winter, but haven't tried any other outside plants....

[old3dogg]

You have entered the twilight zone my dear.

[dyna99]

Some days it feels that way....

[Pappy]

From the maps it could 6A or 5B seems we are in a big circle on the link below.

http://www.plantmaps.com/interactive-pennsylvania-usda-plant-zone-hardiness-map.php

 

 

The pic came from this link.

http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/planting-zones/pennsylvania-planting-zones.htm

 

 

Zone 5b I always thought but it could be 6A

 

 

15801 Du Bois, Pennsylvania

 

 

USDA Hardiness Zone: Zone 6a: -10F to -5F

 

 

PlantMaps Hardiness Zone: Zone 5b: -15F to -10F

 

 

Days Where Temp Exceeds 86

[dyna99]

the plant I have is a water plant for my pond and is for zone 8 I believe....will have to try and keep it alive inside I guess.....  

[lavender]

Portulaca is an annual so no it won't last through the winter. It might reseed itself however. A lot of plants that are not hardy in our area, but are perennials, are treated as annuals.  Portulaca isn't one of them.

Hardiness zones are tricky and they have been messing with them again. To be on the safe side consider us zone 5 unless you live in the city where there is some protection. Then you might go with zone 6 plants. We have had some warmer winters lately but before the last couple of years I wouldn't plant anything that wasn't hardy to zone 4 as I live in a micro-climate that is a bit colder than average. If there is a question about hardiness ask a neighbor who grows the plant. Or me, I've killed just about everything by now.

As for the water plant a zone 8 plant won't make it outdoors. What is it exactly? Some are bulbs or rhizomes that you could let go dormant and store that way. Some water plants will indeed grow indoors in pots. Just depends on what you have.  

[Petee]

We have been reclassified into a warmer zone than in the past because of our average warmer winter trends.  However, just about the time you dare to try a Zone 6 plant it will die because we do get colder spikes in the winters.  I would never go lower than a Zone 5 plant here in DuBois. Try Zones 4 and down, and our hotter summers may fry them unless they get some shade.  Try for Zone 5a or 5b here in DuBois.  If you're not sure then just ask here.  We can tell you what all we've palnted and watched die! :-)  5a will need less heat usually, zone 5b a little more heat so consider where you are going to plant.  The sunny side of the house will be hotter and take a higher number (5b), the north side of the house will be a little cooler and take a lower number (5a).

 

Now, that being said, I have a friend on Weber Avenue who has a very protected pocket garden and for years has successfully grown an extremely delicate Zone 6 Oriental Maple.  I have lusted over it for years but it would be deader than a doornail 5 miles away out here in the country where it is colder.  We have fewer buildings, more wind and much less plant cover to hold the heat near the ground.  That's called a mini-climate and you may have one around your house.  Look for a place where the snow melts faster.  It could be the slightly warmer spot you've been looking for.  That a a good mulch job can go a long way.

 

Tony Alvetro successfully grew banana plants (not actually banana fruit) right in front of his shop.  However he had the just the right spot, the equipment and manpower to mulch them heavily and keep them from freezing.  At my house I would have to bring it into the house and they just get too big for my indoor growing areas.

 

There is a current Growing Zones map at www.budsgardeners.com.

 

If you don't have a hardy water lily then you will have to bring it into the house to a cool dark spot for the winter.  It will die back to the bulb but will resprout in the spring when you repot it, fertilize it and take it into a sunny window.  Then when the frost is done you can put it back out into the water garden.  Tropicals are a big hassle.  Just bury a water garden into the soil, add a water heater and let it rest through the winter.

 

Just remember, we are Zone 5 generally.  Buy specifically for our zone unless you want to experiment.

 

Portulaca will die in the fall but their seeds return in the spring.  Check out the pot at the Medicine Shoppe and sometimes it will even come up in the cracks around the pavement.  They also have a great grape protected around back and the Wisteria (which usually doesn't bloom well around here) blooms almost every year.  Somehow there is a micro climate there that is hard to understand along that windy creek.