Plants from the mediterranean and near eastern regions thrive here. The new sunset western garden book is the ultimate flower and vegetable growing guide for this area. Gardening from start to finish is a new visual guide that leads readers through all steps of making a garden. Most of us gardening in and around the willamette valley reside in usda hardiness zone 8b.
Sunsets climate zone maps take all these factors into account, unlike the familiar hardiness zone maps devised by the u. Planting zones or growing zones are illustrated on a map known as the usda plant hardiness zone map. I know sunset zones are more helpful for gardeners in the west because they use many more factors i. Dec 05, 2009 certain features that zones 8 and 9 share are described under zone 9. In addition, the american horticultural society has published a heatzone map. Many nurseries and garden centers will use the sunset zones as a reference, and these numbers will be used in the sunset western garden book instead of the usda hardiness zones. San francisco bay area and inland sunset western garden. For a more detailed map, go to the sunset plant finder and click on the find your zone link. High desert areas of arizona, new mexico, west texas, oklahoma panhandle, and southwest kansas growing season. If you plant something at the wrong time for your zone, youve wasted time, money, and effort.
Although there arent many photos, the plant selection guide does have good characterizations of the most popular garden plants, all. Sunset zones for climatic differences in california. For more information, consult sunsets national garden bookand western garden book. Published this year, it features climate zones so you can determine which flowers work best in your growing zone. You can also find this information in the sunset western garden book. The usda plant hardiness map divides north america into 11 hardiness zones. In the sunset western garden book 2015, sunset pub. The complex end result is an encyclopedia of plants with appropriate ratings based on these zones, all nicely packaged in the sunset western garden book. A hardiness zone is a geographic area defined to encompass a certain range of climatic conditions relevant to plant growth and survival the original and most widelyused system, developed by the united states department of agriculture usda as a rough guide for landscaping and gardening, defines zones by annual extreme minimum temperature. As cited in the description of zone 8, the biggest readily apparent difference between zones 8 and 9 is that zone 9, a thermal belt, is a safer climate for citrus than zone 8, which contains coldair basins. In using the web site, go to the plant finder site, and click on find my sunset climate zone. The numerous climate zones in napa county allow for a diversity of crops and landscape plants and trees. The sunset climate zones take into account idahos latitude, elevation, seasonal rainfall regimes, humidity, influence of ocean and continental air masses, and soil types.
Of 24 climate zones defined in the sunset western garden book and the 20 zones defined by the united states department of agriculture usda, california has. These climate zones do not correspond to the usda hardiness zones. Zones 15 and 16 are areas of central and northern california that are influenced by marine air approximately 85 percent of the time and by inland air 15 percent of the time. Most gardening books, catalogs, and seed packets refer to plant hardiness zones. Apr 10, 2020 a sunset zone is a climate zone for gardening determined by a system developed by sunset magazine in the mid20th century. For more about the new sunset western garden book or to purchase it, go to. Sunsets climate zones landscape plants oregon state university. This completely revised edition of the western garden book includes more than 2,000 new plant entries, all new fourcolor plant. Department of agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 8. Sunset magazine has created a climatic zone for the western united states that is more useful than the usda plant hardiness zones.
Gorgeous color photographs illustrate all plant entriesfor the first time ever in the western garden book. Department of agriculture, which divides most of north america into zones based strictly on winter lows. The forerunner of the western garden book we know today was published in 1954. Also worthy of note is that although zone 16 is within the northern california coastal climate area, its winters are milder because the areas in this zone. The mystery of sunset zone 33 i know sunset zones are more helpful for gardeners in the west because they use many more factors i. One of their best known books is the sunset western garden book, a compendium of plants suited for the various climatic zones and microclimates of the western united states, and gardening guidelines for the region. A map of all of the zones will come up and you can click on it to enlarge the regions if desired. The national sunset garden book attempted to break the nation into 40 different zones, but is now out of print. These zone descriptions will guide you in choosing the right plants for your garden. According to the new sunset western garden book, the trees can also be. When critters start taking their toll on your tulips and tomatoes, follow these earthfriendly ideas to protect your garden and let it thrive naturally pestfree april 25, 2018 may 22, 2018. And sunset offers a climate zone map that can help you select appropriate plants.
Sunsets zones are numbered from 1 to 24, but recently five more zones where added to cover alaska and hawaii. The sunset zones take more into account than usda zones, but still, just like the usda zones, they are not ironclad, its just another tool to be used in consideration with all your other tools and personal knowledge. Apr 18, 2020 we recommend using the sunset zone system. But the most widely used system in the west, the sunset western garden book zone system, is based upon several variables. Gardening in solano county ucce master gardeners of solano. If you live in the west, you should also know your sunset garden zone. Fans of the sunset western garden book requested that we put their favorite garden book online. Mar 31, 2009 fans of the sunset western garden book requested that we put their favorite garden book online. Of 24 climate zones defined in the sunset western garden book and the 20 zones defined by the united states department of agriculture usda, california has 20 and 16, respectively. This system bases its climate zones consisting of many factors. Heres a quick way to find your california climate zone cse. First published in 1932, sunsets original garden book was 63 pages long and really more of a pamphlet, said brenzel. Published this year, it features climate zones so you can determine which flowers work.
Feb 26, 2012 the cooperative extension, including its volunteer educators known as master gardeners, prefers to use the map in the sunset western garden book. Sep 21, 2017 the sunset western garden book creates climate zones based on many more factors that simply temperatures like the usda. In the west, most gardeners use the zone maps featured in sunsets western garden book. If you garden anywhere from montana, wyoming, colorado, new mexico west to alaska and hawaii and corresponding areas of canada, this is a reference youll return to again and again.
If youve ever put in the effort to start your plants from seeds, or youve shelled out the money to plant a garden from seedlings someone else has started, you understand why planting zones matter planting a garden is an investment of both time and money. The us department of agriculture divided out the map in areas which range from planting zone 1a to planting zone b. Western oregon is in sunset climate zones 4, 5 or 6, depending on your elevation, exposure, distance. Based only on average winter temperature lows, the usda map is most accurate in flat areas. A more useful index is the 24zone climate system published in the sunset western garden book in collaboration with the university of california. A sunset zone is a climate zone for gardening determined by a system developed by sunset magazine in the mid20th century. Sunset western garden zones by zip code statacsweet. Find your climate zone the key to knowing what plants thrive in your area.
Due to volume limitations, the national book was not as specific and thus lost much usefulness. Sunsets climate zones landscape plants oregon state. According to this system, most readers probably live in zone 24, although the inland valleys of ojai and santa ynez fall in zones 20 and 18, respectively. Chilly even snowdusted weather rules from late nov.
You can use sunsets climate maps to identify the climate characteristics of a site during the site inventory process. Certain features that zones 8 and 9 share are described under zone 9. The humboldt and del norte counties consists of 6 sunset zones. We hope plant finder will become as indispensable as a good shovel and trowel. Nov 05, 2019 the sunset zones take more into account than usda zones, but still, just like the usda zones, they are not ironclad, its just another tool to be used in consideration with all your other tools and personal knowledge.
Sunset zones for california california native landscape designs. Oct 31, 20 gardeners in the western united states are sometimes confused when confronted with these 11 hardiness zones created by the usda. Sunset has been the consistent goto book about gardening for decades, and i ve always had at least one. Although there arent many photos, the plant selection guide does have good characterizations of the most popular garden plants, all very well crossreferenced. Sunset zones are based on a combination of extremes and averages of. Sunset climate zones are based more on local microclimates and quirks of our western landscape. Western oregon is in sunset climate zones 4, 5 or 6. In addition to the minimum temperature, the sunset climatic zones also take into account important factors such as the number of daylight hours, marine influences, elevation, and rainfall. A guide to western climate zones for gardening sunset magazine. In the west, most gardeners use the zone maps featured in sunset s western garden book.
Consult sunsets western garden book for more information. Sunset zones for california sunset magazine has created a climatic zone for the western united states that is more useful than the usda plant hardiness zones. Heres a quick way to find your california climate zone. The usda offers a handy planting zones by zip code search function.
The sunset climate zones take into account the conditions that contribute to microclimates, such as elevation, land formations valleys and mountains, wind direction and speed, cloud cover, the effect of the pacific ocean, night temperature and humidity. The sunset western garden book creates climate zones based on many more factors that simply temperatures like the usda. In 1967, after thirty years of publication, the sunset western garden book introduced its on plant zone system. Sunset s climate zone maps take all these factors into account, unlike the familiar hardiness zone maps devised by the u. Planting zones map find your usda gardening zone by zip code. Sunset western garden book climate zones found in yavapai county taken from the new sunset western garden book 2012 these zones factorin winter minimum temperatures, summer highs, elevation, proximity to coast or mountains, rainfall, humidity and aridity, and growing season. Go to the sunset website, the book sunset national garden book, or sunset western garden book. Gardeners in the western united states are sometimes confused when confronted with these 11 hardiness zones created by the usda. The wests 24 climate zones a guide to plant selection western plant encyclopedia practical gardening dictionary resource directory.
Of 24 climate zones defined in the sunset western garden book and the 20. There are 24 sunset zones, divided by a number of factors to help gardeners identify the most appropriate plants for their needs. Sunset has been the consistent goto book about gardening for decades, and ive always had at least one. Zoning in on which plants grow here rogers gardens. The national garden book sunset publishing corporation, 1997. Used copies are often widely circulated around the internet if a gardener would like a copy. Many nurseries and garden centers will use the sunset zones as a reference, and these numbers will be used in the sunset western garden book instead of the usda hardiness. Jun 24, 2012 first published in 1932, sunset s original garden book was 63 pages long and really more of a pamphlet, said brenzel. The book contains fullcolor photos and practical tips for successful western gardening from sunset gardening editors and also features information on the latest gardening tools and gear accessrestricteditem. Likewise, sunsets zones have been revised several times, essentially every time a new edition is published. Sunsets climate zones are based on winter minimum temperatures, but also include other factors such as summer high temperatures, length of growing season, humidity, and rainfall. Coldest winters in the west and western prairie states. In response to this natural evolution, the editors of sunsetthe wests most trusted source of gardening information for more than 80 yearshave completely redesigned and updated the western garden book in this new 2012 ninth edition.
The usda zones work well for the east, while the sunset zones work excellent for the west. Sunset zones are based on a combination of extremes and averages of minimum, maximum, and mean temperature, rainfall, humidity, and the length of the growing season. For years, landscape architects have used the sunset western garden book climate maps to help decode californias complicated patchwork of climate zones and find plants that will thrive. Aug 24, 2011 the sunset zones, popularized and researched by sunset magazine, are derived from climate zones developed by the university of california cooperative extension. The cooperative extension, including its volunteer educators known as master gardeners, prefers to use the map in the sunset western garden book. For a book similar to the western garden book but focused on the southeastern us, try the southern living garden garden book. The sunset zones, popularized and researched by sunset magazine, are derived from climate zones developed by the university of california cooperative extension. Modeled after sunsets western garden book, this very serviceable handbook features excellent descriptions of each u.
In response to this natural evolution, the editors of sunset the wests most trusted source of gardening information for more than 80 yearshave completely redesigned and updated the western garden book in this new 2012 ninth edition. These are areas which range in minimum temperatures from 60 degrees fahrenheit to 70 degrees fahrenheit. Jun 25, 2011 the numerous climate zones in napa county allow for a diversity of crops and landscape plants and trees. The best gardeners know both their usda and sunset zone. Sunset western garden book, edited by kathleen norris brenzel, 2007. Modeled after sunset s western garden book, this very serviceable handbook features excellent descriptions of each u.
As cited in the description of zone 8, the biggest readily apparent difference between zones 8 and 9 is that zone 9, a thermal belt, is a safer climate for. Hilltops and valley floors of interior southern california. Were thrilled to be delivering plant finderjust in time for spring, said katie tamony, sunset s editorinchief. Sunset western garden book is updated every few years. Aug 11, 2018 if you garden anywhere from montana, wyoming, colorado, new mexico west to alaska and hawaii and corresponding areas of canada, this is a reference youll return to again and again. In addition to temperature, the sunset zones also account for. Gardening in solano county ucce master gardeners of. Gardening zones and climate zones landscaping network.
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