Hardiness Zones - Last Frost dates

June 10, 2008... Iris blooms and snow

Gardeners are a hardy bunch and have to be by their very nature, to endure the trails, tribulations and the great rewards of planting and tending a garden. I have planted as early as March and as late as July. The rain was so abundant one year that I gave up and let the garden go wild. In May of 2010, our apple tree was in full bloom and had a covering of snow, in June 2008 another late snow dusted the flowers and trees.

May 5, 2010... Apple Blossoms and Snow

To learn more about your growing seasons, you can use local and regional data to get an idea of what your sowing, growing and harvest dates are on average which can be found online, at your local Extension Service, Agricultural Center, or you local library. The last frost date (on average) for our area is May 17, the "Safe" date is June 11. The USDA Hardiness Zone map puts our area in zone 5, which gives our average low temperatures of -10 degrees to -20 degrees Fahrenheit.