Garden Calendar: USDA Zones

As I am starting to update my garden calendar, it is noteworthy that even in one state there are different hardiness zones. These zones are an important piece of information because they provide different seeding, planting and harvest times. In Florida we have three major zones, 8,9 and 10, as well as subzones:



My calendar is based on zone 9a. It is however not difficult to adjust my calendar to your garden timing. The rule of thumb is, in winter Zone 10 will do everything two weeks earlier than I do, and Zone 8 will do the activities two weeks later. In the summer everything is the opposite: Zone 10 will be two weeks behind me, and Zone 8 will be two weeks ahead.

For example, If I seed peppers for the fall season first week of June, then Zone 10 will be two weeks behind (last week of June), and Zone 8 will be two weeks ahead (mid-May). In the winter, if I seed tomatoes first week of January, Zone 10 will do that earlier, mid-December, and zone 8 will do that two weeks later, last week of January. Pretty simple.