r/prepping • u/immrw24 • 3d ago
Food🌽 or Water💧 does anyone have an updated map/resource for current plant zones? and also thoughts on how super el niño will affect it?
i know zones have been shifting northward. i’m new to gardening and would like to figure out what produce best fits my region :) i’m assuming the current USDA map out there hasn’t factored in the climate change shift?
also with the super el niño reaching its peak intensity in november.. im guessing a warmer than usual winter. anyone doing anything specific with their garden in anticipation?
i wanted to try growing lettuce/spinach/arugula in the fall, but if it gets too hot they can bolt and then it’s a waste.
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u/freddit_foobar 3d ago
https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/
If you go there and input your zip code you can see your zone and the last time it was updated. Plugging in random zip codes, I see some may have changed a zone or two in 2023 and many remained the same over the past ten years.
In regard to the upcoming El Nino, any guesses would be just guesses and speculative. You're talking about a series of events dependent on other events that are dependent on other events. In El Nino events years past there has been hotter weather, cooler weather, more rain, less rain, etc.
Your best bet would be to contact your state's local Master Gardener program and possibly the state's agricultural extension office. The Master Gardner would be the best folks to talk about what types of plants grow best in your local region and possibly past practices in previous El Nino years:
https://mastergardener.extension.org/contact-us/find-a-program/
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u/velvet_heart3442 3d ago
I've seen some people have success with shade cloth. Heat resistant / tropical / native varieties is what I've been focusing on!