For people who want to grow more food with less work. 🌱 This is my weekly newsletter loved by 38,000+ subscribers—here's what one of them had to say: "These are not the regular run-of-the-mill garden-based emails. You actually touch on more unusual tidbits that encourage me to keep growing and learning."
what your growing zone DOESN'T tell you 🤔
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If you've been gardening for any amount of time, you probably know about growing zones—aka USDA plant hardiness zones. The numbered rating system divides the US into 13 growing zones (plus half zones) and most of the country falls somewhere between zones 3 and 11. (The extremes on either end are in Alaska and Hawaii.) What you probably also know about growing zones is that you should pick plants that fall within your zone. But do you know how that's determined? Or what your zone actually means? Contrary to popular belief, a USDA hardiness zone does NOT tell you what you can or cannot grow. 🤯 It can tell you ONE thing only!
And unfortunately, there's way more that a USDA zone cannot tell you when it comes to your garden, which I cover in this post. (You can also double-check what your zone is with my lookup tool.) Seasonal TipsHappy Lunar New Year if you celebrate this week! 🧧 It's the Year of the Fire Horse (which only comes around every 60 years) and 2026 is predicted to be an intense, high-energy year that may lead to major life shifts, strategic risk-taking, and career breakthroughs. ⚡️ I love this time of year because orchids (particularly Phalaenopsis, the moth orchid) are everywhere, and in Chinese and Vietnamese culture, their long-lasting blooms symbolize abundance, good fortune, fertility, and strength. If you live near an Asian mall or someplace that really goes off with Lunar New Year celebrations, you'll often see massive, unbelievably perfect displays of yellow and purple orchids like this: Yes, they're real! Insane, right?! Here's to a prosperous year ahead, P.S. A USDA hardiness zone does not tell you what you can or cannot grow in your garden. It can only tell you one thing. P.P.S. Having the right tools for the job makes gardening so much more efficient (and fun!). Here's what I use nearly every day in my own garden. (Some of which I've owned for over 13 years.) |
Garden Betty
For people who want to grow more food with less work. 🌱 This is my weekly newsletter loved by 38,000+ subscribers—here's what one of them had to say: "These are not the regular run-of-the-mill garden-based emails. You actually touch on more unusual tidbits that encourage me to keep growing and learning."