Hardiness zones and human adaptation - not a climate change thread

[speedog]

Just creating this thread to hopefully rerail the discussion in the stats thread - also don't want this to become a climate thread discussion as that's a whole different topic.

Anyhow, hardiness zone maps and where weather is best or not - the zone maps are but a guide only as microclimates exist all over the place. As I mentioned in the other thread, we can't grow things as well in our current location as compared to our previous home that is just 2.5km south of our current home. The altitude isn't that much different but what makes he difference is that our previous home was in a very flat area while our current home is in a hillier area that most definitely affected by winds/breezes that flow off of Nose Hill to the west of us. Even in our current yard there are microclimates and we've adapted our planting patterns to accommodate such. As to comparing the two yards, I'd say our current yard is generally generally is a few degrees colder on average and this is generally due to ground level air flows.

As far as what is a more enjoyable area for weather, while I can enjoy a winter in Kelowna because it's mild out there the continual grey overcast days are very depressing. It's all what you're used to - I grew up on the Alberta prairies and don't mind the cold and for years I'd walk 3km to/from work in even -30C weather. One thing that is nice here in Calgary is we get to see a lot of the sun and even on a cold winter I find that a very cheerful thing.

I also love the changing of the seasons and while flowers in January/February that Victoria might experience is kind of cool, I personally love seeing all that rebirth in the spring and also the vast golden colors of autumn. There is something about a walk/hike in every season in Alberta that I find enjoyable that people from other Canadian regions just would not tolerate or ever find enjoyable.

Even when it comes to landscapes, my wife initially found the parties as very boring as she was born and raised in Kelowna but over the past 30 years that she's been in Calgary she now quite appreciates the beauty that can be found and seen in/on the prairies. For me, the endless trees and being unable to have wide open vistas before me bugs me - there's just something about being on a high point in the praties and watching a sunset with miles and miles of open landscape before you.

Each to their own really, there is no right or wrong place to live in Canada and I think it's quite silly to try to say one area is better than another to live in. Hell, I spent six years of my youth in Manyberries, Alberta and while I'd never live there again (I'm a dedicated city slicker and readily admit that), I love going back to that area of Alberta and soaking in the absolute remote desolation that is there - there is just something about sitting on a knoll at Red Rock Coulee and watching a prairie sunset unfold with Montana's Sweetgrass hills in the distance. That is truly a humbling experience IMO and so very calming to me.

Not my picture but the Sweetgrass Hills from Red Rock Coulee...

[geotag277]

One thing people might not know about Calgary specifically is that it is very dry, and not a natural location conducive to planet growth. Large sections of southern Alberta are classified as semi-arid, and there is a striking difference in say, the number of trees between Edmonton and Calgary even though both are technically 4a hardness zones.

4a certainly limits the types of plants you can garden with, but sometimes artificial limitations allow you to create beautiful things. Would love to see some 4a garden pictures along with the thread.

[Blader]

Tnx for the thread!

Here's a photo zone 4a Calgary NE (Martindale)

It's a link

I don't use a photo sharing service. I'm old! I'll post a few more links if my process is acceptable. I'd describe my backyard as a tiny, raised bed/container urban vegetable farm.
The photo shows 5 container, out of 13, tomato plants. I also, have 3 raised bed hoop houses - small scale - small yard.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/VYueY7KMNsdiRAJz2

[240glt]

Originally Posted by geotag277

One thing people might not know about Calgary specifically is that it is very dry, and not a natural location conducive to planet growth. Large sections of southern Alberta are classified as semi-arid, and there is a striking difference in say, the number of trees between Edmonton and Calgary even though both are technically 4a hardness zones.

4a certainly limits the types of plants you can garden with, but sometimes artificial limitations allow you to create beautiful things. Would love to see some 4a garden pictures along with the thread.

We garden extensively in the summer. In the vegetable garden I've had very good luck with a variety of peppers, many different varieties of tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini and cauliflower. Of course things like onions, garlic, lettuce & spinach, beans & peas and carrots are all easily grown.

The front garden is ornamental and most annuals do fine, I wish they lasted longer. Trees are a little more difficult. We planted an arctic plum last year, so we'll see how it does this spring. We also have a cherry tree that is suited to the northern climate, the cherries aren't great... nothing compared to cherries from the Okanagan but it's a nice tree that gets along just fine in this climate

[Acajack]

My house is in the 5a zone but if I punch in postal codes barely 1 km north of it you're already into the 4b hardiness zone, and you'll stay in that one for many many km going north of here.

[GreaterMontréal]

hardiness zones are not really reliable, they don't see the microclimate

in Montréal for example, it's possible to grow tea (Camellia sinensis - zone 7).

[ciudad_del_norte]

Originally Posted by 240glt

We garden extensively in the summer. In the vegetable garden I've had very good luck with a variety of peppers, many different varieties of tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini and cauliflower. Of course things like onions, garlic, lettuce & spinach, beans & peas and carrots are all easily grown.

The front garden is ornamental and most annuals do fine, I wish they lasted longer. Trees are a little more difficult. We planted an arctic plum last year, so we'll see how it does this spring. We also have a cherry tree that is suited to the northern climate, the cherries aren't great... nothing compared to cherries from the Okanagan but it's a nice tree that gets along just fine in this climate

A sour cherry variety I assume? Not everyone likes them for fresh eating, but they often have a great flavour for other uses. I was discussing fruit with some folks from the Seattle area last year who were frustrated that they were unable to find sour cherries - even frozen. I thought that was kind of funny because there are lot of sour cherry trees in Edmonton, and they produce so heavily that most people don't know what to do with them. There are only so many cocktail cherries or pies one can reasonably eat. I've been experimenting with them for wine and cider though. A good way to make use of excess fruit.

There are some people successfully growing sweet cherries. I haven't bothered because I don't want to deal with the pollination - but they are usually around zone 5, which isn't unreasonable for a spot in the city.

[SignalHillHiker]

There are pockets of 6A on the Avalon Peninsula but St. John's is split between 5A and 5B depending on elevation.

We can grow quite a few things here in sheltered yards but soil depth, quality, salt level, wind, and sunlight all conspire to keep things smaller. Even the same species of trees here are much shorter than they would be in other parts of the island and on the mainland.

There are yards I've seen around town that can barely grow a film of moss on the rocks, and others with plants I didn't even know could survive here.

[ciudad_del_norte]

I live in a mature neighbourhood in Edmonton. Have 7 (dwarf) apples trees including "commercial" cultivars like McIntosh, Honeycrisp. I also have a pear tree, 3 sour cherries, 2 plums. Raspberries, blueberries, currants, haskap, highbush cranberries, rhubarb, and gooseberries. I think that's it, at least for edible perennials.

[240glt]

Originally Posted by ciudad_del_norte

A sour cherry variety I assume? Not everyone likes them for fresh eating, but they often have a great flavour for other uses. I was discussing fruit with some folks from the Seattle area last year who were frustrated that they were unable to find sour cherries - even frozen. I thought that was kind of funny because there are lot of sour cherry trees in Edmonton, and they produce so heavily that most people don't know what to do with them. There are only so many cocktail cherries or pies one can reasonably eat. I've been experimenting with them for wine and cider though. A good way to make use of excess fruit.

There are some people successfully growing sweet cherries. I haven't bothered because I don't want to deal with the pollination - but they are usually around zone 5, which isn't unreasonable for a spot in the city.

Yes it's a sour cherry tree. I can't remember the name of it, the cherries are not too bad, but not to my liking really.

Speaking of cider, we have an old apple tree in the back yard that produces mediocre apples, I gave several pails of them to a friend of ours last fall and she made cider with it and it turned out amazing! I still have my home brewing equipment from my homemade beer phase, I am going to make cider out of them next fall.

[ciudad_del_norte]

^That's great! Apple trees are another example of a tree often producing more than people can reasonably eat, but its much easier to drink through an apple tree with a few friends. I've been working a lot on making cider from local apples in the last few years.

[Denscity]

We grow peaches, cherries, asparagus at my parents place here in town. 7b/8a something like that.

[north 42]

Originally Posted by Denscity

We grow peaches, cherries, asparagus at my parents place here in town. 7b/8a something like that.

Really? Kelowna is 7a, and I thought you were a bit colder than Kelowna.

Windsor is also a 7a.

[Denscity]

Originally Posted by north 42

Really? Kelowna is 7a, and I thought you were a bit colder than Kelowna.

Windsor is also a 7a.

Hmm must be 6b/7a is what I meant. Up a notch too high.

[Denscity]

Kelowna winter lows are usually lower than hours afaik.

[Denscity]

Climate-charts.com puts us in 7b so there's that.

[Denscity]

Estevan Point BC 9b!!
Coal Harbour downtown Vancouver 9a!

[speedog]

From what used to be the Stats thread...

Originally Posted by TownGuy

There are actually a couple of prickly pear cactus native to Ontario that grow primarily in lake side sand dunes. I don't think there are any native cacti east of Ontario though.

Really?

Then you haven't been to southern Alberta as there's plenty of cacti to be found there. The best are the pincushiins with their wonderful berries.

[White Pine]

Originally Posted by speedog

From what used to be the Stats thread...



Really?

Then you haven't been to southern Alberta as there's plenty of cacti to be found there. The best are the pincushiins with their wonderful berries.

I can't verify the claim, but the quoted poster did say east of Ontario, which does not exclude Alberta.

[speedog]

Ash, sometimes reading and comprehension doesn't work right due to brain farts on my behalf.