which hardiness zone map do you think is better?

[DTS]

USDA Map

Arbor Day Map

Edited September 27, 2022 by DTS1

[Silas_Sancona]

Plant Maps.. Only map i trust, ...Besides Sunset's Maps which are most reliable for the west, particularly California.  USDA and Arbor Day maps are too vague for my liking.

Here's the map for Massachusetts ***2012 Data***  Hopefully there will be an update soon.

[RedRabbit]

43 minutes ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Plant Maps.. Only map i trust, ...Besides Sunset's Maps which are most reliable for the west, particularly California.  USDA and Arbor Day maps are too vague for my liking.

Here's the map for Massachusetts ***2012 Data***  Hopefully there will be an update soon.

Looks like they’re just using USDA, no? I see they have St. Armands Key listed as 9b so they basically have no credibility in my book.

[DTS]

33 minutes ago, RedRabbit said:

Looks like they’re just using USDA, no? I see they have St. Armands Key listed as 9b so they basically have no credibility in my book.

i totally forgot about plantmaps lol

[Silas_Sancona]

1 hour ago, RedRabbit said:

Looks like they’re just using USDA, no? I see they have St. Armands Key listed as 9b so they basically have no credibility in my book.

Like any map, it's definitely not perfect, and needs to be updated to reflect some changes but plenty credible from what i've seen here/ in California, and in Kansas / Ohio..  Regular ol' map is too mind numbingly basic, and lacking in important detailed insight.

[Xenon]

19 minutes ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Like any map, it's definitely not perfect, and needs to be updated to reflect some changes but plenty credible from what i've seen here/ in California, and in Kansas / Ohio..  Regular ol' map is too mind numbingly basic, and lacking in important detailed insight.

1 hour ago, RedRabbit said:

Looks like they’re just using USDA, no? I see they have St. Armands Key listed as 9b so they basically have no credibility in my book.

Yes, plantmaps just regurgitates USDA to a T, hence the 2012 data

 

 

[Can't think of username]

They really need to make an updated one for 1993-2022, or at least the 1991-2020 climate normals, using the median instead of the mean lowest temperature. Lots of places have jumped a full zone or even two zones in that time period compared to 1976-2005, if their median low is used.

[tjwalters]

For usability and detail, the interactive USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map can't be beat.  Zoom and transparency are nice features.  As far as accuracy is concerned, it's based on average minimums, so it's not going to give absolutes.

[edbrown_III]

the one that lies to me the best