Below 34 is no chilling? That’s counterintuitive.
In a normal year, almost every day would be between those temps, but the nights would be below 34. I would say average 32F during night and 40F during the day. Today was freaking 57F but it’s only temporary
Yeah, when I read that it didn’t seem too believable
Yes it is counterintuitive that below 34 is no chilling. But chilling is a process that involves chemical and hormonal changes in the fruit and leaf buds. Those processes are shut down below freezing.
A low of 32 and high of 40 is massive chilling. Four months of that is enough for anything.
That’s a very unique and special place. To average a low of 32 and still seldom or never go below 20 is a very very protected climate. Not many places on earth like that. And it indicates a very long period of chilling.
We whiplash around from too cold to too warm often on a daily basis. Constant near to just above freezing is much better for fruit trees.
Lol!
As others have pointed out it describes much of California.
… plus coastal influenced areas of central and southern CA.
Lake or ocean effect fall under the microclimate case absolutely. We know part of California is perfect. Even my pond and an addition of a hill on part of the north side of the pond helps my trees like pawpaw grow on the south side of the pond here.
This confusion comes up a lot because USDA growing zones use a metric that is kind of counter-intuitive, so some people think it describes average winter lows (it does not), while other people think it describes the coldest minimum temperature over 30 years (also wrong).
Growing zones are calculated by taking the lowest temperature each year for the 30 years prior to that map being made, and then finding the average of those 30 numbers. If that average falls between 20°F and 25°F, you are in zone 9a (your zone?).
However, there might be years with colder temperatures than that range, or that never get that cold, and the average winter low over any given winter is almost certainly above that range.
Correct. It is an average of annual low temperatures reaching back a number of years.
@swincher "some people think it describes average winter lows (it does not)
Growing zones are calculated by taking the lowest temperature each year for the 30 years prior to that map being made, and then finding the average of those 30 numbers."
Those 2 things sound the same to me except maybe to say “average yearly winter lows” instead of “average winter lows”
Yes, this is correct, but when it is stated in this (correct but concise) way, some people read that as the average winter lows (an average of all the lows over the winter), so I find giving a more detailed explanation of the methodology can help it “click” for people trying to get their heads around it.
Over-generalization is a worldwide malady.
EDIT: deleted accusation based on a misunderstanding
I’ve been a part of many other threads on here discussing growing zones, and there are two “confusions” that come up a lot, paraphrased here:
I was responding to someone else (not you) who appeared to have the second type of “confusion,” by trying to give a detailed explanation of the growing zone methodology.
It’s not a snide reply at all. Instead, I was agreeing with you.
What did I embellish?
Sorry…I meant the article in the Guardian embellished fact.
Gentleman, let’s not get started down the wrong track here. I’m learning something here about certain unique zones. Might not ever need to learn about everyones climate, but i enjoy learning it anyway. Im looking at temperatures now it is very ideal. Zone 7b to Zone 10a is not at all what it sounded like " On average, the maximum temperature hovers around 22/23 °C (72/73 °F) in much of the country and around 21 °C (70 °F) on the coast, and it normally reaches 30/32 °C (86/90 °F) only two or three days per month." Kansas would seem very unpleasant after being there.
Are you referring to that other thread about Apples in England?
Well in that case I apologize, I should not have assumed the worst. I thought you were accusing me of over-generalizing with my reference to “some people.” I’m feverish and caring for a feverish one year-old this morning, so I probably shouldn’t trust my reading comprehension for posting.
OK…I’m getting senile. In any case, I didn’t mean to disparage your post.
Man, I remember those days. I wish you both a speedy recovery.
