New Winter Hardiness Map

[grapeman]

Have you guys all seen the Hardiness zone map put out by the Arbor Day organization? The USDA normally updates the hardiness zone map every 15 years but hasn't done so since 1990. The Arbor Day org used the same data the USDA uses to complie the maps and made their own since the USDA hasn't. They have the new map, the old map and a map showing the changes. Here are a few pitures of the maps. You can also get them at arborday.org. Tell us how your weather seems different than it was 10, 20, 30 years or more ago.

 

[Fly boy]

I am not sure how it was years ago, but where we are it looks like the map has changed very little. Given the temperature the last few weeks, it appears the map is accurate. C O L D!

 

[Wade E]

I dont think 1* constitutes Global warming!

 

[OilnH2O]

Hey -- I'm HOPING for global warming!

Since we've gone from blue to light green on that map we must be able to grow vinefera now!!!Edited by: OilnH2O

 

[grapeman]

I dont think 1* constitutes Global warming!

Wade, the +1 means you have changed one zone, not one degree. That means for many that the coldest temperature for the average winter has raised 10 degrees. That is quite a significant change. I'm not sure I am convinced about global warming yet, but certainly the last fifteen years have been a lot warmer than they used to be. For those of us wanting to grow grapes this is important. Some areas in California are getting too hot to grow the prime grapes, where a lot of other areas are able to grow good grapes where it was never possible before.

 

[jobe05]

I guess, speaking for myself, I am rather uneduacated (but not deaf and blind) to what the environmentalist call global warming and the things for which they blame it on.


It seems to me that on a hot day, I can walk in the grass with bare feet and it doesn't bother my feet, if I walk on the road they will get burned, more roads, more heat given off. Now multiply that by all the buildings, glass, cars and other hard reflective or absorbing surfaces and one should be able to see a method of rising temperature on our planet.


Does that mean our ozone layer is being depleted by gases???? Don't know, but Id like to think not.Edited by: jobe05

 

[masta]

Lets be careful folks not to turn this into a political debate over the subject of global warming as it isn't appropriate for this forum.

ThanksEdited by: masta

 

[NorthernWinos]

For us it looks like we are slipping into Zone 4 from Zone 3...I like that

This winter started out way above agerage...then came the end of January and Febuary....The first week of the cold spell the average night time temperature was -17*F...[they had been predicting -25*F those nights] Then last week we had many night of -27 to -28*F.....now we ate getting -17 to -18*F...today it got above zero...Went to the lake...the fish are still hiding.

Clouds rolling in...they will moderate the temps...only -7*F tonight and a balmy +10 tomorrow....Lie is good!!!

 

[Angell Wine]

I use to hear my grand dad talk about the drought in the 1950's. Ain't no different than what we through the past couple of years.

 

[Wade E]

Maybe the ozone is being destroyed by all the gases coming out of our fermenters!

 

[grapeman]

I'm exited by the prospects of being able to possibly grow types of wine grapes we never thought we could here. I've always believed that weather goes in cycles and don't want to jump in with inappropriate choices of vines for the long run. I am putting in A FEW varieties that are pushing our growing zone. If the weather modrates more, than those varieties might do better than expected, but if it turns colder again, I won't have too many vines that won't survive.

 

[Wade E]

Sounds like a good plan.

 

[Wade E]

Oh by the way, thanks for straightening me out on the 1+ zone change and not degree change! I suppose 10* definetly constitute a global warming!

 

[pkcook]

appleman,


I think you hit the nail on the head. Weather is cyclic. I can remember 20 years ago, when I was young

, eastern KY seemed to get much more snow than it does now. But I can recall my grandmother telling about when she was little and they didn't get the snowfall we got when I was little. I live in South Eastern Ohio and noticed that all of Ohio is now in zone 6 when before it was mixed with some zone 5. I would love to grow some grapes, but I'm not sold on trying any warm climate vines.

 

[Angell Wine]

My dad always said that the cattle market & weather was on a 7 year cycle. I believe it's on a 10 year cycle now.