What climate zone are we in?

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 By Samiyah K

There are many steps to planning a growing space. But before we can plant or finalize what to grow, we had to know when we physically could and could not grow in our area. To do this we looked at three maps.

 One of the maps showed the climate zones of the whole US, and another showed just New York state. The climate zone is based on the average yearly minimums temperature. Basically, it says how low we can go. Buffalo is in zone 6. This means usually our coldest temperature is between 0 and -10 degrees Fahrenheit.

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The third map showed when the last frost dates are around the country in a topographic style. The last frost date is the last possible date temperatures could go below freezing. In Buffalo, that date is May 10th. This map includes a chart showing when it is safe to plant crops in relation to our frost date. For example, tomatoes must be planted in June, well after the threat of frost has passed.

Stay tuned as we continue to plan Da Garden.

Samiyah, or "Sam," is interested in growing practices and the biomedical implications of food, and she hopes to be a holistic medical care provider someday.