What IS The Sustainable Gardening Library? Part 5 of 5
Why is the EcoRegions app important? Most homeowners who’ve dabbled in gardening have heard of the USDA Plant Hardiness Zones, which tell us the average minimum temperature range for where we live. There are a total of 26 zones and sub-zones; 12 of them generally appear on plant labels to help us determine whether a plant we want to buy can survive the winter in our zone. But plant hardiness is only one of multiple factors that determine whether a plant will thrive in any particular garden. Others include soil type, climate, terrain, natural vegetation, and how rivers, streams, and similar water features flow through the landscape. The Environmental Protection Agency has codified this information, gathered from several different Federal agencies, into nearly 200 categories called Ecoregions. What Is the Sustainable Gardening Library EcoRegions app? The EcoRegions app is a an online tool that combines the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map with the EPA North American Ecoregions Ma...