Garden Variety News- Morgan County
A publication of the Morgan Country Master Gardener Association

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

Zones

A couple of years ago I became frustrated with the zone maps in catalogs that seemed to vary from company to company. So I decided to approach the zone maps from a different direction. I contacted a weatherman in Indianapolis and asked him for this area’s annual minimum average temperature.

"Average Annual Minimum Temperatures" for central Indiana are -10° to 0° F. Now I simply look at the map and find the correct temperatures and I know what I can and cannot grow.

Sunlight

Here’s definitions that Chris provided on the terms commonly used to define sun exposure:

• Shade or dense shade - basically no sunlight
  
• Dappled shade - some light but not direct
• Partial shade - direct sunlight for 3-4 hours
  
• Sunny - direct sunlight 6 hours or more

Story Resources

Morgan County Master Gardener Web Site

USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map - North-East US