Iris wrote: True, but the average minimum temperature, which is the only factor the hardiness zone considers, will give you a ball-park idea of what to expect.
My original point is that it doesn't make a bit of difference whether Syracuse is zone 5 or zone 6 especially if the change is based on minimum temps over the last 10 years rather than the whole record. The city fathers may see a benefit to draw more people to "balmy" Syracuse in Zone 6 in the middle of New York State. It's going to look pretty stupid if the rest of the surrounding part of the state remains in Zone 5. Lake Effect simply doesn't extend that far. I lived in that area for a while which is why my brain is half frozen. Here in the south, my point is more easily seen especially in places like Augusta, GA, down in a river valley. In winter, temperatures can slide down during a clear night and may make a pit drop right before dawn. Temperatures quickly rebound when the sun comes up. Those couple of hours of minimum temperature have no affect on hardiness overall and certainly not on how much heat you're going to use. Looking at those minimum temps puts Augusta in Zone 7. A more inclusive look puts it in Zone 8. Do you think that changes the amount of heat Augustans use? _______________________________________________ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) orchids@orchidguide.com http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
