Hello Gardeners, I’m Amanda McNulty with Clemson Extension and Making It Grow. University of Illinois Professor Eric Snodgrass of the Department of Atmospheric Sciences recently gave Clemson agents a presentation on how our weather is changing. For the past several years, almost every state has reported the hottest temperature on record, records dating back to 1895. This means we need to pay attention to the heat zones that have been established by the American Horticulture Society as well as the Cold Hardiness zones that are determined by the US Department of Agriculture. Although we often just worry about the lowest temperature a plant can survive during the winter, many plants are adversely affected by high temperatures, as well, especially when those high temperatures continue throughout the night. For example, if you grow vegetables, you’ve probably noticed that tomatoes stop setting fruits when the nighttime temperatures stay above 75 degrees.
Heat Zones
