Hardy, Half-Hardy, & Tender, OH MY When the cold weather starts to appear, we hear the words hardy half-hardy and tender. Now what in the world do these words have to do with landscaping? These words, as you can probably guess, refer to an annuals ability to withstand the climate in which they are planted. Refer to the following link to find your areas hardiness zone: planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/ In terms of the colder temperatures we are having, a Hardy annual is one that can handle a slight freeze. If there is a long period of freezing temperatures, the hardy annual will not survive. Hardy annuals will endure freezing temperatures better if they are planted in the ground and have had time to adjust to the increasingly cold temperatures. Half-hardy annuals can survive a few days of chilly night temps and a light frost but anything colder that 35 - 45 degrees will do these plants in. Like the hardy plants, the longer theyve had to adjust to changing temps, the hardier they are likely to be. Tender annuals cannot handle anything colder than somewhere around 55 degrees. These annuals can be seen as tropical perennials. Of course, annual hardiness is not a perfect science. Like most everything in the world, plants will surprise you. So, to be on the safe side, protect your annuals when the temperatures start falling below 55 degrees, that is if you want to enjoy them for a little while longer.
Posted on: Wed, 19 Nov 2014 19:06:41 +0000
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