divided the country into 11 hardiness zones
to illustrate regional temperature differences.
Hardiness defines a plant’s ability to survive
the coldest temperature for the region.
According to the USDA plant hardiness
zones, McKeesport Area is located within
Zone 6.
A wide selection of flowers, plants and
vegetables can be grown in a variety of
hardiness zones. What varies between
zones is when they should be planted. It is
best to use a month-by-month checklist. In
our Zone 6, vegetables should be planted
after the last frost in April. Tender plants
such as tropicals and annuals should be
planted in May and spring flowering bulbs
can be planted anytime from September to
November. Transplant perennials, trees and
shrubs should be set out in the spring or fall.
Most plants, flowers and vegetables need
water on a daily basis, sometimes twice a
day on extremely hot and humid days. The
climate in Zone 6 is apt to change quickly
so a gardener should use common sense
and monitor when frosts could occur in the
spring or fall and alter the planting schedule
accordingly.
Most vegetables can be planted in
Zone 6. But some of the most popular
include beans, cantaloupe, corn, cucumbers,
eggplant, okra, onions, peppers, potatoes,
pumpkin, squash, tomatoes, watermelon and
zucchini. Fall and winter vegetables include
arugula, beets, broccoli, brussel sprouts,
cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, collard
greens, chives, lettuce, parsnips, radish,
spinach, Swiss chard and turnips.
Some popular Zone 6 flowers include
amsonia, bee balm, black-eyed Susan,
bleeding heart, clematis, coneflower,
coral bells, daisy, daylily, geranium,
salvia, violet, yarrow, baneberry,
bugbane, goat’s beard, helleborus,
hosta, meadow rue, moody blues
and Solomon’s seal. Popular shrubs
are Alabama croton, American
cranberry bush, azalea, blueberry, butterfly
bush, cinquefoil, dogwood, forsythia,
honeysuckle, hydrangea, jasmine, quince,
rhododendrum, rose and witch hazel.
Trees are also a wonderful addition to any
property, and fortunately Zone 6 supports
a wide variety of trees. Some of the most
common are alder, ash, beech, birch, box
elder, buckeye, butternut, cherry, crabapple,
dogwood, elm, hickory, magnolia, maple,
oak, pear, pecan, persimmon, poplar and
walnut.
Nature just makes us happy. So what are
we all waiting for? Let’s get out there and get
gardening!
For more information on gardening
zones and planting times, visit the website
PlantHardiness.ars.USDA.gov. ■
For gardening supplies in our area, visit
one of the following gardening centers:
True Value
1441 Boston Hollow Rd.
White Cloud Garden Center
371 Boston Hollow Rd.
The Home Depot
1402 Lincoln Way
Kmart
1901 Lincoln Highway
McKeesport Area | Spring 2014 | icmags.com 15