differences. Hardiness defines a plant’s
ability to survive the coldest temperature
for the region. According to the USDA plant
hardiness zones, Upper St. Clair 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:
Jim Jenkins Lawn & Garden Center
1877 Painters Run Road
Rooted in Thyme
1207 Mayview Rd.
The Home Depot
1025 Washington Pike
Lowe’s Home Improvement Warehouse
5775 Baptist Rd.
Upper St. Clair | Spring 2014 | icmags.com 27