In article ,
tim wrote:
Does anyone have the translation of the usda hardiness frost zone keys which
accompany american text on plants. I would be grateful if anyone could fill
me in on the key.

Zone 8 is winter temperatures down to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, and they
go in 10 degree units. But they don't make a lot of sense in the UK.
You are better off assuming that the colder parts of the UK are zone 7,
and the warmer parts zone 8, rather than taking any notice of the
temperatures.

Even then, they don't match. The conditions are just too dissimilar.
And the USDA zones are a damn-fool idea anyway, as they measure an
extreme value rather than a central one, and that is NOT a reliable
indicator of what will affect plants. If they measured the average
minimum daily average, they would translate a LOT better.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren,
University of Cambridge Computing Service,
New Museums Site, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QH, England.
Email:
Tel.: +44 1223 334761 Fax: +44 1223 334679