Expand your growing seasons, plant choices by creating ... MICROCLIMATES

By Pam Baytos

OSU Ext. master gardener volunteer

As gardeners, we are familiar with our hardiness zones and frost dates, but we often forget to consider microclimates in our own landscape.

Understanding microclimates can help us avoid planting mistakes that result in unnecessary plant loss.

Many gardeners love to push the limits of their hardiness zones by growing everything from crape myrtle to nikko blue hydrangeas.

With a little thought, you can figure how to make microclimates work for you.

A microclimate is a small area within a zone where the climate conditions vary slightly from the norm. This can be the result of different environmental factors.

Some things to consider are:

Urban locations

These tend to be warmer than suburban areas because concrete and asphalt heat during the day and release it overnight.

Water locations

Areas near lakes, rivers and ponds may experience slightly lower temperatures, especially if it’s breezy. They warm up slowly, something that can slow blooming of the earliest spring trees, possibly saving them from an early frost.

Structures

Heat-retentive hardscapes such as driveways, walls, fences, decks and patios can make the adjacent areas warmer. They can also act as windbreaks if you’ve planted along the protected side.

Shading structures

Shade-producing features such as buildings and trees can create bands of shade. Be aware of the seasons as the sun’s elevation changes.

Topography

The features on your property, like depressions where water pools and frost lingers, or hilly areas that are prone to windy conditions and moisture loss during hot weather make a big difference in what will grow there.

Soil

Soil conditions in different parts of your garden, like mulch that provides insulation or compacted soil that retains heat, can affect how perennials grow and survive.

Choose sections of your landscape to evaluate, and treat each area as an independent location, allowing you to modify planting zones in your landscape.

Using your house, fence or other large items you can create an area to plant shade gardens, large rocks or boulders absorb heat during the day and release it at night and block the wind.

This would be a great place to plant your rock garden and a plant from a warmer zone might be able to survive in such a place.

A section with moist soil and lots of sun would be a place to plant a water or bog garden.

Plant anything that doesn’t mind wet feet.

Areas with moist soil and shade would be suitable for a woodland retreat. It’s a perfect place for hostas, ferns, azaleas or Japanese maples.

Another way to create microclimates is to use cold frames, raised beds and row covers.

With a little research, you can keep your plants thriving and even do a little experimenting with zone hardiness.

To read more about microclimates, visit http://go.osu.edu/microclimate.