Breaking up is hard to do...

This region is so diverse from top to bottom, I struggle in putting together the monthly updates when I want to make suggestions or statements about planting various flowers/veggies. It's difficult for a guy like me way down here in the region, who is planting tomatoes and peppers, to guess as to what a person in Duluth, MN, Thunder Bay, or Kalamazoo, MI, is ready to do.

So, I think one of the best ways to combat this going forward is to break our region into subregions....in thirds. East/West has little consequence since we don't get close to an ocean that dramatically changes our climate. North/south is obviously the dominant factor for us in the Midwest. An easy thing, in my opinion, going forward is to break up by a south third, middle third, and north third. We can all communicate accordingly. This is the best region for personality according to me, so I know we can pull this off and avoid losing any sense of unity, regionally.

Here are the lines I am drawing, for now. I could use some input from you guys here. Like the other regional borders, those close to them may feel they belong in one area more than another. We can never get things exactly correct, but I'm sure we can get close enough. And, I am starting from south to north because that is the way things warm up in spring.

South third would extend up to about the KS/NE, MO/IA borders and cut right across the center of IL, IN, and OH.

Middle third is NE, IA, northern halves of IL, IN, OH, and extreme southern WI and MI over to about Toronto.

North third is SD, ND, MN, northern 2/3 of WI, MI, and up into Canada north of Lakes Huron and Superior around to Winnepeg.

If that is fair enough, I will sort of treat these subregions as such when I describe anything going on in the Midwest as a whole. But, as I've said, this is a team effort. If you have opinions, this is the place to voice them.

Thanks a million, and let me know.

I think it's a great idea. Thanks for all your hard work.

A map might prove useful for those in your region that are more visually inclined (and those like me who just want to be nosey and are having a hard time figuring out where the lines are) .

Michigan alone has such diverse weather its hard ta say, up around the lakes is even weirder.

boog

Saw your post and had some free time at work so I carved it up for ya hope I read and understood it correctly...

EXACTLY what I had in mind. Thank you. I am not good with photoshop or paintpro or any of that image manipulation stuff.

Thank You!!!! That would be great!

LOVE IT!!!!!

Great! As just seen with the recent frosts down here, staying focused of the entire region, but trying to add specific information is a task.

Here's what I need, then. Some of you jump in and start taking the lead on your third....or break it down further. I can help oversee the region as a whole. And, I intend to learn the entire region, too. But, as I said a month or so ago, I need YOUR help to learn your climates.

So far, so good. But, I think we can make this huge region remarkably localized over some time if we all work together.

Some ideas I have are calendars, important dates for planting/harvesting, even some weather reports both of the forecasting variety AND some possible reports of what happened to let everyone know. Among other things, these simple posts will really localize this area. Then, we can truly bring the newbies into this region's forum and send them down the road with some phenomenal articles and advice. At least that's the vision.

I appreciate all your help. Let's Git'R'Dun!!