Look here to see if this is your region

boffer 3/28/2010, 7:44 pm

Southwestern Deserts: USDA Hardiness zones 5-10; AHS Heat zones 8-12; Sunset Zones 1-3, 10-13

The region extends from the desert regions of Southern California, east through Las Vegas, Nevada, central Arizona and New Mexico and ends in west Texas. The north to south boarder starts just west of Abilene, stretching into northern Mexico heading back west to southern California near Palm Springs.

What unites the area is blazing summer heat and limited rainfall. The southwestern desert is divided into three sub regions by elevation. High, mid, and low deserts with wide elevation changes between them. An example of low desert is Phoenix where subtropical plants can survive with supplemental irrigation. Gardening is a year-round activity but there are two distinct seasons, cool and warm with little done during the summer heat. Damaging frost can occur in December and January. Usually the frost is not deadly. Las Vegas is an example of mid level desert.

Longer winters and more freezing nights with unrelenting spring winds
shorten this regions gardening season to April through October. Spring
(where the wind is less severe) and fall are the main growing seasons.

A high desert example is Albuquerque. The growing season is further shortened by severe winter weather with snow wind and extended freezing temperatures. Generally the season runs from late May through September.

National Gardening Association

http://www.garden.org/regional/report/description/full/5


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