It was an ordinary day. Just finished mowing the lawn and asked my wife when we will plant the flowers she likes to buy every year. She told me it has been a bit too cold up until now and perhaps we could head to the local flower shop in the next week or two. She has done quite a bit of reading during the past and knows which plants will grow the best and which plants will die too quickly if planted too soon after our winter has come to an end. We are in zone 6 of the chart showing the types of plants that will survive the best as well as when to plant those plants. The map showing zones is meant to give the gardener the best time to plant to ensure the plants will survive in the area in which we live. USDA zones are based on the coldest temperature the area tends to reach in the winter, separated by increments of 10 degrees. The lower the zone number, the colder that area'a weather is. Zone 6 usually experiences, but not always, a yearly low of -10F. The zone stretches in something like an arc, more or less, across the middle of the U.S. And, the number given your area is only a guideline and not foolproof. Planting and growing zone 6 plants typically begin around mid-March (after the last frost) and continues through mid-November. So, what are the best plants for Zone 6? If you look at the seed package, it should have a USDA zone mentioned somewhere on it to act as your guideline as to whether you should plant it or not. Not all plants can survive the winter. The number applies to perennials that are meant to survive the winter. There are plenty of plants and flowers that are annuals and are supposed to die with the frost. But, gardening in Zone 6 is very rewarding because so many plants do well there.
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| A great garden for Zone 6 |
The best plants for the cold are crops such as lettuce, radishes and peas. Other vegetables that do well in Zone 6 are tomatoes, squash, peppers, potatoes and cucumbers. Perennial favorites that thrive in Zone 6 are Bee balm, Coneflower, Salvia, Daisy, Daylilly, Coral bells and Hosta. Common shrubs that also do well are Hydrangea, Rhododendron, Roses, Azalea, Forsythia and Butterfly bushes. I have read about more Gardners who enjoy planting a bee garden too help the bees by adding to the flowers they will frequent. A few things you should remember if you too would like to have a bee garden. Replace part of your lawn with flowering plants which provide a habitat for the honey bees, solitary bees, butterflies and other pollinators. Select single flower tops for your bee garden such as daisies and marigolds. Double-headed flowers look neat, but produce much less nectar than the single flower plants. Skip the hybridized plants that have been bred not to seed which in turn would produce little pollen for the bees.  |
| Try maintaining a Bee Garden! |
Plant at least 3 different types of flowers in your bee garden to ensure there will be blooms there during as many seasons as possible. This will provide the bees with a constant source of food. Spring flowers for the bees might be crocs, hyacinth, calendula and wild lilac. Summer flowers are bee balm, cosmos, snapdragons, foxglove and hosta. Fall or late bloomers are zinnias, sedum, asters and goldenrod. You may also want to leave a small patch of you garden uncultivated since some bees burrow in the ground. Even piles of branches or hollow reeds would work. Avoid using herbicides or pesticides in a bee garden. They can be toxic and are not the best for children who will come to visit with the bees. Bees enjoy a bath from time too time just as birds do. Fill a shallow container with water and perhaps pebbles for the bees to land on. And...you don't have to have a big garden to make it into a bee garden. You can even use a window container or a rooftop location. Every little bit can help to nurture bees and other pollinators. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.
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