Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

nafex - Re: [nafex] SW Virginia - effect of elevation on effective USDA growing zone

nafex@lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: Chris Garriss <cgarriss@garriss.net>
  • To: nafex mailing list at ibiblio <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [nafex] SW Virginia - effect of elevation on effective USDA growing zone
  • Date: Sat, 25 Feb 2012 15:30:27 -0500

I don't know where you are, but I have property (10 acres) in NW North
Carolina at 2,500 - 3,000 feet. On the USDA map it is on the cusp of 6a -
6b. It actually runs closer to 6b most of the time, but not all. As mild
as this winter has been, snow cover has been less, sleet more and lows have
dropped to the low end of 6a, but only short periods of time. I'm not
living there yet, but have been planting trees there for the past several
years. (The economy keeps preventing me from building, but hopefully
sometime soon.) I tend to consider it a 6a site, and anything that is not
I count as an experiment - some of which have done OK. Somethings I did
not expect to survive (mostly small ornaments) have survived in a few very
protected areas.

If I recall you are (usually) in central NC near Orange County. If so, I'm
just south of you in Chatham. I do a most of my grafting (containers) down
here where I have better facilities, then move up to Watauga County and use
a drip irrigation system and a fenced area to keep deer, rabbits, etc. out
- we do have a considerable number of black bear, but at this point have no
interest. Has worked pretty well. I'll have more this year than ever
before, since I'm doing a few for myself and some neighbors have asked me
to try to do some for them. Mostly "family" trees.

On Sat, Feb 25, 2012 at 3:00 PM, Elizabeth Hilborn <ehilborn@mebtel.net>wrote:

> Hi folks,
>
> I am looking at property to establish an orchard in SW Virginia. I am up
> on the plateau of the blue ridge area where elevations range from 2200 -
> >3000 feet. The area is categorized as zone 7a, however, I wonder
> about the effect of altitude on the zones. Can I treat a 3000 foot
> local high still as zone 7a? Or what about 2200 feet down at the creek
> where cold air settles?
>
> Of course, my primary question is- can I grow D. kaki successfully in
> the orchard ; - )
>
> Any input is appreciated.
>
> Betsy Hilborn
> __________________
> nafex mailing list
> nafex@lists.ibiblio.org
> aubscribe/unsubscribe|user config|list info:
> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/nafex
> message archives
> https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/nafex
> Google message archive search:
> site: lists.ibiblio.org/pipermail/nafex [searchstring]
> nafex list mirror sites:
> http://nafexlist.blogspot.com/
> http://groups.google.com/group/nafexlist
> https://sites.google.com/site/nafexmailinglist
> Avant Geared http://www.avantgeared.com
>




Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page