It's necessary to know a little about the various planting zones - particularly your own - before you hunker down and get to work in your garden. What's so important about zones? Your planting zone is the deciding factor as to the specific plants you ought to be planting in order to have them thrive in your climate.

The U.S. has a total of 11 zones. All areas of the United States and the southern portion of Canada are covered by these zones, called the USDA Plant Hardiness Zones. Planting zones are usually separated by a difference of approximately 10° Fahrenheit. The zones are determined by how cold it gets in a certain area; a higher number indicates a warmer region.

Of course the planting zones are not a strict restriction of what you can grow in your area, but a suggestion of which plants will perform best in the climate. With a little work, you can grow plants in one planting zone that are meant to grow in a different zone.

If you know the zone where you'll be planting, shopping is easy because most nurseries and seed dealers list the best planting zones for their plants. Be sure to consider the amount of sunlight required as well as the best type of soil for your potential plants because the zones are looking primarily at the average cold temperatures for your area in the last year.

You will notice that your home, your patio and your garden will have warmer and cooler areas for planting just by walking around and observing the particular area. These areas, which are important for gardening are called microclimates as you can find spots in the perimeter of your house, where you can plant and grow different plants that may not be normally suited for your zone. In addition, these microclimate areas are helpful in lengthening your planting time.

Because not all plants thrive in the same environment, it is important to understand planting zones before you plant your garden. Knowing what to plant in your zone and acting according ling will allow you to enjoy better success at gardening.