Gardeners whove taken a risk to plant could see payoffs grow this spring and summer [Video]

WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAW) – The rules for gardeners this year may look a little “wild” as the United States Department of Agriculture has updated its plant hardiness map. The map is used to help gardeners figure out what plants can survive in certain temperatures.

Here’s what the new map looks like:

Zone 3 is practically gone except for some small spots in northern Wisconsin. Wisconsin gained Zone 6 in the southern part, and then Wausau and Stevens Point turned into Zone 5a. These changes don’t necessarily mean Wisconsin is becoming warmer, it means experts have more data and are seeing a broader picture.

“They increased the data points by 68% from the 2012 map to the 2023 map, so now we’re seeing a lot more granular data. A lot more information is coming through because of that things like topography are being reflected,” said Marathon and Wood County UW Madison Extension Horticulture Educator Janell Wehr.

The data …