Gardening Articles

Climate has a major influence on plants growth. Choosing the right plants that thrive in the prevailing climate is fundamental to a successful gardening, although many plants will adapt to weather conditions alien to their natural habitat. The effects of climate on your garden plants are complex and responses to the weather conditions are shaped by many factors, including a plant's location in your garden, the stage of its maturity and the length and intensity of exposure to inclement conditions. Understanding the effects of climate on your garden plants you will be better able to grow healthy, productive and attractive plants.

World climate may be divided into four broad but clearly defined zones: tropical, desert, temperate and polar. Each zone has its specific characteristic and specific plants that grow in that area. Tropical climates are characterized by high temperatures and heavy, sometimes seasonal, rainfall and support luxuriant, evergreen vegetation. Deserts have average daytime temperatures in excess of 38 Celsius degrees (100 F) but often very cold nights and with annual rainfall of less than 25 cm. The plants that are adapted to desert climate and can survive in these conditions are the ones from the cacti family and only few other more. Temperate regions have changeable daily patterns but rainfall is generally evenly spread throughout the year and temperatures are less extreme than in the tropics or deserts. Deciduous plants are more common than evergreen in those areas, as they are better adapted to these conditions. Polar regions experience extreme cold, strong winds and low rainfall, so little plant growth is possible.

In addition to these four broad zones, intermediate zones, including subtropical and Mediterranean are also recognized. Conditions within climate zones are determined by geographical factors such as latitude, altitude and proximity to the sea, which increases rainfall and moderates temperatures.

The elements of climate that directly affect plants and the techniques used to grow them are temperature, frost, snow, rain, humidity, sunlight and wind. From all of these, temperature is usually regarded by gardeners as the most important. It determines the choice of plants to be grown as well as the length of the growing season.