Anyone Tried Zone-Bending for Gardening? Any Success Stories?

General
1

I respect the need for sticking to native plants, but I’m really curious about zone-bending and growing things that are said to be impossible for a specific zone. Anyone had cool successes or challenges with this? Any tips or ideas for zone 7b?

2

I’ve managed to overwinter a lot of things that shouldn’t survive in zone 6b just by using leaves to cover my garden beds and being in a city environment. Now I have perennial snapdragons and tomato plants. It’s wild!

3

@Jensen
Wow, tell us more about these perennial tomatoes!

4

@Jensen
That’s amazing! Which variety of tomato are you growing? I’ve had better luck overwintering bananas and taro than tomatoes… :sweat_smile:

5

In zone 7, I’ve had great success by heavily mulching my dahlia beds instead of digging them up and storing them for the winter. Not sure if it’s zone-bending, but I also use frost cloth and place large rocks near plants to help extend the growing season (rocks hold heat).

6

@Corey
I’m in zone 8 now, but I do the same with dahlias. Digging them up every year was a waste. Now I just turn terracotta pots upside down over the tuber clumps.

7

Milo said:
@Corey
I’m in zone 8 now, but I do the same with dahlias. Digging them up every year was a waste. Now I just turn terracotta pots upside down over the tuber clumps.

I’ve never heard of that trick before! That’s awesome it works for you. Although, don’t you think you can leave them in the ground in zone 8 and up? What size pots do you use?

8

Dare said:
I’m in zone 6, near Boston, but my garden feels more like zone 7 or 8 for gardening purposes.

That could totally be the case! The USDA zone map was recently updated, and many 7Bs became 8As, so your area might have shifted as well.

9

I’m in zone 9b. Hyacinths and blueberries were a huge win for me. I’m also growing limes, passion fruit, guava, avocados, dragonfruit, and pineapple. I got a banana plant this year, too, but we’re expecting some record-low temperatures soon, so I’m hoping for the best. For sensitive plants, I use C9 Christmas lights on timers and frost blankets when frost is forecasted.

10

For roses outside my zone, I’ve had success using own-root roses and the typical winter rose protection methods. One year, during a severe cold snap, the rose regrew from the root ball, even though all the top growth died off.