The Sacandaga and Adirondack region can be a wonderful place to polish your green thumb. The diverse temperature ranges and climates of the Northeast and particularly the Adirondacks can make choosing your plants more challenging. The Adirondack region actually contains several hardiness zones outlined by the USDA, with temperatures dipping as as low at -40 F in some areas such as Zone 3.
Choose your plants according to which zone you live in, but consider that other factors such as adjacent structures may provide protection and allow some plants to survive, while other ares that are open can leave plants too exposed. These micro climates within your own yard should be considered if you are shopping for plants.
The important thing to remember is to enjoy gardening, and encourage those around you, especially children to take part in the fun.
NY State Hardiness Zones & Map
The hardiness map below can give you a rough guide to the temperatures that you will experience during the cold months in New York State. When you are picking your plants for your landscaping projects around your house or Adirondack vacation home, most plants will have the recommended zone listed.
Zones found in NYS
Zone 3: -40 to -34 C (-40 to -30 F)
Zone 4: -34 to -29 C (-30 to -20 F)
Zone 5: -29 to -23 C (-20 to -10 F)
Zone 6: -23 to -18 C (-10 to 0 F)
Zone 7: -18 to -12 C (0 to 10 F)
Plants That Do Well In the Adirondacks
Many plants do well in our area, a wide variety of food producing crops can be planted such as tomatoes, potatoes, corn, peppers, squash & other gourd varieties, zucchini, garlic, grapes, cherries, apples, pears etc. If you are looking for decorative or landscaping type plants, a good example is to look around nature and see similar plats that survive and endure the harsh winters. Ferns, dogwood and similar woody plants, hostas, tiger lilies, cone flowers, black-eyed susan & daisies, azalea and more. The best way to determine which plants to choose, just ask your local nursery or gardening center for advice, they usually carry climate friendly varieties ready for planting.
Check out our guide to perennials for the Sacandaga region.
Take Care With Plants
The Adirondacks are home to many varieties of wonderful plants, including blueberries and other edible plants, berries and wild edibles. However tasty, you should always take great care when considering eating anything in the wild. There are hundreds of Poisonous Plants in Upstate NY, and without a proper guide you may find become sick, hospitalized or even die by ingesting the wrong plant, fruit or even the wrong part of an edible plant. The best advice is eat the food you bring with you, leave the fruits & berries for the squirrels and birds of the area.