Major Climate Factors That Determine What Grows in Your Garden

When choosing plants, gardeners often think first of winter lows and summer highs. But other climatic features are equally important: humidity, wind, rainfall patterns, cloud cover. All influence plant success.

Primary Climate Drivers

• Latitude: Farther from equator = colder, longer winters.
• Elevation: Higher = cooler temperatures year-round, shorter growing season.
• Jet streams: High-altitude air currents that transport moist, dry, warm, cold air. They dip south in winter, move north in summer, driving rainy/dry seasons.

Secondary Factors

• Wind: Perpetual or seasonal. Dries plants and soil; tough on delicate foliage. Mitigate with windbreaks, extra water, wind-tolerant plants.
• Rainfall timing and amount: Eastern U.S. has rainy summers; West has dry summers (except early summer in Pacific Northwest). Match plants to your rainfall pattern.
• Mountain ranges: Block or redirect wind; cause rain shadows. Climate can differ dramatically on opposite slopes.
• Proximity to large water bodies: Oceans/lakes moderate temperatures—Great Lakes bring snowy winters to Buffalo; Pacific cools San Francisco summers.

Protecting Plants from Extremes

Even well-adapted plants may need protection. Seedlings and new transplants are vulnerable to heat and cold. In mild winters, tropicals (citrus) may need frost protection; in cold winters, some shrubs/young trees need all-winter protection. Shade-loving plants require sun protection and high humidity all season.