About Our Area
Average Frost Free Dates:
Riverton May 21 - September 17 (119 Days)
Lander May 21 - September 15 (117 Days)
Dubois June 21 - August 26 (66 Days)
If you would like more information you can view the National Weather Service website that lists the Average Last Freeze and Frost Dates for our entire area, click here.
Our USDA Hardiness Zones:
Riverton Wyoming and the surrounding areas have been re-classified by the the USDA as hardiness zone 5b, Dubois is a USDA hardiness zone 4a. These zones are based on the minimum temperature a plant can survive. These USDA zones are not perfect for our area, plant health, and soil moisture also effect plant survivability. Reliable snow cover is the best insulator and can allow you to grow otherwise tender plants in very cold areas. Obviously this will depend on Mother Nature.
Microclimates are small areas of your yard or neighborhoos where the weather is different than what is generally happening. These areas may be colder, warmer, wetter or drier than surrounding areas. Take advantage of these locations in your yard to grow plants that might not do well in other areas.
Problems & Solutions:
Problem : A relatively short growing season
Solution: Grow lots of perennials and shrubs that tolerate light frosts. Aslo, put tender annuls out as transplants, to get a jump on the season. Utililze frost protection, for tender vegetable plants.
Problem: Winter sun and wind
Solution: Give newly planted trees and shrubs a deep irrigation prior to the ground freezing. During dry windy winters water new plants when the temperature is above 40F
Problem: Poor soils. Most soils in our area are heavy clay that compact easily. Also the are alkaline with very low levels of organic materials.
Solution: Add soil pep and Humic. Soil pep loosens clay and helps hold water, Humic makes the soil less alkaline. Soil pep is great for sandy soils as well. Whatever you do, don't add lime or wood ashes to alkaline soils as thes make the soils even more alkaline. Gypsum does not help our soils either. Gypsum contains calcium, which our soils already have high conenctrations of.
1602 West Main St.
Riverton, WY 82501
(307) 856-6663
info @sweetwatergarden.com
Hours
Wed - Friday 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
Sat - 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Sunday - 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm
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