Section 2: Selecting Plants

When selecting what plants to grow in a particular region, the most important consideration is the matter of climatic conditions existing within that region:

• Consider the prevailing climate. The following factors must be taken into account:
  
  
  • the prevailing temperatures, especially during the growing season
    
    
  • the available moisture due to natural precipitation
    
    
  • the length of the growing season (i.e., the number of frost-free days during the year)
    
    
• Consider any micro-climate that might present itself in the area:
  
  
  • any unusual sunshine and shade patterns (i.e. for home gardens and ornamental plants, the direction your home faces will impact how much sun and/or shade your plants will receive)
    
    
  • the direction your home faces may also determine the time of day that your plants have exposure to the sun, which can be an important factor for certain plants
    
    
  • other conditions, such as the location of out-buildings or trees, can affect the rains and/or drying winds so that they can or cannot reach plants

Whether it be in a field or a garden, choosing plant species that are endemic or Indigenous to your area would always be preferable, since these are already suited to your particular climatic conditions.