Welp my girlfriend wants to move to ridgecrest, she's pushing the idea pretty hard. I took a look at the zone, and its 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b. My question is; how do I make anything of this? How can one area have so many zones?
Here on the peninsula south of San Francisco we have micro climates that could easily be classified in 4 zones. I seem to be living in a perpetual cloud at the top of the ridge - highs in the 60's lows in the 50's, 15 to 20 mph winds every afternoon. Anything that needs heat is struggling. J maples struggle with the wind. Redwoods love it. Half a mile away east (and 200 ft lower) they're in the 70s, less wind. 2 miles south and they're in the 80s. 15 miles south, or across the San Mateo bridge and they're hitting 90s at times. It's always a joy learning what does well in a new place.