The MidWest Gardening (About) thread currently lists the states covered by this Forum as

This includes MN, WI, the Dakota's, WY, MT, IL, IN, IA, and so many states in "middle" America.

That "so many states in "middle" America" phrase is kind of "loosey goosey".

Come on, there is no reason we need for people in some states to be wondering if they belong here. Let's simply name all of the states that are included in this MidWest Gardening forum.

The Census Bureau's definition of MidWest America consists of 12 states in the north central United States: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

Sorry, Oklahoma, you are in the South. Wyoming and Montana, you are in the Mountain States of the Western United States.

I am in Kansas, but until now was in the mysterious "maybe" zone of "so many states in "middle" America". It's not actually "so many".

Come on, guys. This is not rocket science. Let's fix the "official" sticky definition of this forum.

ZM

Zen - on previous website I could never figure out where I belonged so it was nice to know on this one. Although it should be open to whomever cares to participate.

Shadegardener said:Although it should be open to whomever cares to participate.

Hi Cindy,

I do agree with that. Many years ago when we lived in northern Oklahoma, we did consider ourselves to be in the Midwest. So, although Oklahoma is technically in the South, any Oklahomans should be welcome to participate here. And, as you say, this forum "should be open to whomever cares to participate."

ZM

Just poking my head in to say it is also helpful for folks outside your region to get a better idea of where your area begins and ends. As a Pacific Northwesterner, I get confused easily about what constitutes what in middle America. There's the corn belt, the bible belt, the mid-west, the south, the deep south -- makes my head spin! I think of most of you guys as coming from one of those flat square states (no offense intended, I'm just totally unfamiliar with your topography). So, clearly identifying your region is a nice touch. And, of course, everyone is welcome to join in any forum here near as I can tell.

Deb - a wide range of topography for sure. I'm in NW IN where corn fields meet steel mills with the Lake Michigan lake shore dunes (soon to be a new national park) 10 miles away. Mostly flat but one of the broadest ecosystems in the US.

Well I asked this question awhile back.
So for exclusivity, I am putting myself in the frigid North, which really is only North Dakota and Minnesota as we have not uncommon low temps in winter that are considered extremely dangerous and growing days that some years are very short. (No windchill bs either, just still air.)
Alaska and Mountain regions have are excluded for reason of altitude and closeness to arctic circle, but few other states have as many thirty plus belows are N.D. and Minn.
If you gardened in Minn. from Brainerd North, you would know how different it really is.

When I moved from Sunny California to frigid Brainerd MN, zn 3b, I was in gardening shock. I had to relearn everything I thought I knew! And that was before I had a computer! I spent a lot of time in the library and talking to the local Arboretum.

So where does Michigan belong?
I'm located NW Ohio - SE Michigan.
Zone 5 - 6.

Tisha

Tisha said:So where does Michigan belong?
I'm located NW Ohio - SE Michigan.
Zone 5 - 6.

Hi Tisha,

As I stated above, the Census Bureau's definition of MidWest America consists of 12 states in the north central United States: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

ZM