Georgia hardiness zone changes

Q: I read recently that the plant hardiness zone for northwest Georgia will change from 7b (expected low temperature 5 to 10 F) to 8a (expected low temperature 10 to 15 F). What impact will that have on planting schedules? 

A: It won’t have much impact on planting schedules. Spring may come a few days early some years. Over 10 or 15 years, you may notice we have warmer springs, and you’ll do your planting a week earlier than you do now. The map tells us that we can expect one or two days that are colder than they are now. The Hardiness Map is just one source of information that gardeners consider when scheduling tasks in the garden.