What Grows in Demopolis, Alabama

USDA Zones 8a-9a · 11K acres

Demopolis, Alabama, sits in USDA hardiness zones 8a-9a — room for a real mix of vegetables, fruit, and perennials matched to the local frost calendar.

Crops well matched to these conditions include pecan, muscadine grape, okra, and collard greens — though what thrives on any one site still turns on its specific soil, sun, and drainage.

Score your parcel · free

Even in Demopolis, no two yards are alike.

A low spot, a south-facing slope, or a stand of trees moves the frost date and sun across a single Demopolis lot. Enter your address and we'll score 1,112 plants against your land's actual soil, sun, and frost.

We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.

No card required · your full report in seconds

Quick Facts

USDA Zones

8a-9a

Last Frost (state avg.)

Feb 28 - Apr 5

First Frost (state avg.)

Oct 25 - Nov 20

City Area

11K acres

Hardiness Zone Range

8a
9a
3a (Cold)13b (Hot)

Growing Season

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Last frost: Feb 28 - Apr 5First frost: Oct 25 - Nov 20

Zone maps are averages across Demopolis. Your yard's slope, trees, and frost pockets shift what actually grows — see your land's exact reading.

Soil varies lot by lot — soil types explained.

Growing Challenges in Alabama

What an experienced grower plans around here — each one has a move.

Heavy clay soils in the Piedmont region

Open clay with compost over time — or start above it in a raised bed and let the ground catch up underneath.

High humidity promotes fungal diseases

Airflow is the free fungicide: space generously, water at the base in the morning, and pick resistant varieties from your extension's list.

Fire ants are a persistent garden pest

Season-long baiting beats mound-by-mound whack-a-mole — your extension office publishes the current program that works.

For cultivar selection, pest pressure, and planting-time guidance specific to Alabama, the Alabama Cooperative Extension System is the authoritative local source.

Environmental Intelligence

Understanding what's nearby helps you make informed decisions about where and how to grow.

Total Sites

126

within ~10 miles of Demopolis

Risk Level

Elevated

Highest-severity

2 Superfund sites

Severity Distribution

within ~10 miles of Demopolis

High3Moderate38Low85

Highest-Severity Sites

Chem Four
Superfund · Superfund (Non-NPL)
Demopolis City Dump
Superfund · Superfund (Non-NPL)
Demopolis Water Works and Sewer Board
PFAS Sampling · PFAS Detected
43 & 80 Chevron
Underground Storage Tanks · Open UST(S)
Chem-Four First Ltd
Toxics Release Inventory · 36732chmfrhwy80

A note from Gnorman

What an experienced grower watches for around here

In and around Demopolis, two things run higher than the national average — Toxic Release Inventory (11 sites) and Underground Storage Tanks (81 sites). That's not a problem with your land — it's information about it.

Toxic Release Inventory: TRI facilities report annual chemical releases to air, water, and land.

Underground Storage Tanks: Underground storage tanks are the single most common source of soil contamination near homes and gardens.

Check prevailing wind direction — downwind parcels face higher exposure than upwind or crosswind locations.

Use raised beds with imported soil — this eliminates the primary soil-contact pathway.

Free Report

Check your specific parcel in Demopolis

Get exact proximity distances to contamination sources for your specific parcel — plus soil, sun, drainage, and 1,112 plant recommendations.

Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:

Your soil pHYour frost-free daysYour sun & shade

We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.

25+ data sources analyzed in seconds

Your Specific Parcel Matters

Demopolis Average

  • USDA Zones 8a-9a
  • Generic soil type for the area
  • State-average frost dates

YOUR Parcel

  • Your exact hardiness zone
  • Your SSURGO soil type & pH
  • Your sun exposure, cast in 3D

See MY Growing Report

Free Report

Read your specific parcel in Demopolis

Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Demopolis, Alabama — soil, sun, drainage, frost risk, and scored plant recommendations.

Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:

Your soil pHYour frost-free daysYour sun & shade

We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.

25+ data sources analyzed in seconds

Key Growing Facts for Demopolis, Alabama

  • USDA Hardiness Zones: 8a-9a (USDA PHZM 2023)
  • Last Spring Frost (state avg.): Feb 28 - Apr 5 (NOAA 30-Year Climate Normals)
  • First Fall Frost (state avg.): Oct 25 - Nov 20 (NOAA 30-Year Climate Normals)
  • Land Area: 11K acres (US Census TIGER 2025)

Zone data: USDA ARS Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023. Climate data: NOAA NCEI. Boundaries: US Census TIGER/Line 2025.

Frequently Asked Questions

What hardiness zone is Demopolis, Alabama?

Demopolis sits in USDA hardiness zones 8a-9a, per the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023. Zones reflect average annual extreme minimum temperatures from 1991–2020 weather data.

When does frost risk typically end in Demopolis?

Demopolis follows Alabama's statewide frost window: last spring frost around Feb 28 - Apr 5 and first fall frost around Oct 25 - Nov 20, per NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020). Frost dates shift with elevation and local microclimate, so watch your own site's cold pockets.

What vegetables grow in Demopolis?

Demopolis's zones 8a-9a support a wide range — strong performers include Pecan, Muscadine Grape, Okra, Collard Greens, and Fig. What actually takes on any one site comes down to its soil, sun, and drainage, and we score each plant against the real conditions at your address.

Which hardiness zone is Demopolis, really?

Officially, Demopolis sits in USDA zones 8a-9a (USDA PHZM 2023) — but a zone is a 30-year average of winter's coldest night across an area, and it can't see any one yard. A south-facing slope, a tree line, or a low frost pocket can shift a single site by half a zone either way, which is why neighboring gardeners often quote different numbers. We read the conditions at your exact address — soil, sun, slope, and frost — and score 1,112 plants against what's actually there.

Is the soil safe to grow vegetables in Demopolis?

The federal record around Demopolis is a meaningful one — 126 documented sites — so a soil test before new food beds is a sensible precaution here, not a reason to hold back from growing. Remember that proximity to a documented site is information, not a diagnosis of any one yard; the contamination map shows exactly what sits where.

How do I protect my plants from frost in Demopolis?

As the season closes around Alabama's first fall frost near Oct 25 - Nov 20 (NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020)), a few moves buy time: cover tender plants with floating row cover or an old sheet on still, clear nights, water the soil the afternoon before a freeze so it holds warmth overnight, and harvest frost-tender crops like tomatoes, peppers, and basil before the first hard night. Hardy greens and root crops shrug off light frost and often sweeten after it, so leave them in.

Everything on this page is a Demopolis average. Your yard writes its own version — we read soil, sun, drainage, and frost at your exact address. Try it for 14 days — no card required.