What Grows in Cohoe, Alaska

USDA Zones 3a-4b · 45K acres

Cohoe, Alaska, sits in USDA hardiness zones 3a-4b — a range where zone-matched perennials and frost-aware annual timing set what succeeds.

A short list that earns its place here — cabbage, potato, rhubarb, and kale — with any one site's soil, sun, and drainage making the final cut.

Score your parcel · free

Even in Cohoe, 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 Cohoe 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

3a-4b

Last Frost (state avg.)

May 1 - Jun 15

First Frost (state avg.)

Aug 15 - Oct 1

Town Area

45K acres

Hardiness Zone Range

3a
4b
3a (Cold)13b (Hot)

Growing Season

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Last frost: May 1 - Jun 15First frost: Aug 15 - Oct 1

Zone maps are averages across Cohoe. 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 Alaska

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

Extremely short growing season (70-110 frost-free days)

A high tunnel or greenhouse is standard Alaska practice — it turns 90 outdoor days into a real growing season.

Permafrost prevents deep root growth in many areas

Raised beds lift roots above the cold and warm weeks earlier in spring — the proven northern workaround.

Limited soil development in glacial terrain

Start with a soil test to see what glacial ground actually has, then build up with imported topsoil and steady compost.

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

Environmental Intelligence

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

Total Sites

30

within ~10 miles of Cohoe

Risk Level

Low

Highest-severity

3 brownfield sites

Severity Distribution

within ~10 miles of Cohoe

High0Moderate25Low5

Highest-Severity Sites

Kasilof Riverview Lodge
Underground Storage Tanks · Open UST(S)
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Nitrate Monitoring · Well
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Nitrate Monitoring · Well
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Nitrate Monitoring · Well
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Nitrate Monitoring · Well

A note from Gnorman

What an experienced grower watches for around here

In and around Cohoe, Nitrate runs higher than the national average — 24 sites nearby. Knowing it is half the work — and it's nothing a thoughtful grower can't plan for.

Nitrate: Nitrate contamination primarily comes from agricultural fertilizer runoff and failing septic systems.

Test well water for nitrate if you rely on a private well for irrigation (EPA standard: 10 mg/L).

Free Report

Check your specific parcel in Cohoe

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

Cohoe Average

  • USDA Zones 3a-4b
  • 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 Cohoe

Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Cohoe, Alaska — 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 Cohoe, Alaska

  • USDA Hardiness Zones: 3a-4b (USDA PHZM 2023)
  • Last Spring Frost (state avg.): May 1 - Jun 15 (NOAA 30-Year Climate Normals)
  • First Fall Frost (state avg.): Aug 15 - Oct 1 (NOAA 30-Year Climate Normals)
  • Land Area: 45K 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 Cohoe, Alaska?

Cohoe sits in USDA hardiness zones 3a-4b, 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 Cohoe?

Cohoe follows Alaska's statewide frost window: last spring frost around May 1 - Jun 15 and first fall frost around Aug 15 - Oct 1, 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 Cohoe?

Cohoe's zones 3a-4b support a wide range — strong performers include Cabbage, Potato, Rhubarb, and Kale. 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 Cohoe, really?

Officially, Cohoe sits in USDA zones 3a-4b (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 Cohoe?

The federal record around Cohoe is light — 30 documented sites across the 9 federal source types we checked — and proximity to a documented site is information, not a diagnosis of any one yard. Growing food here starts from a strong position; a soil test before new food beds settles any site-specific question.

How do I protect my plants from frost in Cohoe?

As the season closes around Alaska's first fall frost near Aug 15 - Oct 1 (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 Cohoe 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.