What Grows in Pitkas Point, Alaska

USDA Zones 3a-4b · 1K acres

Pitkas Point, Alaska, sits in USDA hardiness zones 3a-4b — room for a real mix of vegetables, fruit, and perennials matched to the local frost calendar.

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 Pitkas Point, 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 Pitkas Point 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

1K 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 Pitkas Point. 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

4

within ~10 miles of Pitkas Point

Risk Level

Elevated

Highest-severity

1 Superfund site

Severity Distribution

within ~10 miles of Pitkas Point

High1Moderate0Low3

Highest-Severity Sites

Usdot Faa Saint Marys Air Nav Sta
Superfund · Superfund (Non-NPL)
Adotpf - Saint Marys
Underground Storage Tanks · Closed UST(S)
Dot&Pf Saint Marys Airport
Brownfields · Vsqg
St Mary'S Airport
Underground Storage Tanks · Closed UST(S)

Know Before You Grow

  • Underground tanks can leak petroleum products. Soil testing near former gas stations is recommended.
  • Raised beds with imported soil can reduce exposure risk near brownfield sites.
  • Superfund sites indicate significant contamination. Test soil and water before growing edibles nearby.
Free Report

Check your specific parcel in Pitkas Point

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

Pitkas Point 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 Pitkas Point

Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Pitkas Point, 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 Pitkas Point, 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: 1K 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 Pitkas Point, Alaska?

Pitkas Point 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 Pitkas Point?

Pitkas Point 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 Pitkas Point?

Pitkas Point'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 Pitkas Point, really?

Officially, Pitkas Point 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 Pitkas Point?

The federal record around Pitkas Point is a meaningful one — 4 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 Pitkas Point?

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 Pitkas Point 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.