Prowers County, in Colorado, sits in USDA hardiness zone 6a — enough range to grow cool-season vegetables, hardy fruit, and warm-season crops that mature before the first hard frost.
Expect colorado blue spruce, tomato, penstemon, and apple to be strong candidates here; the deciding factors on any one parcel stay local — soil, sun, and drainage.
Grounded in USDA PHZM 2023 · Growable Ground suitability scoring · NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals
Prowers County holds more than one microclimate.
Soils and elevations shift across Prowers County, so your frost dates and drainage aren't the county average. 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.
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Quick Facts
USDA Zones
6a
Last Hard Freeze (28°F)
Mar 27
County normal — light frosts run a few weeks later
First Hard Freeze (28°F)
Nov 2
County normal — light frosts arrive a few weeks earlier
County Area
1.0M acres
Hardiness Zone Range
Zone maps are averages across Prowers County. Your yard's slope, trees, and frost pockets shift what actually grows — see your land's exact reading.
Soil in Prowers County
Across Prowers County, the ground is predominantly Alfisols, where Wiley, Baca, and Rocky Ford are the most extensive named soil series. The soil is generally well drained with a silt loam surface. Topsoil pH runs about 7.2–7.9, slightly alkaline. Rainfall drains through hydrologic group C soils.
Soil order
Alfisols
Drainage
Well drained
Hydric soils
1%
Soil still varies lot by lot — soil types explained.
What Grows in Prowers County
Plants matched to Prowers County's USDA zones 6a — each links to its full growing profile.
Is it too late to plant in Prowers County?
Usually not — gardeners here simply switch what goes in the ground as the season moves. Cool-season crops can go in from around Feb 27; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Mar 27 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Nov 2 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. With a season this long, “too late” mostly means “switch crops” — second sowings and a full fall garden are the norm, with garlic closing the year.
Growing Challenges in Colorado
What an experienced grower plans around here — each one has a move.
Low annual rainfall (7-20 inches) means irrigation is essential nearly everywhere
Build the irrigation first — drip plus mulch makes a high-desert garden run on remarkably little water.
High altitude UV and temperature swings stress plants
Harden transplants gradually, shade-cloth their first high-sun week, and keep row covers handy for cold nights.
Very short growing season at elevation (60-90 frost-free days above 8,000 ft)
Above 8,000 feet, count your real frost-free days and choose varieties bred to finish inside them.
Alkaline soils (pH 7.5-8.5) limit acid-loving plants without amendment
A soil test tells you your actual pH — grow acid-lovers in containers of amended mix while the native ground grows everything else.
For cultivar selection, pest pressure, and planting-time guidance specific to Colorado, the Colorado State University Extension is the authoritative local source.
Safe to Grow Here?
What the federal record shows across Prowers County — and how to grow with it.
We checked the federal record across Prowers County — 178 documented sites across 6 of the 9 source types we track.
The most significant on record: 4 Toxics Release Inventory facilities. Active industrial facilities reporting chemical releases to air, water, and land.
The federal record across Prowers County is a modest one — a typical footprint for a growing area. Nothing here calls for alarm; it's worth knowing which recorded sites sit closest to where you grow, and each one on the map carries its type and location. If one turns out to be a near neighbor, a one-time soil test settles the question.
Sources: EPA, USGS — 1.8M documented sites tracked nationwide across 9 federal source types.
Environmental Intelligence
Understanding what's nearby helps you make informed decisions about where and how to grow.
Total Sites
178
across Prowers County
Risk Level
Moderate
Highest-severity
4 Toxics Release Inventory facilities
Sources Checked
across Prowers County
Severity Distribution
across Prowers County
Highest-Severity Sites
A note from Gnorman
What an experienced grower watches for around here
In and around Prowers County, two things run higher than the national average — CAFO (13 sites) and Nitrate (66 sites). Knowing it is half the work — and it's nothing a thoughtful grower can't plan for.
CAFO: CAFOs pose a different contamination profile than chemical sources.
Nitrate: Nitrate contamination primarily comes from agricultural fertilizer runoff and failing septic systems.
Wash all produce consumed raw thoroughly, especially leafy greens grown near CAFOs.
Test well water for nitrate if you rely on a private well for irrigation (EPA standard: 10 mg/L).
Check your specific parcel in Prowers County
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:
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
Prowers County Average
- ●USDA Zones 6a
- ●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
Read your parcel in Prowers County
Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Prowers County, Colorado — soil, sun, drainage, frost risk, and scored plant recommendations.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
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 Prowers County, Colorado
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 6a (USDA PHZM 2023)
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Mar 27 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can follow for a few weeks)
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Nov 2 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can arrive a few weeks earlier)
- Days Between Hard Freezes: ~220 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals)
- County Land Area: 1.0M acres (US Census TIGER 2025)
Zone data: USDA ARS Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023. Climate data: NOAA NCEI. County boundaries: US Census TIGER/Line 2025.
Frost dates here are the Prowers County average. Low spots and tree cover move them by days on any one yard — see your exact frost windows.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hardiness zone is Prowers County, Colorado?
Prowers County sits in USDA hardiness zone 6a, per the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023. Zones reflect average annual extreme minimum temperatures from 1991–2020 weather data.
Is it too late to plant in Prowers County?
Usually not — gardeners here simply switch what goes in the ground as the season moves. Cool-season crops can go in from around Feb 27; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Mar 27 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Nov 2 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. With a season this long, “too late” mostly means “switch crops” — second sowings and a full fall garden are the norm, with garlic closing the year.
When does frost risk typically end in Prowers County?
The last hard freeze (28°F) in Prowers County typically lands around Mar 27, per NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals — an earlier marker than the light-frost dates many planting charts quote. That marks the hard freeze, not the last light frost — light frosts can still bite for a few more weeks, so tender transplants usually wait another 2–3 weeks.
How long is the growing season in Prowers County?
Measured between 28°F hard freezes, Prowers County sees about 220 frost-free days — roughly Mar 27 through Nov 2, per NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals. Tender crops get a somewhat shorter practical window, since lighter frosts reach a few weeks past the hard-freeze dates on both ends.
What vegetables grow in Prowers County?
Prowers County's zone 6a supports a wide range — strong performers include Colorado Blue Spruce, Tomato, Penstemon, Apple, and Peach. 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 Prowers County, really?
Officially, Prowers County sits in USDA zone 6a (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 Prowers County?
The federal record around Prowers County shows 178 documented sites — a typical footprint for a growing area, and proximity to a documented site is information, not a diagnosis of any one yard. It's worth seeing which recorded sites sit closest to where you grow, and testing the soil before new food beds near any of them.
Just moved to Prowers County — what should I know before planting?
Start with three facts. Prowers County sits in USDA zone 6a, which sets what survives winter; the last 28°F hard freeze typically clears around Mar 27, with about 220 frost-free days to work with (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and 178 documented sites sit on the federal record — a typical footprint for a growing area, worth a look on the contamination map before food beds. From there, matching plants to your actual soil and sun is the fun part.
Everything on this page is a Prowers County 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.
Will It Grow Here?
Zone fit is the first question — each answer below reads Colorado's frost window, season length, and soil profile against the plant's real requirements.