Kent Acres, Delaware, sits in USDA hardiness zones 6a-7b — room for a real mix of vegetables, fruit, and perennials matched to the local frost calendar.
Expect tomato, sweet corn, peach, and blueberry to be strong candidates here; the deciding factors on any one parcel stay local — soil, sun, and drainage.
Even in Kent Acres, 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 Kent Acres 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.
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Quick Facts
USDA Zones
6a-7b
Last Hard Freeze (28°F)
Mar 6
Town normal — light frosts run a few weeks later
First Hard Freeze (28°F)
Dec 13
Town normal — light frosts arrive a few weeks earlier
Town Area
543 acres
Hardiness Zone Range
Zone maps are averages across Kent Acres. 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.
What Grows in Kent Acres
Plants matched to Kent Acres's USDA zones 6a-7b — each links to its full growing profile.
Is it too late to plant in Kent Acres?
Usually not — gardeners here simply switch what goes in the ground as the season moves. Cool-season crops can go in from around Feb 6; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Mar 6 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Dec 13 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. In a climate this gentle, “too late” hardly applies — the question becomes which crops prefer the cooler months ahead.
Growing Challenges in Delaware
What an experienced grower plans around here — each one has a move.
Sandy soils in southern DE drain too quickly
Organic matter is the fix, applied annually — compost and cover crops teach sandy ground to hold water and nutrients.
Salt spray damage near the coast
Salt-tolerant species up front and a windbreak line behind — a layered coastal defense that catches the spray.
Rising water tables in low-lying areas
Where the water table rises, grow up: mounded rows and raised beds keep roots out of saturated ground.
For cultivar selection, pest pressure, and planting-time guidance specific to Delaware, the University of Delaware Cooperative Extension is the authoritative local source.
Environmental Intelligence
Understanding what's nearby helps you make informed decisions about where and how to grow.
Sources Checked
within ~10 miles of Kent Acres
Severity Distribution
within ~10 miles of Kent Acres
Highest-Severity Sites
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.
- •Test well water for nitrates if you rely on a private well. Levels above 10 mg/L require treatment.
Check your specific parcel in Kent Acres
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
Kent Acres Average
- ●USDA Zones 6a-7b
- ●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 specific parcel in Kent Acres
Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Kent Acres, Delaware — 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 Kent Acres, Delaware
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 6a-7b (USDA PHZM 2023)
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Mar 6 (town normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can follow for a few weeks)
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Dec 13 (town normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can arrive a few weeks earlier)
- Days Between Hard Freezes: ~282 (town normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals)
- Land Area: 543 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 Kent Acres, Delaware?
Kent Acres sits in USDA hardiness zones 6a-7b, 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 Kent Acres?
Usually not — gardeners here simply switch what goes in the ground as the season moves. Cool-season crops can go in from around Feb 6; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Mar 6 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Dec 13 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. In a climate this gentle, “too late” hardly applies — the question becomes which crops prefer the cooler months ahead.
When does frost risk typically end in Kent Acres?
The last hard freeze (28°F) in Kent Acres typically lands around Mar 6, 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.
When is the first frost in Kent Acres?
The first hard freeze (28°F) in Kent Acres typically arrives around Dec 13, per NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals — the point most tender summer crops finish. Lighter frosts usually reach a couple of weeks earlier, so watch the forecast from late summer on and harvest or cover tender plants before the first cold night.
What vegetables grow in Kent Acres?
Kent Acres's zones 6a-7b support a wide range — strong performers include Tomato, Sweet Corn, Peach, Blueberry, and Holly. 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 Kent Acres, really?
Officially, Kent Acres sits in USDA zones 6a-7b (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 Kent Acres?
The federal record around Kent Acres runs heavier than most — 659 documented sites — so test the soil before planting food in the ground, and raised beds with clean imported soil grow well in the meantime. Even here, proximity to a documented site is information, not a diagnosis of any one yard; the contamination map shows exactly what's recorded and where.
How do I protect my plants from frost in Kent Acres?
As the season closes around the first 28°F hard freeze near Dec 13 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals), 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 Kent Acres 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.