Clay City, Indiana, sits in USDA hardiness zones 6a-7b — enough range to grow cool-season vegetables, hardy fruit, and warm-season crops that mature before the first hard frost.
Expect tomato, sweet corn, pawpaw, and peony to be strong candidates here; the deciding factors on any one parcel stay local — soil, sun, and drainage.
Even in Clay City, 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 Clay City 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 16
Town normal — light frosts run a few weeks later
First Hard Freeze (28°F)
Nov 21
Town normal — light frosts arrive a few weeks earlier
Town Area
345 acres
Hardiness Zone Range
Zone maps are averages across Clay City. 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 Clay City
Plants matched to Clay City's USDA zones 6a-7b — each links to its full growing profile.
Is it too late to plant in Clay City?
For most of the year, no — what changes is which crops still fit the days remaining. Cool-season crops can go in from around Feb 16; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Mar 16 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Nov 21 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. Here the season winds down slowly: late sowings, a real autumn harvest, and garlic in the ground before the first hard freeze.
Growing Challenges in Indiana
What an experienced grower plans around here — each one has a move.
Heavy clay soils limit drainage in many areas
Mounded rows and compost open clay up — and where water still stands, a raised bed ends the argument.
Late spring frosts through early May
Hold tender transplants until your local last-frost normal clears — hardy greens will happily take the early slot.
Hot humid summers promote blight and mildew
Mulch to stop soil splash, water at the base, and rotate crop families — the blight playbook your extension teaches.
For cultivar selection, pest pressure, and planting-time guidance specific to Indiana, the Purdue Extension is the authoritative local source.
Environmental Intelligence
Understanding what's nearby helps you make informed decisions about where and how to grow.
Total Sites
97
within ~10 miles of Clay City
Risk Level
Moderate
Highest-severity
3 Toxics Release Inventory facilities
Sources Checked
within ~10 miles of Clay City
Severity Distribution
within ~10 miles of Clay City
Highest-Severity Sites
A note from Gnorman
What an experienced grower watches for around here
In and around Clay City, Nitrate runs higher than the national average — 48 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).
Check your specific parcel in Clay City
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
Clay City 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 Clay City
Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Clay City, Indiana — 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 Clay City, Indiana
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 6a-7b (USDA PHZM 2023)
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Mar 16 (town normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can follow for a few weeks)
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Nov 21 (town normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can arrive a few weeks earlier)
- Days Between Hard Freezes: ~250 (town normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals)
- Land Area: 345 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 Clay City, Indiana?
Clay City 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 Clay City?
For most of the year, no — what changes is which crops still fit the days remaining. Cool-season crops can go in from around Feb 16; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Mar 16 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Nov 21 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. Here the season winds down slowly: late sowings, a real autumn harvest, and garlic in the ground before the first hard freeze.
When does frost risk typically end in Clay City?
The last hard freeze (28°F) in Clay City typically lands around Mar 16, 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 Clay City?
The first hard freeze (28°F) in Clay City typically arrives around Nov 21, 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 Clay City?
Clay City's zones 6a-7b support a wide range — strong performers include Tomato, Sweet Corn, Pawpaw, Peony, and Apple. 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 Clay City, really?
Officially, Clay City 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 Clay City?
The federal record around Clay City shows 97 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.
How do I protect my plants from frost in Clay City?
As the season closes around the first 28°F hard freeze near Nov 21 (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 Clay City 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.