Benton County, in Indiana, sits in USDA hardiness zone 5b — a zone band wide enough that plant choice, not possibility, is the interesting question.
Crops well matched to these conditions include tomato, sweet corn, pawpaw, and peony — though what thrives on any one site still turns on its specific soil, sun, and drainage.
Grounded in USDA PHZM 2023 · Growable Ground suitability scoring · NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals
Benton County holds more than one microclimate.
Soils and elevations shift across Benton 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.
No card required · your full report in seconds
Quick Facts
USDA Zones
5b
Last Hard Freeze (28°F)
Mar 27
County normal — light frosts run a few weeks later
First Hard Freeze (28°F)
Nov 16
County normal — light frosts arrive a few weeks earlier
County Area
260K acres
Hardiness Zone Range
Zone maps are averages across Benton County. Your yard's slope, trees, and frost pockets shift what actually grows — see your land's exact reading.
Soil in Benton County
Across Benton County, the ground is predominantly Mollisols, where Chalmers, Selma, and Odell are the most extensive named soil series. The soil is generally poorly drained with a silt loam surface. Topsoil pH runs about 6.5–6.7, neutral. Rainfall drains through hydrologic group B/D soils.
Soil order
Mollisols
Drainage
Poorly drained
Prime farmland
26%
Hydric soils
43%
Soil still varies lot by lot — soil types explained.
What Grows in Benton County
Plants matched to Benton County's USDA zones 5b — each links to its full growing profile.
Is it too late to plant in Benton County?
Too late for some crops, right on time for others — a growing season is a sequence, not a deadline. 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 16 — 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 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.
Safe to Grow Here?
What the federal record shows across Benton County — and how to grow with it.
We checked the federal record across Benton County — 61 documented sites across 3 of the 9 source types we track.
The most significant on record: 2 Toxics Release Inventory facilities. Active industrial facilities reporting chemical releases to air, water, and land.
The federal record across Benton 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
61
across Benton County
Risk Level
Moderate
Highest-severity
2 Toxics Release Inventory facilities
Sources Checked
across Benton County
Severity Distribution
across Benton County
Highest-Severity Sites
A note from Gnorman
What an experienced grower watches for around here
In and around Benton County, Underground Storage Tanks runs higher than the national average — 47 sites nearby. It's not cause for alarm — it's worth knowing, and there's a sensible way to grow around it.
Underground Storage Tanks: Underground storage tanks are the single most common source of soil contamination near homes and gardens.
Use raised beds with imported soil — this eliminates the primary soil-contact pathway.
Check your specific parcel in Benton 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
Benton County Average
- ●USDA Zones 5b
- ●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 Benton County
Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Benton County, 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 Benton County, Indiana
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 5b (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 16 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can arrive a few weeks earlier)
- Days Between Hard Freezes: ~234 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals)
- County Land Area: 260K 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 Benton 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 Benton County, Indiana?
Benton County sits in USDA hardiness zone 5b, 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 Benton County?
Too late for some crops, right on time for others — a growing season is a sequence, not a deadline. 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 16 — 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 Benton County?
The last hard freeze (28°F) in Benton 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 Benton County?
Measured between 28°F hard freezes, Benton County sees about 234 frost-free days — roughly Mar 27 through Nov 16, 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 Benton County?
Benton County's zone 5b supports 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 Benton County, really?
Officially, Benton County sits in USDA zone 5b (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 Benton County?
The federal record around Benton County shows 61 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 Benton County — what should I know before planting?
Start with three facts. Benton County sits in USDA zone 5b, which sets what survives winter; the last 28°F hard freeze typically clears around Mar 27, with about 234 frost-free days to work with (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and 61 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 Benton 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 Indiana's frost window, season length, and soil profile against the plant's real requirements.