What Grows in Cheyenne County, Kansas

USDA Zones 6a · 653K acres

Cheyenne County, in Kansas, sits in USDA hardiness zone 6a — room for a real mix of vegetables, fruit, and perennials matched to the local frost calendar.

Among the crops suited to this profile: tomato, sunflower, peach, and blackberry. The site-level story — soil, sun, drainage — decides the rest.

Cheyenne County lies within the High Plains — a regional growing area with its own character.

Grounded in USDA PHZM 2023 · Growable Ground suitability scoring · NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals

Score your parcel · free

Cheyenne County holds more than one microclimate.

Soils and elevations shift across Cheyenne 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)

Apr 2

County normal — light frosts run a few weeks later

First Hard Freeze (28°F)

Nov 1

County normal — light frosts arrive a few weeks earlier

County Area

653K acres

Hardiness Zone Range

6a6a
3a (Cold)13b (Hot)

Zone maps are averages across Cheyenne County. Your yard's slope, trees, and frost pockets shift what actually grows — see your land's exact reading.

Soil in Cheyenne County

Across Cheyenne County, the ground is predominantly Mollisols, where Colby, Kuma, and Ulysses are the most extensive named soil series. The soil is generally well drained with a silt loam surface. Topsoil pH runs about 7.0–7.9, slightly alkaline. Rainfall drains through hydrologic group B soils.

Soil order

Mollisols

Drainage

Well drained

Prime farmland

2%

Hydric soils

0%

Soil still varies lot by lot — soil types explained.

Is it too late to plant in Cheyenne County?

For most of the year, no — what changes is which crops still fit the days remaining. Cool-season crops can go in from around Mar 5; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Apr 2 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Nov 1 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. A long window like this one runs successions deep into fall — and even its last weeks take quick greens and garlic.

Growing Challenges in Kansas

What an experienced grower plans around here — each one has a move.

Low rainfall in western KS requires irrigation

Out west, drip lines and heavy mulch are the growing season — design the water before the beds.

Extreme wind and hail during severe storm season

Stage row cover for hail season and give young plants a windbreak — quick shelter saves seasons.

Hot dry summers with 100F+ days

Lean on the spring and fall windows, shade the summer survivors, and water deep and early in the day.

For cultivar selection, pest pressure, and planting-time guidance specific to Kansas, the K-State Research and Extension is the authoritative local source.

Safe to Grow Here?

What the federal record shows across Cheyenne County — and how to grow with it.

Federal record: Moderate

We checked the federal record across Cheyenne County167 documented sites across 4 of the 9 source types we track.

The most significant on record: 4 concentrated animal feeding operations. Large-scale animal operations that can contaminate soil and groundwater with nitrates and pathogens.

The federal record across Cheyenne 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, USGS1.8M 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

167

across Cheyenne County

Risk Level

Moderate

Highest-severity

4 concentrated animal feeding operations

Severity Distribution

across Cheyenne County

High0Moderate135Low32

Highest-Severity Sites

01S 37W 20BCC 01
Nitrate Monitoring · Well
01S 37W 20BCC 01
Nitrate Monitoring · Well
01S 38W 02CDC 01
Nitrate Monitoring · Well
01S 38W 02CDC 01
Nitrate Monitoring · Well
01S 38W 02DBB 01
Nitrate Monitoring · Well

A note from Gnorman

What an experienced grower watches for around here

In and around Cheyenne County, two things run higher than the national average — Nitrate (126 sites) and CAFO (4 sites). 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.

CAFO: CAFOs pose a different contamination profile than chemical sources.

Test well water for nitrate if you rely on a private well for irrigation (EPA standard: 10 mg/L).

Wash all produce consumed raw thoroughly, especially leafy greens grown near CAFOs.

Free Report

Check your specific parcel in Cheyenne 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:

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

Cheyenne 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

Free Report

Read your parcel in Cheyenne County

Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Cheyenne County, Kansas — 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 Cheyenne County, Kansas

  • USDA Hardiness Zones: 6a (USDA PHZM 2023)
  • Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Apr 2 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can follow for a few weeks)
  • First Hard Freeze (28°F): Nov 1 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can arrive a few weeks earlier)
  • Days Between Hard Freezes: ~213 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals)
  • County Land Area: 653K 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 Cheyenne 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 Cheyenne County, Kansas?

Cheyenne 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 Cheyenne County?

For most of the year, no — what changes is which crops still fit the days remaining. Cool-season crops can go in from around Mar 5; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Apr 2 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Nov 1 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. A long window like this one runs successions deep into fall — and even its last weeks take quick greens and garlic.

When does frost risk typically end in Cheyenne County?

The last hard freeze (28°F) in Cheyenne County typically lands around Apr 2, 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 Cheyenne County?

Measured between 28°F hard freezes, Cheyenne County sees about 213 frost-free days — roughly Apr 2 through Nov 1, 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 Cheyenne County?

Cheyenne County's zone 6a supports a wide range — strong performers include Tomato, Sunflower, Peach, Blackberry, and Buffalo Grass. 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 Cheyenne County, really?

Officially, Cheyenne 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 Cheyenne County?

The federal record around Cheyenne County shows 167 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 Cheyenne County — what should I know before planting?

Start with three facts. Cheyenne County sits in USDA zone 6a, which sets what survives winter; the last 28°F hard freeze typically clears around Apr 2, with about 213 frost-free days to work with (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and 167 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 Cheyenne 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 Kansas's frost window, season length, and soil profile against the plant's real requirements.