What Grows in Mound City, Kansas

USDA Zones 6a-7b · 740 acres

Mound City, Kansas, sits in USDA hardiness zones 6a-7b — room for a real mix of vegetables, fruit, and perennials matched to the local frost calendar.

Reliable performers under these conditions include tomato, sunflower, peach, and blackberry; what your own ground favors still comes down to its soil, sun, and drainage.

Score your parcel · free

Even in Mound 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 Mound 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.

No card required · your full report in seconds

Quick Facts

USDA Zones

6a-7b

Last Hard Freeze (28°F)

Mar 5

Town normal — light frosts run a few weeks later

First Hard Freeze (28°F)

Nov 28

Town normal — light frosts arrive a few weeks earlier

City Area

740 acres

Hardiness Zone Range

6a
7b
3a (Cold)13b (Hot)

Zone maps are averages across Mound 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.

Is it too late to plant in Mound City?

Almost never — the real question is what to plant next. Cool-season crops can go in from around Feb 5; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Mar 5 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Nov 28 — 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 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.

Environmental Intelligence

Understanding what's nearby helps you make informed decisions about where and how to grow.

Total Sites

78

within ~10 miles of Mound City

Risk Level

Moderate

Highest-severity

2 Toxics Release Inventory facilities

Severity Distribution

within ~10 miles of Mound City

High0Moderate55Low23

Highest-Severity Sites

20S 23E 36CB 01
Nitrate Monitoring · Well
20S 23E 36CB 01
Nitrate Monitoring · Well
21S 23E 06A 01
Nitrate Monitoring · Well
21S 23E 06A 01
Nitrate Monitoring · Well
21S 23E 06CA 01
Nitrate Monitoring · Well

A note from Gnorman

What an experienced grower watches for around here

In and around Mound City, Nitrate runs higher than the national average — 48 sites nearby. That's not a problem with your land — it's information about it.

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).

Free Report

Check your specific parcel in Mound 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:

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

Mound 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

Free Report

Read your specific parcel in Mound City

Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Mound City, 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 Mound City, Kansas

  • USDA Hardiness Zones: 6a-7b (USDA PHZM 2023)
  • Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Mar 5 (town normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can follow for a few weeks)
  • First Hard Freeze (28°F): Nov 28 (town normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can arrive a few weeks earlier)
  • Days Between Hard Freezes: ~268 (town normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals)
  • Land Area: 740 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 Mound City, Kansas?

Mound 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 Mound City?

Almost never — the real question is what to plant next. Cool-season crops can go in from around Feb 5; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Mar 5 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Nov 28 — 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 Mound City?

The last hard freeze (28°F) in Mound City typically lands around Mar 5, 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 Mound City?

The first hard freeze (28°F) in Mound City typically arrives around Nov 28, 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 Mound City?

Mound City's zones 6a-7b support 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 Mound City, really?

Officially, Mound 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 Mound City?

The federal record around Mound City shows 78 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 Mound City?

As the season closes around the first 28°F hard freeze near Nov 28 (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 Mound 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.