What Grows in Rose Hill, Kansas

USDA Zones 7a-8b · 1K acres

Rose Hill, Kansas, sits in USDA hardiness zones 7a-8b — room for a real mix of vegetables, fruit, and perennials matched to the local frost calendar.

Expect tomato, sunflower, peach, and blackberry to be strong candidates here; the deciding factors on any one parcel stay local — soil, sun, and drainage.

Score your parcel · free

Even in Rose Hill, 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 Rose Hill 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

7a-8b

Last Hard Freeze (28°F)

Mar 6

Town normal — light frosts run a few weeks later

First Hard Freeze (28°F)

Nov 24

Town normal — light frosts arrive a few weeks earlier

City Area

1K acres

Hardiness Zone Range

7a
8b
3a (Cold)13b (Hot)

Zone maps are averages across Rose Hill. 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 Rose Hill?

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 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 Nov 24 — 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

503

within ~10 miles of Rose Hill

Risk Level

Elevated

Highest-severity

2 Superfund sites

Severity Distribution

within ~10 miles of Rose Hill

High7Moderate207Low289

Highest-Severity Sites

Rose Hill, City of
PFAS Sampling · PFAS Detected
27S 03E 14CCC 01
Nitrate Monitoring · Well
27S 03E 14CCC 01
Nitrate Monitoring · Well
27S 03E 16CDC 01
Nitrate Monitoring · Well
27S 03E 16CDC 01
Nitrate Monitoring · Well

A note from Gnorman

What an experienced grower watches for around here

In and around Rose Hill, two things run higher than the national average — PFAS (6 sites) and Nitrate (144 sites). It's not cause for alarm — it's worth knowing, and there's a sensible way to grow around it.

PFAS: PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are called "forever chemicals" because they do not biodegrade.

Nitrate: Nitrate contamination primarily comes from agricultural fertilizer runoff and failing septic systems.

Test irrigation water source — this is the primary pathway for PFAS to reach garden crops.

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 Rose Hill

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

Rose Hill Average

  • USDA Zones 7a-8b
  • 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 Rose Hill

Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Rose Hill, 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 Rose Hill, Kansas

  • USDA Hardiness Zones: 7a-8b (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): Nov 24 (town normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can arrive a few weeks earlier)
  • Days Between Hard Freezes: ~263 (town normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals)
  • Land Area: 1K 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 Rose Hill, Kansas?

Rose Hill sits in USDA hardiness zones 7a-8b, 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 Rose Hill?

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 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 Nov 24 — 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 Rose Hill?

The last hard freeze (28°F) in Rose Hill 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 Rose Hill?

The first hard freeze (28°F) in Rose Hill typically arrives around Nov 24, 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 Rose Hill?

Rose Hill's zones 7a-8b 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 Rose Hill, really?

Officially, Rose Hill sits in USDA zones 7a-8b (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 Rose Hill?

The federal record around Rose Hill is a meaningful one — 503 documented sites — so a soil test before new food beds is a sensible precaution here, not a reason to hold back from growing. Remember that proximity to a documented site is information, not a diagnosis of any one yard; the contamination map shows exactly what sits where.

How do I protect my plants from frost in Rose Hill?

As the season closes around the first 28°F hard freeze near Nov 24 (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 Rose Hill 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.