What Grows in Trigg County, Kentucky

USDA Zones 7a · 283K acres

Trigg County, in Kentucky, sits in USDA hardiness zone 7a — a band that supports both cool-season staples and warm-season crops chosen to fit the local frost window.

Growers here do well with pawpaw, tomato, blackberry, and redbud — with the usual caveat that any single yard's soil, sun, and drainage cast the deciding vote.

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

Score your parcel · free

Trigg County holds more than one microclimate.

Soils and elevations shift across Trigg 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

7a

Last Hard Freeze (28°F)

Feb 20

County normal — light frosts run a few weeks later

First Hard Freeze (28°F)

Dec 9

County normal — light frosts arrive a few weeks earlier

County Area

283K acres

Hardiness Zone Range

7a7a
3a (Cold)13b (Hot)

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

Soil in Trigg County

Across Trigg County, the ground is predominantly Alfisols, where Hammack, Brandon, and Baxter are the most extensive named soil series. The soil is generally well drained with a silt loam surface. Topsoil pH runs about 5.0–6.2, moderately acidic. Rainfall drains through hydrologic group B soils.

Soil order

Alfisols

Drainage

Well drained

Prime farmland

25%

Hydric soils

0%

Soil still varies lot by lot — soil types explained.

Is it too late to plant in Trigg 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 Jan 23; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Feb 20 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Dec 9 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. And with a calendar this mild, the honest answer is that planting barely stops — winter opens seasons colder regions never see.

Growing Challenges in Kentucky

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

Heavy clay soils in the Bluegrass region

Bluegrass clay opens up with steady compost — or start above it in a raised bed and grow while the ground improves.

High humidity promotes fungal diseases

Space wide, water mornings at the base, and favor resistant varieties — your extension's disease-resistant lists earn their keep here.

Karst topography creates drainage unpredictability

Karst ground drains erratically — watch where water goes in a hard rain before siting beds, and mound up where it lingers.

For cultivar selection, pest pressure, and planting-time guidance specific to Kentucky, the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension is the authoritative local source.

Safe to Grow Here?

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

Federal record: Moderate

We checked the federal record across Trigg County133 documented sites across 5 of the 9 source types we track.

The most significant on record: 3 Toxics Release Inventory facilities. Active industrial facilities reporting chemical releases to air, water, and land.

The federal record across Trigg 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

133

across Trigg County

Risk Level

Moderate

Highest-severity

3 Toxics Release Inventory facilities

Severity Distribution

across Trigg County

High1Moderate64Low68

Highest-Severity Sites

Cadiz Municipal Water CO
PFAS Sampling · PFAS Detected
4 Way Stop & Go
Underground Storage Tanks · Open UST(S)
Caseys General Store #3087
Underground Storage Tanks · Open UST(S)
Dailys 3051
Underground Storage Tanks · Open UST(S)
Dailys 3051
Underground Storage Tanks · Open UST(S)

A note from Gnorman

What an experienced grower watches for around here

In and around Trigg County, two things run higher than the national average — Nitrate (42 sites) and Underground Storage Tanks (86 sites). 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.

Underground Storage Tanks: Underground storage tanks are the single most common source of soil contamination near homes and gardens.

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

Use raised beds with imported soil — this eliminates the primary soil-contact pathway.

Free Report

Check your specific parcel in Trigg 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

Trigg County Average

  • USDA Zones 7a
  • 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 Trigg County

Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Trigg County, Kentucky — 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 Trigg County, Kentucky

  • USDA Hardiness Zones: 7a (USDA PHZM 2023)
  • Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Feb 20 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can follow for a few weeks)
  • First Hard Freeze (28°F): Dec 9 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can arrive a few weeks earlier)
  • Days Between Hard Freezes: ~292 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals)
  • County Land Area: 283K 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 Trigg 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 Trigg County, Kentucky?

Trigg County sits in USDA hardiness zone 7a, 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 Trigg 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 Jan 23; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Feb 20 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Dec 9 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. And with a calendar this mild, the honest answer is that planting barely stops — winter opens seasons colder regions never see.

When does frost risk typically end in Trigg County?

The last hard freeze (28°F) in Trigg County typically lands around Feb 20, 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 Trigg County?

Measured between 28°F hard freezes, Trigg County sees about 292 frost-free days — roughly Feb 20 through Dec 9, 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 Trigg County?

Trigg County's zone 7a supports a wide range — strong performers include Pawpaw, Tomato, Blackberry, Redbud, and Kentucky Bluegrass. 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 Trigg County, really?

Officially, Trigg County sits in USDA zone 7a (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 Trigg County?

The federal record around Trigg County shows 133 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 Trigg County — what should I know before planting?

Start with three facts. Trigg County sits in USDA zone 7a, which sets what survives winter; the last 28°F hard freeze typically clears around Feb 20, with about 292 frost-free days to work with (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and 133 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 Trigg 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 Kentucky's frost window, season length, and soil profile against the plant's real requirements.