Howard County, in Maryland, sits in USDA hardiness zone 7b — enough range to grow cool-season vegetables, hardy fruit, and warm-season crops that mature before the first hard frost.
These conditions suit tomato, black-eyed susan, peach, and sweet corn — a starting list any specific site will trim or extend with its own soil, sun, and drainage.
Grounded in USDA PHZM 2023 · Growable Ground suitability scoring · NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals
Howard County holds more than one microclimate.
Soils and elevations shift across Howard 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
7b
Last Hard Freeze (28°F)
Mar 15
County normal — light frosts run a few weeks later
First Hard Freeze (28°F)
Dec 1
County normal — light frosts arrive a few weeks earlier
County Area
161K acres
Hardiness Zone Range
Zone maps are averages across Howard County. Your yard's slope, trees, and frost pockets shift what actually grows — see your land's exact reading.
Soil in Howard County
Across Howard County, the ground is predominantly Ultisols, where Glenelg, Manor, and Gladstone are the most extensive named soil series. The soil is generally well drained with a loam surface. Topsoil pH runs about 5.3–6.0, moderately acidic. Rainfall drains through hydrologic group B soils.
Soil order
Ultisols
Drainage
Well drained
Prime farmland
33%
Hydric soils
9%
Soil still varies lot by lot — soil types explained.
What Grows in Howard County
Plants matched to Howard County's USDA zones 7b — each links to its full growing profile.
Is it too late to plant in Howard County?
Usually not — gardeners here simply switch what goes in the ground as the season moves. Cool-season crops can go in from around Feb 15; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Mar 15 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Dec 1 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. Here the calendar nearly circles: cool-season crops take the winter shift, and the next window is always close.
Growing Challenges in Maryland
What an experienced grower plans around here — each one has a move.
Heavy Piedmont clay drains poorly
A raised bed today, compost every fall — Piedmont clay becomes an asset once the drainage is yours.
Humidity and heat in summer promote disease
Morning watering at the base, room to breathe between plants, resistant varieties — the humid-summer basics, per your extension.
Deer pressure in suburban areas is extreme
A tall fence is the answer that holds; for everything outside it, lean toward the plants deer reliably skip.
For cultivar selection, pest pressure, and planting-time guidance specific to Maryland, the University of Maryland Extension is the authoritative local source.
Safe to Grow Here?
What the federal record shows across Howard County — and how to grow with it.
We checked the federal record across Howard County — 1,216 documented sites across 7 of the 9 source types we track.
The most significant on record: 1 Superfund site. Sites tracked in EPA's Superfund program — from assessment-stage CERCLIS entries to confirmed National Priorities List cleanup sites.
There's a meaningful federal record across Howard County — worth a look before you plant food, not a reason to hold back from growing. Proximity to a documented site is information, not a diagnosis of any one yard. A soil test before new food beds is the sensible precaution here, and the map shows exactly which sites sit where, so you can see what's actually near you.
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.
Sources Checked
across Howard County
Severity Distribution
across Howard County
Highest-Severity Sites
Know Before You Grow
- •Raised beds with imported soil can reduce exposure risk near brownfield sites.
- •Underground tanks can leak petroleum products. Soil testing near former gas stations is recommended.
- •Test well water for nitrates if you rely on a private well. Levels above 10 mg/L require treatment.
Check your specific parcel in Howard 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
Howard County Average
- ●USDA Zones 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
Read your parcel in Howard County
Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Howard County, Maryland — 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 Howard County, Maryland
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 7b (USDA PHZM 2023)
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Mar 15 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can follow for a few weeks)
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Dec 1 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can arrive a few weeks earlier)
- Days Between Hard Freezes: ~261 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals)
- County Land Area: 161K 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 Howard 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 Howard County, Maryland?
Howard County sits in USDA hardiness zone 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 Howard County?
Usually not — gardeners here simply switch what goes in the ground as the season moves. Cool-season crops can go in from around Feb 15; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Mar 15 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Dec 1 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. Here the calendar nearly circles: cool-season crops take the winter shift, and the next window is always close.
When does frost risk typically end in Howard County?
The last hard freeze (28°F) in Howard County typically lands around Mar 15, 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 Howard County?
Measured between 28°F hard freezes, Howard County sees about 261 frost-free days — roughly Mar 15 through Dec 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 Howard County?
Howard County's zone 7b supports a wide range — strong performers include Tomato, Black-eyed Susan, Peach, Sweet Corn, and Crab 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 Howard County, really?
Officially, Howard County sits in USDA zone 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 Howard County?
The federal record around Howard County is a meaningful one — 1,216 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.
Just moved to Howard County — what should I know before planting?
Start with three facts. Howard County sits in USDA zone 7b, which sets what survives winter; the last 28°F hard freeze typically clears around Mar 15, with about 261 frost-free days to work with (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and 1,216 documented sites sit on the federal record here, so a soil test before food beds is the smart first step. From there, matching plants to your actual soil and sun is the fun part.
Everything on this page is a Howard 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 Maryland's frost window, season length, and soil profile against the plant's real requirements.