Newaygo County, in Michigan, sits in USDA hardiness zone 5b — a band that supports both cool-season staples and warm-season crops chosen to fit the local frost window.
Crops well matched to these conditions include cherry, blueberry, apple, and asparagus — though what thrives on any one site still turns on its specific soil, sun, and drainage.
Grounded in USDA PHZM 2023 · Growable Ground suitability scoring · NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals
Newaygo County holds more than one microclimate.
Soils and elevations shift across Newaygo 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
5b
Last Hard Freeze (28°F)
Apr 14
County normal — light frosts run a few weeks later
First Hard Freeze (28°F)
Nov 9
County normal — light frosts arrive a few weeks earlier
County Area
537K acres
Hardiness Zone Range
Zone maps are averages across Newaygo County. Your yard's slope, trees, and frost pockets shift what actually grows — see your land's exact reading.
Soil in Newaygo County
Across Newaygo County, the ground is predominantly Entisols, where Plainfield, Coloma, and Grattan are the most extensive named soil series. The soil is generally excessively drained with a sand surface. Topsoil pH runs about 5.3–6.2, moderately acidic. Rainfall drains through hydrologic group A soils.
Soil order
Entisols
Drainage
Excessively drained
Prime farmland
8%
Hydric soils
18%
Soil still varies lot by lot — soil types explained.
What Grows in Newaygo County
Plants matched to Newaygo County's USDA zones 5b — each links to its full growing profile.
Is it too late to plant in Newaygo County?
Too late for some crops, right on time for others — a growing season is a sequence, not a deadline. Cool-season crops can go in from around Mar 17; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Apr 14 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Nov 9 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. Here the season winds down slowly: late sowings, a real autumn harvest, and garlic in the ground before the first hard freeze.
Growing Challenges in Michigan
What an experienced grower plans around here — each one has a move.
Lake effect weather creates highly localized microclimates
Lake effect rewrites the map mile by mile — check your exact site, not your region, before you commit a planting plan.
Short northern season (100-120 frost-free days in UP)
Up north, fast-maturing varieties plus a hoop house or cold frame turn a tight season into a dependable one.
Sandy soils in western MI drain too quickly
Compost and cover crops, applied annually, teach sandy ground to hold water — the west-side fix is organic matter.
For cultivar selection, pest pressure, and planting-time guidance specific to Michigan, the MSU Extension is the authoritative local source.
Safe to Grow Here?
What the federal record shows across Newaygo County — and how to grow with it.
We checked the federal record across Newaygo County — 275 documented sites across 6 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 Newaygo 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 Newaygo County
Severity Distribution
across Newaygo County
Highest-Severity Sites
A note from Gnorman
What an experienced grower watches for around here
In and around Newaygo County, Underground Storage Tanks runs higher than the national average — 169 sites nearby. Knowing it is half the work — and it's nothing a thoughtful grower can't plan for.
Underground Storage Tanks: Underground storage tanks are the single most common source of soil contamination near homes and gardens.
Use raised beds with imported soil — this eliminates the primary soil-contact pathway.
Check your specific parcel in Newaygo 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
Newaygo County Average
- ●USDA Zones 5b
- ●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 Newaygo County
Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Newaygo County, Michigan — 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 Newaygo County, Michigan
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 5b (USDA PHZM 2023)
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Apr 14 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can follow for a few weeks)
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Nov 9 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can arrive a few weeks earlier)
- Days Between Hard Freezes: ~209 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals)
- County Land Area: 537K 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 Newaygo 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 Newaygo County, Michigan?
Newaygo County sits in USDA hardiness zone 5b, 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 Newaygo County?
Too late for some crops, right on time for others — a growing season is a sequence, not a deadline. Cool-season crops can go in from around Mar 17; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Apr 14 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Nov 9 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. Here the season winds down slowly: late sowings, a real autumn harvest, and garlic in the ground before the first hard freeze.
When does frost risk typically end in Newaygo County?
The last hard freeze (28°F) in Newaygo County typically lands around Apr 14, 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 Newaygo County?
Measured between 28°F hard freezes, Newaygo County sees about 209 frost-free days — roughly Apr 14 through Nov 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 Newaygo County?
Newaygo County's zone 5b supports a wide range — strong performers include Cherry, Blueberry, Apple, Asparagus, and White Pine. 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 Newaygo County, really?
Officially, Newaygo County sits in USDA zone 5b (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 Newaygo County?
The federal record around Newaygo County is a meaningful one — 275 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 Newaygo County — what should I know before planting?
Start with three facts. Newaygo County sits in USDA zone 5b, which sets what survives winter; the last 28°F hard freeze typically clears around Apr 14, with about 209 frost-free days to work with (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and 275 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 Newaygo 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 Michigan's frost window, season length, and soil profile against the plant's real requirements.