Stearns County, in Minnesota, sits in USDA hardiness zone 4b — a band that supports both cool-season staples and warm-season crops chosen to fit the local frost window.
Expect honeycrisp apple, wild rice, tomato, and red pine to be strong candidates here; the deciding factors on any one parcel stay local — soil, sun, and drainage.
Grounded in USDA PHZM 2023 · Growable Ground suitability scoring · NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals
Stearns County holds more than one microclimate.
Soils and elevations shift across Stearns 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
4b
Last Hard Freeze (28°F)
Apr 15
County normal — light frosts run a few weeks later
First Hard Freeze (28°F)
Oct 28
County normal — light frosts arrive a few weeks earlier
County Area
859K acres
Hardiness Zone Range
Zone maps are averages across Stearns County. Your yard's slope, trees, and frost pockets shift what actually grows — see your land's exact reading.
Soil in Stearns County
Across Stearns County, the ground is predominantly Mollisols, where Cushing, Arvilla, and Nebish are the most extensive named soil series. The soil is generally well drained with a loam surface. Topsoil pH runs about 6.3–7.0, neutral. Rainfall drains through hydrologic group A soils.
Soil order
Mollisols
Drainage
Well drained
Prime farmland
30%
Hydric soils
34%
Soil still varies lot by lot — soil types explained.
What Grows in Stearns County
Plants matched to Stearns County's USDA zones 4b — each links to its full growing profile.
Is it too late to plant in Stearns County?
Almost never — the real question is what to plant next. Cool-season crops can go in from around Mar 18; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Apr 15 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Oct 28 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. Even past midsummer there is room for a true fall garden here, and garlic planted near the close carries the momentum into next year.
Growing Challenges in Minnesota
What an experienced grower plans around here — each one has a move.
Extreme cold (zone 3a: -40F) limits many species
Plant to zone 3 realities and the garden thrives — the hardy-plant palette here is deeper than most catalogs suggest.
Short growing season (100-140 frost-free days)
Start transplants indoors and add a cold frame — the standard Minnesota moves that stretch a short season into a full one.
Heavy clay soils in the Red River Valley
Valley clay grows world-class crops once drainage is handled — raised beds do it instantly, compost does it permanently.
For cultivar selection, pest pressure, and planting-time guidance specific to Minnesota, the University of Minnesota Extension is the authoritative local source.
Safe to Grow Here?
What the federal record shows across Stearns County — and how to grow with it.
We checked the federal record across Stearns County — 1,826 documented sites across 7 of the 9 source types we track.
The most significant on record: 4 Superfund sites. Sites tracked in EPA's Superfund program — from assessment-stage CERCLIS entries to confirmed National Priorities List cleanup sites.
Stearns County carries one of the heavier federal records we track — and that's not a verdict on your yard. Proximity to a documented site is information, not a diagnosis: nothing here says any particular parcel is affected. It does earn one concrete step — before food beds go in the ground, a professional soil test tells you exactly what you're working with, and raised beds with clean imported soil grow well almost anywhere in the meantime.
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 Stearns County
Severity Distribution
across Stearns County
Highest-Severity Sites
A note from Gnorman
What an experienced grower watches for around here
In and around Stearns County, two things run higher than the national average — CAFO (37 sites) and Nitrate (582 sites). Knowing it is half the work — and it's nothing a thoughtful grower can't plan for.
CAFO: CAFOs pose a different contamination profile than chemical sources.
Nitrate: Nitrate contamination primarily comes from agricultural fertilizer runoff and failing septic systems.
Wash all produce consumed raw thoroughly, especially leafy greens grown near CAFOs.
Test well water for nitrate if you rely on a private well for irrigation (EPA standard: 10 mg/L).
Check your specific parcel in Stearns 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
Stearns County Average
- ●USDA Zones 4b
- ●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 Stearns County
Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Stearns County, Minnesota — 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 Stearns County, Minnesota
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 4b (USDA PHZM 2023)
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Apr 15 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can follow for a few weeks)
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Oct 28 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can arrive a few weeks earlier)
- Days Between Hard Freezes: ~196 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals)
- County Land Area: 859K 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 Stearns 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 Stearns County, Minnesota?
Stearns County sits in USDA hardiness zone 4b, 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 Stearns County?
Almost never — the real question is what to plant next. Cool-season crops can go in from around Mar 18; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Apr 15 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Oct 28 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. Even past midsummer there is room for a true fall garden here, and garlic planted near the close carries the momentum into next year.
When does frost risk typically end in Stearns County?
The last hard freeze (28°F) in Stearns County typically lands around Apr 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 Stearns County?
Measured between 28°F hard freezes, Stearns County sees about 196 frost-free days — roughly Apr 15 through Oct 28, 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 Stearns County?
Stearns County's zone 4b supports a wide range — strong performers include Honeycrisp Apple, Wild Rice, Tomato, and Red 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 Stearns County, really?
Officially, Stearns County sits in USDA zone 4b (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 Stearns County?
The federal record around Stearns County runs heavier than most — 1,826 documented sites — so test the soil before planting food in the ground, and raised beds with clean imported soil grow well in the meantime. Even here, proximity to a documented site is information, not a diagnosis of any one yard; the contamination map shows exactly what's recorded and where.
Just moved to Stearns County — what should I know before planting?
Start with three facts. Stearns County sits in USDA zone 4b, which sets what survives winter; the last 28°F hard freeze typically clears around Apr 15, with about 196 frost-free days to work with (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and 1,826 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 Stearns 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 Minnesota's frost window, season length, and soil profile against the plant's real requirements.