Pulaski County, in Missouri, sits in USDA hardiness zone 6b — a range where zone-matched perennials and frost-aware annual timing set what succeeds.
The conditions favor tomato, peach, grape, and dogwood, among others — though every individual site edits that list with its own soil, sun, and drainage.
Pulaski County lies within the Ozarks — a regional growing area with its own character.
Grounded in USDA PHZM 2023 · Growable Ground suitability scoring · NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals
Pulaski County holds more than one microclimate.
Soils and elevations shift across Pulaski 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
6b
Last Hard Freeze (28°F)
Mar 8
County normal — light frosts run a few weeks later
First Hard Freeze (28°F)
Nov 28
County normal — light frosts arrive a few weeks earlier
County Area
350K acres
Hardiness Zone Range
Zone maps are averages across Pulaski County. Your yard's slope, trees, and frost pockets shift what actually grows — see your land's exact reading.
Soil in Pulaski County
Across Pulaski County, the ground is predominantly Alfisols, where Clarksville, Poynor, and Union are the most extensive named soil series. The soil is generally moderately well drained with a very gravelly silt loam surface. Topsoil pH runs about 5.0–6.1, strongly acidic. Rainfall drains through hydrologic group C soils.
Soil order
Alfisols
Drainage
Moderately well drained
Prime farmland
5%
Hydric soils
1%
Soil still varies lot by lot — soil types explained.
What Grows in Pulaski County
Plants matched to Pulaski County's USDA zones 6b — each links to its full growing profile.
Is it too late to plant in Pulaski County?
Almost never — the real question is what to plant next. Cool-season crops can go in from around Feb 8; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Mar 8 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Nov 28 — 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 Missouri
What an experienced grower plans around here — each one has a move.
Highly variable weather with late frosts and early heat
Let your local frost normals call the plantings — Missouri springs punish the calendar-planters and reward the patient.
Heavy clay soils in many regions
Raised beds solve clay drainage the first weekend — and yearly compost turns the ground under them into loam.
Ozark soils are thin and rocky
One soil test shows what thin Ozark ground actually holds — then build up with compost or beds where the depth runs out.
For cultivar selection, pest pressure, and planting-time guidance specific to Missouri, the MU Extension is the authoritative local source.
Safe to Grow Here?
What the federal record shows across Pulaski County — and how to grow with it.
We checked the federal record across Pulaski County — 330 documented sites across 8 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 Pulaski 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.
Severity Distribution
across Pulaski County
Highest-Severity Sites
A note from Gnorman
What an experienced grower watches for around here
In and around Pulaski County, two things run higher than the national average — Nitrate (220 sites) and PFAS (5 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.
PFAS: PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are called "forever chemicals" because they do not biodegrade.
Test well water for nitrate if you rely on a private well for irrigation (EPA standard: 10 mg/L).
Test irrigation water source — this is the primary pathway for PFAS to reach garden crops.
Check your specific parcel in Pulaski 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
Pulaski County Average
- ●USDA Zones 6b
- ●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 Pulaski County
Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Pulaski County, Missouri — 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 Pulaski County, Missouri
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 6b (USDA PHZM 2023)
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Mar 8 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can follow for a few weeks)
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Nov 28 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can arrive a few weeks earlier)
- Days Between Hard Freezes: ~265 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals)
- County Land Area: 350K 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 Pulaski 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 Pulaski County, Missouri?
Pulaski County sits in USDA hardiness zone 6b, 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 Pulaski County?
Almost never — the real question is what to plant next. Cool-season crops can go in from around Feb 8; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Mar 8 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Nov 28 — 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 Pulaski County?
The last hard freeze (28°F) in Pulaski County typically lands around Mar 8, 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 Pulaski County?
Measured between 28°F hard freezes, Pulaski County sees about 265 frost-free days — roughly Mar 8 through Nov 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 Pulaski County?
Pulaski County's zone 6b supports a wide range — strong performers include Tomato, Peach, Grape, Dogwood, and Blackberry. 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 Pulaski County, really?
Officially, Pulaski County sits in USDA zone 6b (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 Pulaski County?
The federal record around Pulaski County is a meaningful one — 330 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 Pulaski County — what should I know before planting?
Start with three facts. Pulaski County sits in USDA zone 6b, which sets what survives winter; the last 28°F hard freeze typically clears around Mar 8, with about 265 frost-free days to work with (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and 330 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 Pulaski 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 Missouri's frost window, season length, and soil profile against the plant's real requirements.