Big Horn County, in Montana, sits in USDA hardiness zone 4b — a zone band wide enough that plant choice, not possibility, is the interesting question.
On paper, cherry, potato, lentil, and ponderosa pine all suit these conditions — on the ground, soil, sun, and drainage make the final call.
Grounded in USDA PHZM 2023 · Growable Ground suitability scoring · NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals
Big Horn County holds more than one microclimate.
Soils and elevations shift across Big Horn 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 17
County normal — light frosts run a few weeks later
First Hard Freeze (28°F)
Oct 18
County normal — light frosts arrive a few weeks earlier
County Area
3.2M acres
Hardiness Zone Range
Zone maps are averages across Big Horn County. Your yard's slope, trees, and frost pockets shift what actually grows — see your land's exact reading.
Soil in Big Horn County
Across Big Horn County, the ground is predominantly Entisols, where Yamacall, Cabbart, and Midway are the most extensive named soil series. The soil is generally well drained with a loam surface. Topsoil pH runs about 7.2–7.9, slightly alkaline. Rainfall drains through hydrologic group D soils.
Soil order
Entisols
Drainage
Well drained
Prime farmland
0%
Hydric soils
0%
Soil still varies lot by lot — soil types explained.
What Grows in Big Horn County
Plants matched to Big Horn County's USDA zones 4b — each links to its full growing profile.
Is it too late to plant in Big Horn County?
Usually not — gardeners here simply switch what goes in the ground as the season moves. Cool-season crops can go in from around Mar 20; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Apr 17 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Oct 18 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. The tail of the season still works: sixty-day crops into late summer, quick greens after, garlic last of all.
Growing Challenges in Montana
What an experienced grower plans around here — each one has a move.
Very short growing season (60-100 frost-free days)
At 60-100 frost-free days, a high tunnel or cold frame isn't a luxury — it's the difference-maker Montana growers rely on.
Low rainfall requires irrigation in most areas
Drip irrigation plus mulch stretches scarce water a long way — plan the system before the first seed.
Extreme winter cold (-40F possible)
Choose perennials rated for the cold you actually get — a -40°F winter audits every optimistic zone push.
For cultivar selection, pest pressure, and planting-time guidance specific to Montana, the Montana State University Extension is the authoritative local source.
Safe to Grow Here?
What the federal record shows across Big Horn County — and how to grow with it.
We checked the federal record across Big Horn County — 1,017 documented sites across 7 of the 9 source types we track.
The most significant on record: 3 Superfund sites. Sites tracked in EPA's Superfund program — from assessment-stage CERCLIS entries to confirmed National Priorities List cleanup sites.
Big Horn 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 Big Horn County
Severity Distribution
across Big Horn County
Highest-Severity Sites
A note from Gnorman
What an experienced grower watches for around here
In and around Big Horn County, Nitrate runs higher than the national average — 890 sites nearby. 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.
Test well water for nitrate if you rely on a private well for irrigation (EPA standard: 10 mg/L).
Check your specific parcel in Big Horn 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
Big Horn 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 Big Horn County
Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Big Horn County, Montana — 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 Big Horn County, Montana
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 4b (USDA PHZM 2023)
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Apr 17 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can follow for a few weeks)
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Oct 18 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can arrive a few weeks earlier)
- Days Between Hard Freezes: ~184 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals)
- County Land Area: 3.2M 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 Big Horn 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 Big Horn County, Montana?
Big Horn 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 Big Horn County?
Usually not — gardeners here simply switch what goes in the ground as the season moves. Cool-season crops can go in from around Mar 20; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Apr 17 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Oct 18 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. The tail of the season still works: sixty-day crops into late summer, quick greens after, garlic last of all.
When does frost risk typically end in Big Horn County?
The last hard freeze (28°F) in Big Horn County typically lands around Apr 17, 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 Big Horn County?
Measured between 28°F hard freezes, Big Horn County sees about 184 frost-free days — roughly Apr 17 through Oct 18, 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 Big Horn County?
Big Horn County's zone 4b supports a wide range — strong performers include Cherry, Potato, Lentil, Ponderosa Pine, and Rhubarb. 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 Big Horn County, really?
Officially, Big Horn 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 Big Horn County?
The federal record around Big Horn County runs heavier than most — 1,017 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 Big Horn County — what should I know before planting?
Start with three facts. Big Horn County sits in USDA zone 4b, which sets what survives winter; the last 28°F hard freeze typically clears around Apr 17, with about 184 frost-free days to work with (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and 1,017 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 Big Horn 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 Montana's frost window, season length, and soil profile against the plant's real requirements.