Dawson County, in Montana, sits in USDA hardiness zone 4a — room for a real mix of vegetables, fruit, and perennials matched to the local frost calendar.
Well-matched crops include cherry, potato, lentil, and ponderosa pine, and the gap between "grows in the area" and "grows in your yard" is closed by soil, sun, and drainage.
Grounded in USDA PHZM 2023 · Growable Ground suitability scoring · NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals
Dawson County holds more than one microclimate.
Soils and elevations shift across Dawson 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
4a
Last Hard Freeze (28°F)
Apr 24
County normal — light frosts run a few weeks later
First Hard Freeze (28°F)
Oct 15
County normal — light frosts arrive a few weeks earlier
County Area
1.5M acres
Hardiness Zone Range
Zone maps are averages across Dawson County. Your yard's slope, trees, and frost pockets shift what actually grows — see your land's exact reading.
Soil in Dawson County
Across Dawson County, the ground is predominantly Inceptisols, where Lonna, Cambeth, and Tinsley are the most extensive named soil series. The soil is generally well drained with a silt loam surface. Topsoil pH runs about 7.5–7.9, slightly alkaline. Rainfall drains through hydrologic group C soils.
Soil order
Inceptisols
Drainage
Well drained
Hydric soils
0%
Soil still varies lot by lot — soil types explained.
What Grows in Dawson County
Plants matched to Dawson County's USDA zones 4a — each links to its full growing profile.
Is it too late to plant in Dawson County?
Rarely: the season closes in stages, not all at once, and each stage has its crops. Cool-season crops can go in from around Mar 27; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Apr 24 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Oct 15 — 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 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 Dawson County — and how to grow with it.
We checked the federal record across Dawson County — 206 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 Dawson 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 Dawson County
Severity Distribution
across Dawson County
Highest-Severity Sites
A note from Gnorman
What an experienced grower watches for around here
In and around Dawson County, Nitrate runs higher than the national average — 80 sites nearby. Knowing it is half the work — and it's nothing a thoughtful grower can't plan for.
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 Dawson 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
Dawson County Average
- ●USDA Zones 4a
- ●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 Dawson County
Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Dawson 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 Dawson County, Montana
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 4a (USDA PHZM 2023)
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Apr 24 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can follow for a few weeks)
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Oct 15 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can arrive a few weeks earlier)
- Days Between Hard Freezes: ~174 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals)
- County Land Area: 1.5M 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 Dawson 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 Dawson County, Montana?
Dawson County sits in USDA hardiness zone 4a, 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 Dawson County?
Rarely: the season closes in stages, not all at once, and each stage has its crops. Cool-season crops can go in from around Mar 27; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Apr 24 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Oct 15 — 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 Dawson County?
The last hard freeze (28°F) in Dawson County typically lands around Apr 24, 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 Dawson County?
Measured between 28°F hard freezes, Dawson County sees about 174 frost-free days — roughly Apr 24 through Oct 15, 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 Dawson County?
Dawson County's zone 4a 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 Dawson County, really?
Officially, Dawson County sits in USDA zone 4a (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 Dawson County?
The federal record around Dawson County is a meaningful one — 206 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 Dawson County — what should I know before planting?
Start with three facts. Dawson County sits in USDA zone 4a, which sets what survives winter; the last 28°F hard freeze typically clears around Apr 24, with about 174 frost-free days to work with (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and 206 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 Dawson 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.