Carson City County, in Nevada, sits in USDA hardiness zone 7a — enough range to grow cool-season vegetables, hardy fruit, and warm-season crops that mature before the first hard frost.
Among the crops suited to this profile: sagebrush, grape, tomato, and pinon pine. The site-level story — soil, sun, drainage — decides the rest.
Grounded in USDA PHZM 2023 · Growable Ground suitability scoring · NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals
Carson City County holds more than one microclimate.
Soils and elevations shift across Carson City 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
7a
Last Hard Freeze (28°F)
Apr 7
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
93K acres
Hardiness Zone Range
Zone maps are averages across Carson City County. Your yard's slope, trees, and frost pockets shift what actually grows — see your land's exact reading.
Soil in Carson City County
Across Carson City County, the ground is predominantly Mollisols, where Koontz, Surpass, and Glenbrook are the most extensive named soil series. The soil is generally well drained with a gravelly loamy coarse sand surface. Topsoil pH runs about 6.4–7.2, neutral. Rainfall drains through hydrologic group D soils.
Soil order
Mollisols
Drainage
Well drained
Hydric soils
3%
Soil still varies lot by lot — soil types explained.
What Grows in Carson City County
Plants matched to Carson City County's USDA zones 7a — each links to its full growing profile.
Is it too late to plant in Carson City County?
For most of the year, no — what changes is which crops still fit the days remaining. Cool-season crops can go in from around Mar 10; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Apr 7 (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. A long window like this one runs successions deep into fall — and even its last weeks take quick greens and garlic.
Growing Challenges in Nevada
What an experienced grower plans around here — each one has a move.
Extremely low rainfall (driest US state)
Every drop gets a job: drip irrigation, deep mulch, and basin planting make the driest state genuinely growable.
Alkaline soils (pH 8-9) limit many species
A soil test confirms your pH; from there, adapted species in the ground and acid-lovers in containers of amended mix.
Extreme summer heat in southern valleys
Southern valleys garden in the shoulder seasons — plant to fall-through-spring windows and shade what stays out in July.
For cultivar selection, pest pressure, and planting-time guidance specific to Nevada, the University of Nevada, Reno Extension is the authoritative local source.
Safe to Grow Here?
What the federal record shows across Carson City — and how to grow with it.
We checked the federal record across Carson City — 577 documented sites across 8 of the 9 source types we track.
The most significant on record: 8 Superfund sites. Sites tracked in EPA's Superfund program — from assessment-stage CERCLIS entries to confirmed National Priorities List cleanup sites.
Carson City 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.
Severity Distribution
across Carson City
Highest-Severity Sites
A note from Gnorman
What an experienced grower watches for around here
In and around Carson City County, two things run higher than the national average — Nitrate (202 sites) and Superfund (8 sites). It's not cause for alarm — it's worth knowing, and there's a sensible way to grow around it.
Nitrate: Nitrate contamination primarily comes from agricultural fertilizer runoff and failing septic systems.
Superfund: Superfund sites represent the most severe contamination in the federal system.
Test well water for nitrate if you rely on a private well for irrigation (EPA standard: 10 mg/L).
Commission professional soil testing before any food production (test for heavy metals, VOCs, and SVOCs).
Check your specific parcel in Carson City 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
Carson City County Average
- ●USDA Zones 7a
- ●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 Carson City County
Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Carson City County, Nevada — 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 Carson City County, Nevada
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 7a (USDA PHZM 2023)
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Apr 7 (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: ~204 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals)
- County Land Area: 93K 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 Carson City 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 Carson City County, Nevada?
Carson City County sits in USDA hardiness zone 7a, 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 Carson City County?
For most of the year, no — what changes is which crops still fit the days remaining. Cool-season crops can go in from around Mar 10; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Apr 7 (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. A long window like this one runs successions deep into fall — and even its last weeks take quick greens and garlic.
When does frost risk typically end in Carson City County?
The last hard freeze (28°F) in Carson City County typically lands around Apr 7, 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 Carson City County?
Measured between 28°F hard freezes, Carson City County sees about 204 frost-free days — roughly Apr 7 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 Carson City County?
Carson City County's zone 7a supports a wide range — strong performers include Sagebrush, Grape, Tomato, Pinon Pine, and Pomegranate. 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 Carson City County, really?
Officially, Carson City County sits in USDA zone 7a (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 Carson City County?
The federal record around Carson City County runs heavier than most — 577 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 Carson City County — what should I know before planting?
Start with three facts. Carson City County sits in USDA zone 7a, which sets what survives winter; the last 28°F hard freeze typically clears around Apr 7, with about 204 frost-free days to work with (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and 577 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 Carson City 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 Nevada's frost window, season length, and soil profile against the plant's real requirements.