What Grows in Yadkin County, North Carolina

USDA Zones 7b · 214K acres

Yadkin County, in North Carolina, sits in USDA hardiness zone 7b — a range where zone-matched perennials and frost-aware annual timing set what succeeds.

Expect sweet potato, blueberry, muscadine grape, and dogwood to be strong candidates here; the deciding factors on any one parcel stay local — soil, sun, and drainage.

Yadkin County lies within the Piedmont — a regional growing area with its own character.

Grounded in USDA PHZM 2023 · Growable Ground suitability scoring · NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals

Score your parcel · free

Yadkin County holds more than one microclimate.

Soils and elevations shift across Yadkin 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

7b

Last Hard Freeze (28°F)

Feb 23

County normal — light frosts run a few weeks later

First Hard Freeze (28°F)

Dec 4

County normal — light frosts arrive a few weeks earlier

County Area

214K acres

Hardiness Zone Range

7b7b
3a (Cold)13b (Hot)

Zone maps are averages across Yadkin County. Your yard's slope, trees, and frost pockets shift what actually grows — see your land's exact reading.

Soil in Yadkin County

Across Yadkin County, the ground is predominantly Ultisols, where Clifford, Fairview, and Tomlin are the most extensive named soil series. The soil is generally well drained with a sandy clay loam surface. Topsoil pH runs about 5.5–6.3, moderately acidic. Rainfall drains through hydrologic group B soils.

Soil order

Ultisols

Drainage

Well drained

Prime farmland

37%

Hydric soils

2%

Soil still varies lot by lot — soil types explained.

Is it too late to plant in Yadkin 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 Jan 26; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Feb 23 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Dec 4 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. With almost year-round growing weather, timing is about heat and rainfall more than frost — some bench is always in play.

Growing Challenges in North Carolina

What an experienced grower plans around here — each one has a move.

Red Piedmont clay is hard to work and drains poorly

Red clay rewards patience — compost opens it over seasons, and a raised bed gets you harvesting in the meantime.

Humidity drives significant disease pressure

Airflow, morning base-watering, and resistant varieties — the humid-South trio your extension's lists are built around.

Hurricane risk on the coastal plain

On the coastal plain, favor wind-tough perennials and stake young trees well ahead of storm season.

For cultivar selection, pest pressure, and planting-time guidance specific to North Carolina, the NC State Extension is the authoritative local source.

Safe to Grow Here?

What the federal record shows across Yadkin County — and how to grow with it.

Federal record: Elevated

We checked the federal record across Yadkin County204 documented sites across 6 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 Yadkin 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, USGS1.8M 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.

Total Sites

204

across Yadkin County

Risk Level

Elevated

Highest-severity

1 Superfund site

Severity Distribution

across Yadkin County

High2Moderate52Low150

Highest-Severity Sites

Holcomb Creosote CO
Superfund · Superfund NPL
Yadkinville, Town of
PFAS Sampling · PFAS Detected
4 Brothers Food Store 300
Underground Storage Tanks · Open UST(S)
4 Brothers Food Store 302
Underground Storage Tanks · Open UST(S)
4 Sisters Center
Underground Storage Tanks · Open UST(S)

A note from Gnorman

What an experienced grower watches for around here

In and around Yadkin County, Underground Storage Tanks runs higher than the national average — 168 sites nearby. It's not cause for alarm — it's worth knowing, and there's a sensible way to grow around it.

Underground Storage Tanks: Underground storage tanks are the single most common source of soil contamination near homes and gardens.

Use raised beds with imported soil — this eliminates the primary soil-contact pathway.

Free Report

Check your specific parcel in Yadkin 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:

Your soil pHYour frost-free daysYour sun & shade

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

Yadkin County Average

  • USDA Zones 7b
  • 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

Free Report

Read your parcel in Yadkin County

Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Yadkin County, North Carolina — soil, sun, drainage, frost risk, and scored plant recommendations.

Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:

Your soil pHYour frost-free daysYour sun & shade

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 Yadkin County, North Carolina

  • USDA Hardiness Zones: 7b (USDA PHZM 2023)
  • Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Feb 23 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can follow for a few weeks)
  • First Hard Freeze (28°F): Dec 4 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can arrive a few weeks earlier)
  • Days Between Hard Freezes: ~284 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals)
  • County Land Area: 214K 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 Yadkin 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 Yadkin County, North Carolina?

Yadkin County sits in USDA hardiness zone 7b, 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 Yadkin 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 Jan 26; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Feb 23 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Dec 4 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. With almost year-round growing weather, timing is about heat and rainfall more than frost — some bench is always in play.

When does frost risk typically end in Yadkin County?

The last hard freeze (28°F) in Yadkin County typically lands around Feb 23, 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 Yadkin County?

Measured between 28°F hard freezes, Yadkin County sees about 284 frost-free days — roughly Feb 23 through Dec 4, 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 Yadkin County?

Yadkin County's zone 7b supports a wide range — strong performers include Sweet Potato, Blueberry, Muscadine Grape, Dogwood, and Tomato. 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 Yadkin County, really?

Officially, Yadkin County sits in USDA zone 7b (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 Yadkin County?

The federal record around Yadkin County is a meaningful one — 204 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 Yadkin County — what should I know before planting?

Start with three facts. Yadkin County sits in USDA zone 7b, which sets what survives winter; the last 28°F hard freeze typically clears around Feb 23, with about 284 frost-free days to work with (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and 204 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 Yadkin 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 North Carolina's frost window, season length, and soil profile against the plant's real requirements.