Mount Gilead, North Carolina, sits in USDA hardiness zones 7a-8b — a range where zone-matched perennials and frost-aware annual timing set what succeeds.
These conditions suit sweet potato, blueberry, muscadine grape, and dogwood — a starting list any specific site will trim or extend with its own soil, sun, and drainage.
Even in Mount Gilead, no two yards are alike.
A low spot, a south-facing slope, or a stand of trees moves the frost date and sun across a single Mount Gilead lot. 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-8b
Last Hard Freeze (28°F)
Jan 27
Town normal — light frosts run a few weeks later
First Frost (state avg.)
Oct 5 - Nov 15
Town Area
2K acres
Hardiness Zone Range
Growing Season (statewide frost window)
Zone maps are averages across Mount Gilead. Your yard's slope, trees, and frost pockets shift what actually grows — see your land's exact reading.
Soil varies lot by lot — soil types explained.
What Grows in Mount Gilead
Plants matched to Mount Gilead's USDA zones 7a-8b — each links to its full growing profile.
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.
Environmental Intelligence
Understanding what's nearby helps you make informed decisions about where and how to grow.
Total Sites
111
within ~10 miles of Mount Gilead
Risk Level
Moderate
Highest-severity
11 Toxics Release Inventory facilities
Sources Checked
within ~10 miles of Mount Gilead
Severity Distribution
within ~10 miles of Mount Gilead
Highest-Severity Sites
A note from Gnorman
What an experienced grower watches for around here
In and around Mount Gilead, two things run higher than the national average — Toxic Release Inventory (11 sites) and Underground Storage Tanks (79 sites). It's not cause for alarm — it's worth knowing, and there's a sensible way to grow around it.
Toxic Release Inventory: TRI facilities report annual chemical releases to air, water, and land.
Underground Storage Tanks: Underground storage tanks are the single most common source of soil contamination near homes and gardens.
Check prevailing wind direction — downwind parcels face higher exposure than upwind or crosswind locations.
Use raised beds with imported soil — this eliminates the primary soil-contact pathway.
Check your specific parcel in Mount Gilead
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
Mount Gilead Average
- ●USDA Zones 7a-8b
- ●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 specific parcel in Mount Gilead
Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Mount Gilead, North Carolina — 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 Mount Gilead, North Carolina
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 7a-8b (USDA PHZM 2023)
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Jan 27 (town normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can follow for a few weeks)
- First Fall Frost (state avg.): Oct 5 - Nov 15 (NOAA 30-Year Climate Normals)
- Land Area: 2K acres (US Census TIGER 2025)
Zone data: USDA ARS Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023. Climate data: NOAA NCEI. Boundaries: US Census TIGER/Line 2025.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hardiness zone is Mount Gilead, North Carolina?
Mount Gilead sits in USDA hardiness zones 7a-8b, per the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023. Zones reflect average annual extreme minimum temperatures from 1991–2020 weather data.
When does frost risk typically end in Mount Gilead?
The last hard freeze (28°F) in Mount Gilead typically lands around Jan 27, 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.
What vegetables grow in Mount Gilead?
Mount Gilead's zones 7a-8b support 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 Mount Gilead, really?
Officially, Mount Gilead sits in USDA zones 7a-8b (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 Mount Gilead?
The federal record around Mount Gilead shows 111 documented sites — a typical footprint for a growing area, and proximity to a documented site is information, not a diagnosis of any one yard. It's worth seeing which recorded sites sit closest to where you grow, and testing the soil before new food beds near any of them.
How do I protect my plants from frost in Mount Gilead?
As the season closes around North Carolina's first fall frost near Oct 5 - Nov 15 (NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020)), a few moves buy time: cover tender plants with floating row cover or an old sheet on still, clear nights, water the soil the afternoon before a freeze so it holds warmth overnight, and harvest frost-tender crops like tomatoes, peppers, and basil before the first hard night. Hardy greens and root crops shrug off light frost and often sweeten after it, so leave them in.
Everything on this page is a Mount Gilead 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.
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