Apple Valley, Ohio, sits in USDA hardiness zones 6a-7b — enough range to grow cool-season vegetables, hardy fruit, and warm-season crops that mature before the first hard frost.
On paper, tomato, sweet corn, apple, and pawpaw all suit these conditions — on the ground, soil, sun, and drainage make the final call.
Even in Apple Valley, 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 Apple Valley 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
6a-7b
Last Hard Freeze (28°F)
Mar 27
Town normal — light frosts run a few weeks later
First Hard Freeze (28°F)
Nov 15
Town normal — light frosts arrive a few weeks earlier
Town Area
4K acres
Hardiness Zone Range
Zone maps are averages across Apple Valley. 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 Apple Valley
Plants matched to Apple Valley's USDA zones 6a-7b — each links to its full growing profile.
Is it too late to plant in Apple Valley?
Rarely: the season closes in stages, not all at once, and each stage has its crops. Cool-season crops can go in from around Feb 27; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Mar 27 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Nov 15 — 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 Ohio
What an experienced grower plans around here — each one has a move.
Heavy clay soils across much of northern Ohio require amendment for drainage
A raised bed fixes the drainage in one weekend — and amended clay repays the effort as some of the richest soil there is.
Variable spring weather with late frost risk through mid-May
Watch your local last-frost normal, not the region's — holding tender plants two extra weeks beats replanting a bed.
Japanese beetles and tomato hornworms are common garden pests
Hand-pick early, row-cover young plants, and skip broad sprays — extension IPM guides keep the beneficial insects on your side.
Wet springs can delay planting and promote root rot
Raised or mounded rows shed spring water and warm earlier — where puddles linger, drainage is the first project worth doing.
For cultivar selection, pest pressure, and planting-time guidance specific to Ohio, the Ohio State University 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
172
within ~10 miles of Apple Valley
Risk Level
Moderate
Highest-severity
9 Toxics Release Inventory facilities
Sources Checked
within ~10 miles of Apple Valley
Severity Distribution
within ~10 miles of Apple Valley
Highest-Severity Sites
A note from Gnorman
What an experienced grower watches for around here
In and around Apple Valley, Underground Storage Tanks runs higher than the national average — 107 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.
Check your specific parcel in Apple Valley
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
Apple Valley Average
- ●USDA Zones 6a-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
Read your specific parcel in Apple Valley
Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Apple Valley, Ohio — 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 Apple Valley, Ohio
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 6a-7b (USDA PHZM 2023)
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Mar 27 (town normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can follow for a few weeks)
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Nov 15 (town normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can arrive a few weeks earlier)
- Days Between Hard Freezes: ~233 (town normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals)
- Land Area: 4K 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 Apple Valley, Ohio?
Apple Valley sits in USDA hardiness zones 6a-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 Apple Valley?
Rarely: the season closes in stages, not all at once, and each stage has its crops. Cool-season crops can go in from around Feb 27; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Mar 27 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Nov 15 — 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 Apple Valley?
The last hard freeze (28°F) in Apple Valley typically lands around Mar 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.
When is the first frost in Apple Valley?
The first hard freeze (28°F) in Apple Valley typically arrives around Nov 15, per NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals — the point most tender summer crops finish. Lighter frosts usually reach a couple of weeks earlier, so watch the forecast from late summer on and harvest or cover tender plants before the first cold night.
What vegetables grow in Apple Valley?
Apple Valley's zones 6a-7b support a wide range — strong performers include Tomato, Sweet Corn, Apple, Pawpaw, and Buckeye. 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 Apple Valley, really?
Officially, Apple Valley sits in USDA zones 6a-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 Apple Valley?
The federal record around Apple Valley shows 172 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 Apple Valley?
As the season closes around the first 28°F hard freeze near Nov 15 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals), 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 Apple Valley 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.