Cotton County, in Oklahoma, sits in USDA hardiness zone 8a — a band that supports both cool-season staples and warm-season crops chosen to fit the local frost window.
The conditions favor pecan, tomato, okra, and redbud, among others — though every individual site edits that list with its own soil, sun, and drainage.
Grounded in USDA PHZM 2023 · Growable Ground suitability scoring · NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals
Cotton County holds more than one microclimate.
Soils and elevations shift across Cotton 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
8a
Last Hard Freeze (28°F)
Feb 10
County normal — light frosts run a few weeks later
First Hard Freeze (28°F)
Dec 13
County normal — light frosts arrive a few weeks earlier
County Area
405K acres
Hardiness Zone Range
Zone maps are averages across Cotton County. Your yard's slope, trees, and frost pockets shift what actually grows — see your land's exact reading.
Soil in Cotton County
Across Cotton County, the ground is predominantly Mollisols, where Foard, Port, and Vernon are the most extensive named soil series. The soil is generally well drained with a silt loam surface. Topsoil pH runs about 6.6–8.0, neutral. Rainfall drains through hydrologic group D soils.
Soil order
Mollisols
Drainage
Well drained
Prime farmland
48%
Hydric soils
0%
Soil still varies lot by lot — soil types explained.
What Grows in Cotton County
Plants matched to Cotton County's USDA zones 8a — each links to its full growing profile.
Is it too late to plant in Cotton County?
Too late for some crops, right on time for others — a growing season is a sequence, not a deadline. Cool-season crops can go in from around Jan 13; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Feb 10 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Dec 13 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. Here the calendar nearly circles: cool-season crops take the winter shift, and the next window is always close.
Growing Challenges in Oklahoma
What an experienced grower plans around here — each one has a move.
Extreme weather variability (tornadoes, ice storms, drought)
Flexible beats fortified here: row covers staged, storm-tough perennials, and quick-replant annual beds.
Red clay soils drain poorly in central OK
A raised bed ends the standing-water fight in a weekend, and fall compost keeps opening the clay below.
Low western rainfall requires irrigation
Western plots run on drip and mulch — plan the water before the planting and the dry years lose their teeth.
For cultivar selection, pest pressure, and planting-time guidance specific to Oklahoma, the Oklahoma State University Extension is the authoritative local source.
Safe to Grow Here?
What the federal record shows across Cotton County — and how to grow with it.
We checked the federal record across Cotton County — 59 documented sites across 4 of the 9 source types we track.
The most significant on record: 16 mining sites. Historic and active mines that may leach heavy metals like arsenic, lead, and cadmium.
The federal record across Cotton County is a modest one — a typical footprint for a growing area. Nothing here calls for alarm; it's worth knowing which recorded sites sit closest to where you grow, and each one on the map carries its type and location. If one turns out to be a near neighbor, a one-time soil test settles the question.
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 Cotton County
Severity Distribution
across Cotton County
Highest-Severity Sites
A note from Gnorman
What an experienced grower watches for around here
In and around Cotton County, Mining runs higher than the national average — 16 sites nearby. That's not a problem with your land — it's information about it.
Mining: Mining sites — both historic and active — can leach heavy metals (arsenic, lead, cadmium, mercury) into soil and water for centuries after operations cease.
Test soil for heavy metals (lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury) — this is essential near any mining site.
Check your specific parcel in Cotton 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
Cotton County Average
- ●USDA Zones 8a
- ●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 Cotton County
Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Cotton County, Oklahoma — 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 Cotton County, Oklahoma
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 8a (USDA PHZM 2023)
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Feb 10 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can follow for a few weeks)
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Dec 13 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can arrive a few weeks earlier)
- Days Between Hard Freezes: ~306 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals)
- County Land Area: 405K 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 Cotton 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 Cotton County, Oklahoma?
Cotton County sits in USDA hardiness zone 8a, 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 Cotton County?
Too late for some crops, right on time for others — a growing season is a sequence, not a deadline. Cool-season crops can go in from around Jan 13; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Feb 10 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Dec 13 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. Here the calendar nearly circles: cool-season crops take the winter shift, and the next window is always close.
When does frost risk typically end in Cotton County?
The last hard freeze (28°F) in Cotton County typically lands around Feb 10, 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 Cotton County?
Measured between 28°F hard freezes, Cotton County sees about 306 frost-free days — roughly Feb 10 through Dec 13, 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 Cotton County?
Cotton County's zone 8a supports a wide range — strong performers include Pecan, Tomato, Okra, Redbud, and Blackberry. 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 Cotton County, really?
Officially, Cotton County sits in USDA zone 8a (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 Cotton County?
The federal record around Cotton County shows 59 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.
Just moved to Cotton County — what should I know before planting?
Start with three facts. Cotton County sits in USDA zone 8a, which sets what survives winter; the last 28°F hard freeze typically clears around Feb 10, with about 306 frost-free days to work with (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and 59 documented sites sit on the federal record — a typical footprint for a growing area, worth a look on the contamination map before food beds. From there, matching plants to your actual soil and sun is the fun part.
Everything on this page is a Cotton 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 Oklahoma's frost window, season length, and soil profile against the plant's real requirements.