Hughes County, in Oklahoma, sits in USDA hardiness zone 7b — room for a real mix of vegetables, fruit, and perennials matched to the local frost calendar.
Expect pecan, tomato, okra, and redbud to be strong candidates here; the deciding factors on any one parcel stay local — soil, sun, and drainage.
Grounded in USDA PHZM 2023 · Growable Ground suitability scoring · NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals
Hughes County holds more than one microclimate.
Soils and elevations shift across Hughes 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
7b
Last Hard Freeze (28°F)
Feb 12
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
515K acres
Hardiness Zone Range
Zone maps are averages across Hughes County. Your yard's slope, trees, and frost pockets shift what actually grows — see your land's exact reading.
Soil in Hughes County
Across Hughes County, the ground is predominantly Mollisols, where Hector, Dennis, and Kamie are the most extensive named soil series. The soil is generally well drained with a stony fine sandy loam surface. Topsoil pH runs about 5.6–6.5, moderately acidic. Rainfall drains through hydrologic group D soils.
Soil order
Mollisols
Drainage
Well drained
Prime farmland
37%
Hydric soils
2%
Soil still varies lot by lot — soil types explained.
What Grows in Hughes County
Plants matched to Hughes County's USDA zones 7b — each links to its full growing profile.
Is it too late to plant in Hughes County?
Almost never — the real question is what to plant next. Cool-season crops can go in from around Jan 15; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Feb 12 (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. With almost year-round growing weather, timing is about heat and rainfall more than frost — some bench is always in play.
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 Hughes County — and how to grow with it.
We checked the federal record across Hughes County — 184 documented sites across 7 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 Hughes 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, 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 Hughes County
Severity Distribution
across Hughes County
Highest-Severity Sites
A note from Gnorman
What an experienced grower watches for around here
In and around Hughes County, two things run higher than the national average — CAFO (9 sites) and Nitrate (74 sites). It's not cause for alarm — it's worth knowing, and there's a sensible way to grow around it.
CAFO: CAFOs pose a different contamination profile than chemical sources.
Nitrate: Nitrate contamination primarily comes from agricultural fertilizer runoff and failing septic systems.
Wash all produce consumed raw thoroughly, especially leafy greens grown near CAFOs.
Test well water for nitrate if you rely on a private well for irrigation (EPA standard: 10 mg/L).
Check your specific parcel in Hughes 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
Hughes 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
Read your parcel in Hughes County
Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Hughes 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 Hughes County, Oklahoma
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 7b (USDA PHZM 2023)
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Feb 12 (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: ~304 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals)
- County Land Area: 515K 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 Hughes 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 Hughes County, Oklahoma?
Hughes 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 Hughes County?
Almost never — the real question is what to plant next. Cool-season crops can go in from around Jan 15; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Feb 12 (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. 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 Hughes County?
The last hard freeze (28°F) in Hughes County typically lands around Feb 12, 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 Hughes County?
Measured between 28°F hard freezes, Hughes County sees about 304 frost-free days — roughly Feb 12 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 Hughes County?
Hughes County's zone 7b 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 Hughes County, really?
Officially, Hughes 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 Hughes County?
The federal record around Hughes County is a meaningful one — 184 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 Hughes County — what should I know before planting?
Start with three facts. Hughes County sits in USDA zone 7b, which sets what survives winter; the last 28°F hard freeze typically clears around Feb 12, with about 304 frost-free days to work with (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and 184 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 Hughes 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.