What Grows in Okmulgee County, Oklahoma

USDA Zones 7b · 446K acres

Okmulgee County, in Oklahoma, sits in USDA hardiness zone 7b — enough range to grow cool-season vegetables, hardy fruit, and warm-season crops that mature before the first hard frost.

Growers here do well with pecan, tomato, okra, and redbud — with the usual caveat that any single yard's soil, sun, and drainage cast the deciding vote.

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

Score your parcel · free

Okmulgee County holds more than one microclimate.

Soils and elevations shift across Okmulgee 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 15

County normal — light frosts run a few weeks later

First Hard Freeze (28°F)

Dec 12

County normal — light frosts arrive a few weeks earlier

County Area

446K acres

Hardiness Zone Range

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

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

Soil in Okmulgee County

Across Okmulgee County, the ground is predominantly Mollisols, where Dennis, Hector, and Verdigris are the most extensive named soil series. The soil is generally well drained with a silt 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

47%

Hydric soils

3%

Soil still varies lot by lot — soil types explained.

Is it too late to plant in Okmulgee County?

For most of the year, no — what changes is which crops still fit the days remaining. Cool-season crops can go in from around Jan 18; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Feb 15 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Dec 12 — 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 Okmulgee County — and how to grow with it.

Federal record: High

We checked the federal record across Okmulgee County228 documented sites across 6 of the 9 source types we track.

The most significant on record: 6 Superfund sites. Sites tracked in EPA's Superfund program — from assessment-stage CERCLIS entries to confirmed National Priorities List cleanup sites.

Okmulgee County carries one of the heavier federal records we track — and that's not a verdict on your yard. Proximity to a documented site is information, not a diagnosis: nothing here says any particular parcel is affected. It does earn one concrete step — before food beds go in the ground, a professional soil test tells you exactly what you're working with, and raised beds with clean imported soil grow well almost anywhere in the meantime.

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

228

across Okmulgee County

Risk Level

High

Highest-severity

6 Superfund sites

Severity Distribution

across Okmulgee County

High8Moderate59Low161

Highest-Severity Sites

20TH Street Salvage Yard
Superfund · Superfund (Non-NPL)
Basin Refining INC.
Superfund · Superfund (Non-NPL)
Bee Line Recycling
Superfund · Superfund (Non-NPL)
Henryetta
PFAS Sampling · PFAS Detected
Henryetta Iron & L Facility
Superfund · Superfund NPL

A note from Gnorman

What an experienced grower watches for around here

In and around Okmulgee County, two things run higher than the national average — PFAS (4 sites) and Superfund (6 sites). That's not a problem with your land — it's information about it.

PFAS: PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are called "forever chemicals" because they do not biodegrade.

Superfund: Superfund sites represent the most severe contamination in the federal system.

Test irrigation water source — this is the primary pathway for PFAS to reach garden crops.

Commission professional soil testing before any food production (test for heavy metals, VOCs, and SVOCs).

Free Report

Check your specific parcel in Okmulgee 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

Okmulgee 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 Okmulgee County

Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Okmulgee County, Oklahoma — 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 Okmulgee County, Oklahoma

  • USDA Hardiness Zones: 7b (USDA PHZM 2023)
  • Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Feb 15 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can follow for a few weeks)
  • First Hard Freeze (28°F): Dec 12 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can arrive a few weeks earlier)
  • Days Between Hard Freezes: ~300 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals)
  • County Land Area: 446K 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 Okmulgee 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 Okmulgee County, Oklahoma?

Okmulgee 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 Okmulgee County?

For most of the year, no — what changes is which crops still fit the days remaining. Cool-season crops can go in from around Jan 18; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Feb 15 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Dec 12 — 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 Okmulgee County?

The last hard freeze (28°F) in Okmulgee County typically lands around Feb 15, 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 Okmulgee County?

Measured between 28°F hard freezes, Okmulgee County sees about 300 frost-free days — roughly Feb 15 through Dec 12, 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 Okmulgee County?

Okmulgee 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 Okmulgee County, really?

Officially, Okmulgee 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 Okmulgee County?

The federal record around Okmulgee County runs heavier than most — 228 documented sites — so test the soil before planting food in the ground, and raised beds with clean imported soil grow well in the meantime. Even here, proximity to a documented site is information, not a diagnosis of any one yard; the contamination map shows exactly what's recorded and where.

Just moved to Okmulgee County — what should I know before planting?

Start with three facts. Okmulgee County sits in USDA zone 7b, which sets what survives winter; the last 28°F hard freeze typically clears around Feb 15, with about 300 frost-free days to work with (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and 228 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 Okmulgee 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.