Bedford County, in Pennsylvania, sits in USDA hardiness zone 6b — a zone band wide enough that plant choice, not possibility, is the interesting question.
Well-matched crops include apple, tomato, grape, and mountain laurel, and the gap between "grows in the area" and "grows in your yard" is closed by soil, sun, and drainage.
Bedford County lies within Appalachia — a regional growing area with its own character.
Grounded in USDA PHZM 2023 · Growable Ground suitability scoring · NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals
Bedford County holds more than one microclimate.
Soils and elevations shift across Bedford 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
6b
Last Hard Freeze (28°F)
Mar 31
County normal — light frosts run a few weeks later
First Hard Freeze (28°F)
Nov 16
County normal — light frosts arrive a few weeks earlier
County Area
648K acres
Hardiness Zone Range
Zone maps are averages across Bedford County. Your yard's slope, trees, and frost pockets shift what actually grows — see your land's exact reading.
Soil in Bedford County
Across Bedford County, the ground is predominantly Inceptisols, where Berks, Weikert, and Buchanan are the most extensive named soil series. The soil is generally well drained with a channery silt loam surface. Topsoil pH runs about 5.0–5.8, strongly acidic. Rainfall drains through hydrologic group B soils.
Soil order
Inceptisols
Drainage
Well drained
Prime farmland
11%
Hydric soils
4%
Soil still varies lot by lot — soil types explained.
What Grows in Bedford County
Plants matched to Bedford County's USDA zones 6b — each links to its full growing profile.
Is it too late to plant in Bedford County?
Almost never — the real question is what to plant next. Cool-season crops can go in from around Mar 3; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Mar 31 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Nov 16 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. Here the season winds down slowly: late sowings, a real autumn harvest, and garlic in the ground before the first hard freeze.
Growing Challenges in Pennsylvania
What an experienced grower plans around here — each one has a move.
Rocky shale soils in the ridge-and-valley region
Build up over shale rather than into it — raised beds with imported soil give roots depth the ridge won't.
Short mountain seasons in the Poconos and Alleghenies
Mountain growers stretch the season with cold frames and fast varieties — the missing weeks are recoverable.
Deer pressure is among the highest in the US
In the hardest-hit deer country, a tall fence is the only reliable line — resistant plants cover the rest.
For cultivar selection, pest pressure, and planting-time guidance specific to Pennsylvania, the Penn State Extension is the authoritative local source.
Safe to Grow Here?
What the federal record shows across Bedford County — and how to grow with it.
We checked the federal record across Bedford County — 483 documented sites across 8 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 Bedford 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.
Severity Distribution
across Bedford County
Highest-Severity Sites
A note from Gnorman
What an experienced grower watches for around here
In and around Bedford County, two things run higher than the national average — CAFO (12 sites) and Nitrate (166 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 Bedford 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
Bedford County Average
- ●USDA Zones 6b
- ●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 Bedford County
Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Bedford County, Pennsylvania — 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 Bedford County, Pennsylvania
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 6b (USDA PHZM 2023)
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Mar 31 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can follow for a few weeks)
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Nov 16 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can arrive a few weeks earlier)
- Days Between Hard Freezes: ~230 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals)
- County Land Area: 648K 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 Bedford 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 Bedford County, Pennsylvania?
Bedford County sits in USDA hardiness zone 6b, 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 Bedford County?
Almost never — the real question is what to plant next. Cool-season crops can go in from around Mar 3; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Mar 31 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Nov 16 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. Here the season winds down slowly: late sowings, a real autumn harvest, and garlic in the ground before the first hard freeze.
When does frost risk typically end in Bedford County?
The last hard freeze (28°F) in Bedford County typically lands around Mar 31, 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 Bedford County?
Measured between 28°F hard freezes, Bedford County sees about 230 frost-free days — roughly Mar 31 through Nov 16, 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 Bedford County?
Bedford County's zone 6b supports a wide range — strong performers include Apple, Tomato, Grape, Mountain Laurel, and Mushroom. 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 Bedford County, really?
Officially, Bedford County sits in USDA zone 6b (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 Bedford County?
The federal record around Bedford County is a meaningful one — 483 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 Bedford County — what should I know before planting?
Start with three facts. Bedford County sits in USDA zone 6b, which sets what survives winter; the last 28°F hard freeze typically clears around Mar 31, with about 230 frost-free days to work with (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and 483 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 Bedford 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 Pennsylvania's frost window, season length, and soil profile against the plant's real requirements.