What Grows in McAdoo, Pennsylvania

USDA Zones 6a-7b · 222 acres

McAdoo, Pennsylvania, sits in USDA hardiness zones 6a-7b — a zone band wide enough that plant choice, not possibility, is the interesting question.

These conditions suit apple, tomato, grape, and mountain laurel — a starting list any specific site will trim or extend with its own soil, sun, and drainage.

Score your parcel · free

Even in McAdoo, 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 McAdoo 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)

Apr 9

Town normal — light frosts run a few weeks later

First Hard Freeze (28°F)

Nov 10

Town normal — light frosts arrive a few weeks earlier

Town Area

222 acres

Hardiness Zone Range

6a
7b
3a (Cold)13b (Hot)

Zone maps are averages across McAdoo. 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.

Is it too late to plant in McAdoo?

Rarely: the season closes in stages, not all at once, and each stage has its crops. Cool-season crops can go in from around Mar 12; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Apr 9 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Nov 10 — 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 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.

Environmental Intelligence

Understanding what's nearby helps you make informed decisions about where and how to grow.

Total Sites

585

within ~10 miles of McAdoo

Risk Level

High

Highest-severity

8 Superfund sites

Severity Distribution

within ~10 miles of McAdoo

High10Moderate182Low393

Highest-Severity Sites

Agmet Corp
Superfund · Superfund (Non-NPL)
Eastern Diversified Metals
Superfund · Superfund NPL
Mcadoo Associates
Superfund · Superfund NPL
Air Prods & Chemicals INC - Specialty Gas Div
Toxics Release Inventory · 18252RPRDCPOBOX
Altadis USA INC
Toxics Release Inventory · 18237CNSLDMCADO

A note from Gnorman

What an experienced grower watches for around here

In and around McAdoo, two things run higher than the national average — Toxic Release Inventory (50 sites) and PFAS (6 sites). Knowing it is half the work — and it's nothing a thoughtful grower can't plan for.

Toxic Release Inventory: TRI facilities report annual chemical releases to air, water, and land.

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

Check prevailing wind direction — downwind parcels face higher exposure than upwind or crosswind locations.

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

Free Report

Check your specific parcel in McAdoo

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

McAdoo 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

Free Report

Read your specific parcel in McAdoo

Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in McAdoo, Pennsylvania — 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 McAdoo, Pennsylvania

  • USDA Hardiness Zones: 6a-7b (USDA PHZM 2023)
  • Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Apr 9 (town normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can follow for a few weeks)
  • First Hard Freeze (28°F): Nov 10 (town normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can arrive a few weeks earlier)
  • Days Between Hard Freezes: ~215 (town normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals)
  • Land Area: 222 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 McAdoo, Pennsylvania?

McAdoo 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 McAdoo?

Rarely: the season closes in stages, not all at once, and each stage has its crops. Cool-season crops can go in from around Mar 12; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Apr 9 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Nov 10 — 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 McAdoo?

The last hard freeze (28°F) in McAdoo typically lands around Apr 9, 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 McAdoo?

The first hard freeze (28°F) in McAdoo typically arrives around Nov 10, 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 McAdoo?

McAdoo's zones 6a-7b support 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 McAdoo, really?

Officially, McAdoo 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 McAdoo?

The federal record around McAdoo runs heavier than most — 585 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.

How do I protect my plants from frost in McAdoo?

As the season closes around the first 28°F hard freeze near Nov 10 (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 McAdoo 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.