Cherry Creek, South Dakota, sits in USDA hardiness zones 4a-5b — 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 tomato, black hills spruce, potato, and rhubarb — with the usual caveat that any single yard's soil, sun, and drainage cast the deciding vote.
Even in Cherry Creek, 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 Cherry Creek 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
4a-5b
Last Hard Freeze (28°F)
Apr 16
Town normal — light frosts run a few weeks later
First Hard Freeze (28°F)
Oct 21
Town normal — light frosts arrive a few weeks earlier
Town Area
393 acres
Hardiness Zone Range
Zone maps are averages across Cherry Creek. 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.
What Grows in Cherry Creek
Plants matched to Cherry Creek's USDA zones 4a-5b — each links to its full growing profile.
Is it too late to plant in Cherry Creek?
Almost never — the real question is what to plant next. Cool-season crops can go in from around Mar 19; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Apr 16 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Oct 21 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. Late in the year the fall bench takes over — quick greens, radishes, and garlic that repays you next summer.
Growing Challenges in South Dakota
What an experienced grower plans around here — each one has a move.
Extreme cold and short growing season
Cold-proven varieties and a high tunnel turn a short prairie season into a reliable one — the northern-plains standard.
Low rainfall in western SD
West-river gardens run on drip and mulch — putting the water plan first makes the dry summers routine.
Wind exposure on the open prairie
A windbreak is the best structure you can plant on the prairie — even a shrub row shifts the microclimate.
For cultivar selection, pest pressure, and planting-time guidance specific to South Dakota, the SDSU 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
18
within ~10 miles of Cherry Creek
Risk Level
Low
Highest-severity
18 nitrate monitoring sites
Severity Distribution
within ~10 miles of Cherry Creek
Highest-Severity Sites
Know Before You Grow
- •Test well water for nitrates if you rely on a private well. Levels above 10 mg/L require treatment.
Check your specific parcel in Cherry Creek
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
Cherry Creek Average
- ●USDA Zones 4a-5b
- ●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 specific parcel in Cherry Creek
Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Cherry Creek, South Dakota — 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 Cherry Creek, South Dakota
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 4a-5b (USDA PHZM 2023)
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Apr 16 (town normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can follow for a few weeks)
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Oct 21 (town normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can arrive a few weeks earlier)
- Days Between Hard Freezes: ~188 (town normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals)
- Land Area: 393 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 Cherry Creek, South Dakota?
Cherry Creek sits in USDA hardiness zones 4a-5b, 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 Cherry Creek?
Almost never — the real question is what to plant next. Cool-season crops can go in from around Mar 19; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Apr 16 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Oct 21 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. Late in the year the fall bench takes over — quick greens, radishes, and garlic that repays you next summer.
When does frost risk typically end in Cherry Creek?
The last hard freeze (28°F) in Cherry Creek typically lands around Apr 16, 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 Cherry Creek?
The first hard freeze (28°F) in Cherry Creek typically arrives around Oct 21, 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 Cherry Creek?
Cherry Creek's zones 4a-5b support a wide range — strong performers include Tomato, Black Hills Spruce, Potato, and Rhubarb. 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 Cherry Creek, really?
Officially, Cherry Creek sits in USDA zones 4a-5b (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 Cherry Creek?
The federal record around Cherry Creek is light — 18 documented sites across the 9 federal source types we checked — and proximity to a documented site is information, not a diagnosis of any one yard. Growing food here starts from a strong position; a soil test before new food beds settles any site-specific question.
How do I protect my plants from frost in Cherry Creek?
As the season closes around the first 28°F hard freeze near Oct 21 (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 Cherry Creek 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.