Beadle County, in South Dakota, sits in USDA hardiness zone 4b — a band that supports both cool-season staples and warm-season crops chosen to fit the local frost window.
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.
Grounded in USDA PHZM 2023 · Growable Ground suitability scoring · NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals
Beadle County holds more than one microclimate.
Soils and elevations shift across Beadle 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
4b
Last Hard Freeze (28°F)
Apr 13
County normal — light frosts run a few weeks later
First Hard Freeze (28°F)
Oct 25
County normal — light frosts arrive a few weeks earlier
County Area
806K acres
Hardiness Zone Range
Zone maps are averages across Beadle County. Your yard's slope, trees, and frost pockets shift what actually grows — see your land's exact reading.
Soil in Beadle County
Across Beadle County, the ground is predominantly Mollisols, where Houdek, Prosper, and Dudley are the most extensive named soil series. The soil is generally well drained with a loam surface. Topsoil pH runs about 6.7, neutral. Rainfall drains through hydrologic group C soils.
Soil order
Mollisols
Drainage
Well drained
Prime farmland
3%
Hydric soils
12%
Soil still varies lot by lot — soil types explained.
What Grows in Beadle County
Plants matched to Beadle County's USDA zones 4b — each links to its full growing profile.
Is it too late to plant in Beadle County?
Usually not — gardeners here simply switch what goes in the ground as the season moves. Cool-season crops can go in from around Mar 16; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Apr 13 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Oct 25 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. The tail of the season still works: sixty-day crops into late summer, quick greens after, garlic last of all.
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.
Safe to Grow Here?
What the federal record shows across Beadle County — and how to grow with it.
We checked the federal record across Beadle County — 637 documented sites across 5 of the 9 source types we track.
The most significant on record: 16 Toxics Release Inventory facilities. Active industrial facilities reporting chemical releases to air, water, and land.
There's a meaningful federal record across Beadle 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.
Total Sites
637
across Beadle County
Risk Level
Elevated
Highest-severity
16 Toxics Release Inventory facilities
Sources Checked
across Beadle County
Severity Distribution
across Beadle County
Highest-Severity Sites
A note from Gnorman
What an experienced grower watches for around here
In and around Beadle County, Nitrate runs higher than the national average — 502 sites nearby. It's not cause for alarm — it's worth knowing, and there's a sensible way to grow around it.
Nitrate: Nitrate contamination primarily comes from agricultural fertilizer runoff and failing septic systems.
Test well water for nitrate if you rely on a private well for irrigation (EPA standard: 10 mg/L).
Check your specific parcel in Beadle 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
Beadle County Average
- ●USDA Zones 4b
- ●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 Beadle County
Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Beadle County, 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 Beadle County, South Dakota
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 4b (USDA PHZM 2023)
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Apr 13 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can follow for a few weeks)
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Oct 25 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can arrive a few weeks earlier)
- Days Between Hard Freezes: ~195 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals)
- County Land Area: 806K 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 Beadle 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 Beadle County, South Dakota?
Beadle County sits in USDA hardiness zone 4b, 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 Beadle County?
Usually not — gardeners here simply switch what goes in the ground as the season moves. Cool-season crops can go in from around Mar 16; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Apr 13 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Oct 25 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. The tail of the season still works: sixty-day crops into late summer, quick greens after, garlic last of all.
When does frost risk typically end in Beadle County?
The last hard freeze (28°F) in Beadle County typically lands around Apr 13, 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 Beadle County?
Measured between 28°F hard freezes, Beadle County sees about 195 frost-free days — roughly Apr 13 through Oct 25, 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 Beadle County?
Beadle County's zone 4b supports 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 Beadle County, really?
Officially, Beadle County sits in USDA zone 4b (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 Beadle County?
The federal record around Beadle County is a meaningful one — 637 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 Beadle County — what should I know before planting?
Start with three facts. Beadle County sits in USDA zone 4b, which sets what survives winter; the last 28°F hard freeze typically clears around Apr 13, with about 195 frost-free days to work with (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and 637 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 Beadle 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 South Dakota's frost window, season length, and soil profile against the plant's real requirements.