What Grows in Briscoe County, Texas

USDA Zones 7a · 576K acres

Briscoe County, in Texas, sits in USDA hardiness zone 7a — a zone band wide enough that plant choice, not possibility, is the interesting question.

Among the crops suited to this profile: pecan, tomato, okra, and bluebonnet. The site-level story — soil, sun, drainage — decides the rest.

Briscoe County lies within the High Plains — a regional growing area with its own character.

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

Score your parcel · free

Briscoe County holds more than one microclimate.

Soils and elevations shift across Briscoe 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.

No card required · your full report in seconds

Quick Facts

USDA Zones

7a

Last Hard Freeze (28°F)

Feb 18

County normal — light frosts run a few weeks later

First Hard Freeze (28°F)

Dec 7

County normal — light frosts arrive a few weeks earlier

County Area

576K acres

Hardiness Zone Range

7a7a
3a (Cold)13b (Hot)

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

Soil in Briscoe County

Across Briscoe County, the ground is predominantly Mollisols, where Pullman, Quinlan, and Burson are the most extensive named soil series. The soil is generally well drained with a loam surface. Topsoil pH runs about 7.3–8.0, slightly alkaline. Rainfall drains through hydrologic group C soils.

Soil order

Mollisols

Drainage

Well drained

Prime farmland

40%

Hydric soils

1%

Soil still varies lot by lot — soil types explained.

Is it too late to plant in Briscoe County?

Rarely: the season closes in stages, not all at once, and each stage has its crops. Cool-season crops can go in from around Jan 21; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Feb 18 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Dec 7 — 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 Texas

What an experienced grower plans around here — each one has a move.

Extreme heat (100F+ days) stresses many crops from June through September

Run the garden on spring and fall windows and give summer survivors afternoon shade — timing beats fighting the heat.

Rainfall varies dramatically — 8 inches in west TX to 56 inches in east TX

Your county's rainfall, not the state's, sets the watering plan — check your exact spot before designing beds.

Heavy black clay (Blackland Prairie) is difficult to work and drains poorly

A raised bed with amended soil turns Blackland clay from an obstacle into a backdrop — and that clay feeds deep roots well.

Flash drought conditions can develop rapidly even in wet years

Mulch deep and water deeply-but-rarely to grow drought-tough roots; a drip system pays for itself in the first dry summer.

For cultivar selection, pest pressure, and planting-time guidance specific to Texas, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service is the authoritative local source.

Safe to Grow Here?

What the federal record shows across Briscoe County — and how to grow with it.

Federal record: Low

We checked the federal record across Briscoe County20 documented sites across 2 of the 9 source types we track.

The most significant on record: 2 nitrate monitoring sites. Agricultural runoff and septic contamination — tracked at public water utilities (service-area exposure), private wells, and groundwater monitoring sites.

The federal record across Briscoe County is light. Growing food here starts from a strong position — a quick pass over the map tells you whether any recorded site sits near your land, and if one does, that's information to plant with, not a reason to stop.

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

20

across Briscoe County

Risk Level

Low

Highest-severity

2 nitrate monitoring sites

Severity Distribution

across Briscoe County

High0Moderate6Low14

Highest-Severity Sites

Allsups 192
Underground Storage Tanks · Open UST(S)
Allsups 93
Underground Storage Tanks · Open UST(S)
Bl-11-38-925
Nitrate Monitoring · Well
Bl-11-38-925
Nitrate Monitoring · Well
Garvin Oil
Underground Storage Tanks · Open UST(S)

Know Before You Grow

  • Underground tanks can leak petroleum products. Soil testing near former gas stations is recommended.
  • Test well water for nitrates if you rely on a private well. Levels above 10 mg/L require treatment.
Free Report

Check your specific parcel in Briscoe 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

Briscoe County Average

  • USDA Zones 7a
  • 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 Briscoe County

Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Briscoe County, Texas — 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 Briscoe County, Texas

  • USDA Hardiness Zones: 7a (USDA PHZM 2023)
  • Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Feb 18 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can follow for a few weeks)
  • First Hard Freeze (28°F): Dec 7 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can arrive a few weeks earlier)
  • Days Between Hard Freezes: ~292 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals)
  • County Land Area: 576K 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 Briscoe 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 Briscoe County, Texas?

Briscoe County sits in USDA hardiness zone 7a, 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 Briscoe County?

Rarely: the season closes in stages, not all at once, and each stage has its crops. Cool-season crops can go in from around Jan 21; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Feb 18 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Dec 7 — 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 Briscoe County?

The last hard freeze (28°F) in Briscoe County typically lands around Feb 18, 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 Briscoe County?

Measured between 28°F hard freezes, Briscoe County sees about 292 frost-free days — roughly Feb 18 through Dec 7, 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 Briscoe County?

Briscoe County's zone 7a supports a wide range — strong performers include Pecan, Tomato, Okra, Bluebonnet, and Jalapeno. 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 Briscoe County, really?

Officially, Briscoe County sits in USDA zone 7a (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 Briscoe County?

The federal record around Briscoe County is light — 20 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.

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

Start with three facts. Briscoe County sits in USDA zone 7a, which sets what survives winter; the last 28°F hard freeze typically clears around Feb 18, with about 292 frost-free days to work with (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and the local federal record is light — 20 documented sites across the area we checked. From there, matching plants to your actual soil and sun is the fun part.

Everything on this page is a Briscoe 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 Texas's frost window, season length, and soil profile against the plant's real requirements.