What Grows in Crockett County, Texas

USDA Zones 8a · 1.8M acres

Crockett County, in Texas, sits in USDA hardiness zone 8a — a range where zone-matched perennials and frost-aware annual timing set what succeeds.

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

Grounded in USDA PHZM 2023 · Growable Ground suitability scoring

Score your parcel · free

Crockett County holds more than one microclimate.

Soils and elevations shift across Crockett 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

8a

Last Frost (state avg.)

Feb 1 - Apr 15

First Frost (state avg.)

Oct 15 - Dec 15

County Area

1.8M acres

Hardiness Zone Range

8a8a
3a (Cold)13b (Hot)

Growing Season

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Last frost: Feb 1 - Apr 15First frost: Oct 15 - Dec 15

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

Soil in Crockett County

Across Crockett County, the ground is predominantly Mollisols, where Ector, Noelke, and Texon are the most extensive named soil series. The soil is generally well drained with a very cobbly clay loam surface. Topsoil pH runs about 8.0–8.2, moderately alkaline. Rainfall drains through hydrologic group D soils.

Soil order

Mollisols

Drainage

Well drained

Hydric soils

0%

Soil still varies lot by lot — soil types explained.

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 Crockett County — and how to grow with it.

Federal record: Elevated

We checked the federal record across Crockett County50 documented sites across 6 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 Crockett 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, 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

50

across Crockett County

Risk Level

Elevated

Highest-severity

1 Superfund site

Severity Distribution

across Crockett County

High2Moderate22Low26

Highest-Severity Sites

Crockett County Wcid 1 Ozona
PFAS Sampling · PFAS Detected
Plains Pipeline Pecos River Spill
Superfund · Superfund (Non-NPL)
Circle Bar Truck Corral
Underground Storage Tanks · Open UST(S)
Dcp Midstream Lp
Toxics Release Inventory · 7694wdcpmd594su
Eddins Walcher CO
Toxics Release Inventory · 76943ddnsw3032i

A note from Gnorman

What an experienced grower watches for around here

In and around Crockett County, two things run higher than the national average — Toxic Release Inventory (6 sites) and Underground Storage Tanks (33 sites). That's not a problem with your land — it's information about it.

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

Underground Storage Tanks: Underground storage tanks are the single most common source of soil contamination near homes and gardens.

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

Use raised beds with imported soil — this eliminates the primary soil-contact pathway.

Free Report

Check your specific parcel in Crockett 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

Crockett County Average

  • USDA Zones 8a
  • 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 Crockett County

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

  • USDA Hardiness Zones: 8a (USDA PHZM 2023)
  • Last Spring Frost (state avg.): Feb 1 - Apr 15 (NOAA 30-Year Climate Normals)
  • First Fall Frost (state avg.): Oct 15 - Dec 15 (NOAA 30-Year Climate Normals)
  • County Land Area: 1.8M 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 Crockett 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 Crockett County, Texas?

Crockett County sits in USDA hardiness zone 8a, per the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023. Zones reflect average annual extreme minimum temperatures from 1991–2020 weather data.

When does frost risk typically end in Crockett County?

Crockett County follows Texas's statewide frost window: last spring frost around Feb 1 - Apr 15 and first fall frost around Oct 15 - Dec 15, per NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020). Frost dates shift with elevation and local microclimate, so watch your own site's cold pockets.

What vegetables grow in Crockett County?

Crockett County's zone 8a 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 Crockett County, really?

Officially, Crockett County sits in USDA zone 8a (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 Crockett County?

The federal record around Crockett County is a meaningful one — 50 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 Crockett County — what should I know before planting?

Start with three facts. Crockett County sits in USDA zone 8a, which sets what survives winter; the statewide frost window runs about Feb 1 - Apr 15 to Oct 15 - Dec 15 (NOAA 30-year climate normals); and 50 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 Crockett 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.