What Grows in Haskell County, Texas

USDA Zones 8a · 578K acres

Haskell County, in Texas, sits in USDA hardiness zone 8a — enough range to grow cool-season vegetables, hardy fruit, and warm-season crops that mature before the first hard frost.

Expect pecan, tomato, okra, and bluebonnet to be strong candidates here; the deciding factors on any one parcel stay local — soil, sun, and drainage.

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

Score your parcel · free

Haskell County holds more than one microclimate.

Soils and elevations shift across Haskell 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 Hard Freeze (28°F)

Feb 1

County normal — light frosts run a few weeks later

First Hard Freeze (28°F)

Dec 21

County normal — light frosts arrive a few weeks earlier

County Area

578K acres

Hardiness Zone Range

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

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

Soil in Haskell County

Across Haskell County, the ground is predominantly Mollisols, where Tillman, Rotan, and Abilene are the most extensive named soil series. The soil is generally well drained with a clay loam surface. Topsoil pH runs about 7.0–7.9, slightly alkaline. Rainfall drains through hydrologic group C soils.

Soil order

Mollisols

Drainage

Well drained

Prime farmland

48%

Hydric soils

0%

Soil still varies lot by lot — soil types explained.

Is it too late to plant in Haskell County?

For most of the year, no — what changes is which crops still fit the days remaining. Cool-season crops can go in from around Jan 4; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Feb 1 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Dec 21 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. In a climate this gentle, “too late” hardly applies — the question becomes which crops prefer the cooler months ahead.

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 Haskell County — and how to grow with it.

Federal record: Moderate

We checked the federal record across Haskell County54 documented sites across 5 of the 9 source types we track.

The most significant on record: 1 Toxics Release Inventory facility. Active industrial facilities reporting chemical releases to air, water, and land.

The federal record across Haskell County is a modest one — a typical footprint for a growing area. Nothing here calls for alarm; it's worth knowing which recorded sites sit closest to where you grow, and each one on the map carries its type and location. If one turns out to be a near neighbor, a one-time soil test settles the question.

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

54

across Haskell County

Risk Level

Moderate

Highest-severity

1 Toxics Release Inventory facility

Severity Distribution

across Haskell County

High1Moderate20Low33

Highest-Severity Sites

City of Haskell
PFAS Sampling · PFAS Detected
Allsups 153
Underground Storage Tanks · Open UST(S)
Allsups 91
Underground Storage Tanks · Open UST(S)
Brushy Creek-1
Mining Sites · Occurrence
Cecils Country Meat Market
Underground Storage Tanks · Open UST(S)

A note from Gnorman

What an experienced grower watches for around here

In and around Haskell County, two things run higher than the national average — Mining (4 sites) and Underground Storage Tanks (45 sites). That's not a problem with your land — it's information about it.

Mining: Mining sites — both historic and active — can leach heavy metals (arsenic, lead, cadmium, mercury) into soil and water for centuries after operations cease.

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

Test soil for heavy metals (lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury) — this is essential near any mining site.

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

Free Report

Check your specific parcel in Haskell 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

Haskell 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 Haskell County

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

  • USDA Hardiness Zones: 8a (USDA PHZM 2023)
  • Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Feb 1 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can follow for a few weeks)
  • First Hard Freeze (28°F): Dec 21 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can arrive a few weeks earlier)
  • Days Between Hard Freezes: ~323 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals)
  • County Land Area: 578K 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 Haskell 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 Haskell County, Texas?

Haskell 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.

Is it too late to plant in Haskell County?

For most of the year, no — what changes is which crops still fit the days remaining. Cool-season crops can go in from around Jan 4; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Feb 1 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Dec 21 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. In a climate this gentle, “too late” hardly applies — the question becomes which crops prefer the cooler months ahead.

When does frost risk typically end in Haskell County?

The last hard freeze (28°F) in Haskell County typically lands around Feb 1, 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 Haskell County?

Measured between 28°F hard freezes, Haskell County sees about 323 frost-free days — roughly Feb 1 through Dec 21, 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 Haskell County?

Haskell 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 Haskell County, really?

Officially, Haskell 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 Haskell County?

The federal record around Haskell County shows 54 documented sites — a typical footprint for a growing area, and proximity to a documented site is information, not a diagnosis of any one yard. It's worth seeing which recorded sites sit closest to where you grow, and testing the soil before new food beds near any of them.

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

Start with three facts. Haskell County sits in USDA zone 8a, which sets what survives winter; the last 28°F hard freeze typically clears around Feb 1, with about 323 frost-free days to work with (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and 54 documented sites sit on the federal record — a typical footprint for a growing area, worth a look on the contamination map before food beds. From there, matching plants to your actual soil and sun is the fun part.

Everything on this page is a Haskell 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.