Refugio County, in Texas, sits in USDA hardiness zone 9b — a band that supports both cool-season staples and warm-season crops chosen to fit the local frost window.
On paper, pecan, tomato, okra, and bluebonnet all suit these conditions — on the ground, soil, sun, and drainage make the final call.
Grounded in USDA PHZM 2023 · Growable Ground suitability scoring
Refugio County holds more than one microclimate.
Soils and elevations shift across Refugio 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
9b
Last Frost (state avg.)
Feb 1 - Apr 15
First Frost (state avg.)
Oct 15 - Dec 15
County Area
493K acres
Hardiness Zone Range
Growing Season
Zone maps are averages across Refugio County. Your yard's slope, trees, and frost pockets shift what actually grows — see your land's exact reading.
Soil in Refugio County
Across Refugio County, the ground is predominantly Vertisols, where Victoria, Papalote, and Orelia are the most extensive named soil series. The soil is generally well drained with a clay surface. Topsoil pH runs about 6.6–8.1, neutral. Rainfall drains through hydrologic group C soils.
Soil order
Vertisols
Drainage
Well drained
Prime farmland
55%
Hydric soils
12%
Soil still varies lot by lot — soil types explained.
What Grows in Refugio County
Plants matched to Refugio County's USDA zones 9b — each links to its full growing profile.
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 Refugio County — and how to grow with it.
We checked the federal record across Refugio County — 160 documented sites across 3 of the 9 source types we track.
The most significant on record: 14 brownfield sites. Former commercial or industrial land where legacy contamination may persist.
The federal record across Refugio 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, 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.
Severity Distribution
across Refugio County
Highest-Severity Sites
A note from Gnorman
What an experienced grower watches for around here
In and around Refugio County, Nitrate runs higher than the national average — 74 sites nearby. Knowing it is half the work — and it's nothing a thoughtful grower can't plan for.
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 Refugio 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
Refugio County Average
- ●USDA Zones 9b
- ●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 Refugio County
Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Refugio County, Texas — 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 Refugio County, Texas
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 9b (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: 493K 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 Refugio 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 Refugio County, Texas?
Refugio County sits in USDA hardiness zone 9b, 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 Refugio County?
Refugio 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 Refugio County?
Refugio County's zone 9b 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 Refugio County, really?
Officially, Refugio County sits in USDA zone 9b (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 Refugio County?
The federal record around Refugio County shows 160 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 Refugio County — what should I know before planting?
Start with three facts. Refugio County sits in USDA zone 9b, 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 160 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 Refugio 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.