What Grows in Sherman County, Texas

USDA Zones 7a · 591K acres

Sherman County, in Texas, sits in USDA hardiness zone 7a — room for a real mix of vegetables, fruit, and perennials matched to the local frost calendar.

Well-matched crops include pecan, tomato, okra, and bluebonnet, and the gap between "grows in the area" and "grows in your yard" is closed by soil, sun, and drainage.

Sherman 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

Sherman County holds more than one microclimate.

Soils and elevations shift across Sherman 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)

Mar 15

County normal — light frosts run a few weeks later

First Hard Freeze (28°F)

Nov 13

County normal — light frosts arrive a few weeks earlier

County Area

591K acres

Hardiness Zone Range

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

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

Soil in Sherman County

Across Sherman County, the ground is predominantly Mollisols, where Sherm, Sunray, and Gruver are the most extensive named soil series. The soil is generally well drained with a clay loam surface. Topsoil pH runs about 7.2–8.0, slightly alkaline. Rainfall drains through hydrologic group B soils.

Soil order

Mollisols

Drainage

Well drained

Prime farmland

49%

Hydric soils

1%

Soil still varies lot by lot — soil types explained.

Is it too late to plant in Sherman County?

Usually not — gardeners here simply switch what goes in the ground as the season moves. Cool-season crops can go in from around Feb 15; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Mar 15 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Nov 13 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. With a season this long, “too late” mostly means “switch crops” — second sowings and a full fall garden are the norm, with garlic closing the year.

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 Sherman County — and how to grow with it.

Federal record: Moderate

We checked the federal record across Sherman County62 documented sites across 4 of the 9 source types we track.

The most significant on record: 14 concentrated animal feeding operations. Large-scale animal operations that can contaminate soil and groundwater with nitrates and pathogens.

The federal record across Sherman 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

62

across Sherman County

Risk Level

Moderate

Highest-severity

14 concentrated animal feeding operations

Severity Distribution

across Sherman County

High0Moderate37Low25

Highest-Severity Sites

Allsups 361
Underground Storage Tanks · Open UST(S)
Bain Tire
Underground Storage Tanks · Open UST(S)
Coldwater Dairy East
Concentrated Animal Feeding · Effective
Consumers
Underground Storage Tanks · Open UST(S)
Dettles Coldwater Creek Cattle
Concentrated Animal Feeding · Effective

A note from Gnorman

What an experienced grower watches for around here

In and around Sherman County, two things run higher than the national average — CAFO (14 sites) and Nitrate (18 sites). It's not cause for alarm — it's worth knowing, and there's a sensible way to grow around it.

CAFO: CAFOs pose a different contamination profile than chemical sources.

Nitrate: Nitrate contamination primarily comes from agricultural fertilizer runoff and failing septic systems.

Wash all produce consumed raw thoroughly, especially leafy greens grown near CAFOs.

Test well water for nitrate if you rely on a private well for irrigation (EPA standard: 10 mg/L).

Free Report

Check your specific parcel in Sherman 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

Sherman 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 Sherman County

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

  • USDA Hardiness Zones: 7a (USDA PHZM 2023)
  • Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Mar 15 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can follow for a few weeks)
  • First Hard Freeze (28°F): Nov 13 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can arrive a few weeks earlier)
  • Days Between Hard Freezes: ~243 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals)
  • County Land Area: 591K 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 Sherman 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 Sherman County, Texas?

Sherman 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 Sherman County?

Usually not — gardeners here simply switch what goes in the ground as the season moves. Cool-season crops can go in from around Feb 15; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Mar 15 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Nov 13 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. With a season this long, “too late” mostly means “switch crops” — second sowings and a full fall garden are the norm, with garlic closing the year.

When does frost risk typically end in Sherman County?

The last hard freeze (28°F) in Sherman County typically lands around Mar 15, 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 Sherman County?

Measured between 28°F hard freezes, Sherman County sees about 243 frost-free days — roughly Mar 15 through Nov 13, 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 Sherman County?

Sherman 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 Sherman County, really?

Officially, Sherman 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 Sherman County?

The federal record around Sherman County shows 62 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 Sherman County — what should I know before planting?

Start with three facts. Sherman County sits in USDA zone 7a, which sets what survives winter; the last 28°F hard freeze typically clears around Mar 15, with about 243 frost-free days to work with (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and 62 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 Sherman 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.