Duchesne County, in Utah, sits in USDA hardiness zone 6a — enough range to grow cool-season vegetables, hardy fruit, and warm-season crops that mature before the first hard frost.
The conditions favor cherry, peach, tomato, and sego lily, among others — though every individual site edits that list with its own soil, sun, and drainage.
Grounded in USDA PHZM 2023 · Growable Ground suitability scoring · NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals
Duchesne County holds more than one microclimate.
Soils and elevations shift across Duchesne 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
6a
Last Hard Freeze (28°F)
Apr 21
County normal — light frosts run a few weeks later
First Hard Freeze (28°F)
Oct 21
County normal — light frosts arrive a few weeks earlier
County Area
2.1M acres
Hardiness Zone Range
Zone maps are averages across Duchesne County. Your yard's slope, trees, and frost pockets shift what actually grows — see your land's exact reading.
Soil in Duchesne County
Across Duchesne County, the ground is predominantly Aridisols, where Walknolls, Gompers, and Moonshine are the most extensive named soil series. The soil is generally well drained with a sandy loam surface. Topsoil pH runs about 7.8–8.3, moderately alkaline. Rainfall drains through hydrologic group D soils.
Soil order
Aridisols
Drainage
Well drained
Hydric soils
1%
Soil still varies lot by lot — soil types explained.
What Grows in Duchesne County
Plants matched to Duchesne County's USDA zones 6a — each links to its full growing profile.
Is it too late to plant in Duchesne County?
Too late for some crops, right on time for others — a growing season is a sequence, not a deadline. Cool-season crops can go in from around Mar 24; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Apr 21 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Oct 21 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. Late in the year the fall bench takes over — quick greens, radishes, and garlic that repays you next summer.
Growing Challenges in Utah
What an experienced grower plans around here — each one has a move.
Very low rainfall — irrigation essential
Design the drip system before the beds — with mulch over it, high-desert ground grows on a fraction of the water you'd guess.
Alkaline soils (pH 7.5-8.5) limit many species
A soil test pins your actual pH — adapted species take the ground, acid-lovers take containers, nothing is off the table.
High altitude frost risk in mountain valleys
Mountain valleys trade on frost dates, not zone — know your real window and keep row covers close in the shoulder weeks.
For cultivar selection, pest pressure, and planting-time guidance specific to Utah, the Utah State University Extension is the authoritative local source.
Safe to Grow Here?
What the federal record shows across Duchesne County — and how to grow with it.
We checked the federal record across Duchesne County — 228 documented sites across 8 of the 9 source types we track.
The most significant on record: 2 Superfund sites. 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 Duchesne 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, 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 Duchesne County
Highest-Severity Sites
A note from Gnorman
What an experienced grower watches for around here
In and around Duchesne County, Nitrate runs higher than the national average — 78 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 Duchesne 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
Duchesne County Average
- ●USDA Zones 6a
- ●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 Duchesne County
Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Duchesne County, Utah — 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 Duchesne County, Utah
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 6a (USDA PHZM 2023)
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Apr 21 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can follow for a few weeks)
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Oct 21 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can arrive a few weeks earlier)
- Days Between Hard Freezes: ~183 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals)
- County Land Area: 2.1M 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 Duchesne 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 Duchesne County, Utah?
Duchesne County sits in USDA hardiness zone 6a, 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 Duchesne County?
Too late for some crops, right on time for others — a growing season is a sequence, not a deadline. Cool-season crops can go in from around Mar 24; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Apr 21 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Oct 21 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. Late in the year the fall bench takes over — quick greens, radishes, and garlic that repays you next summer.
When does frost risk typically end in Duchesne County?
The last hard freeze (28°F) in Duchesne County typically lands around Apr 21, 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 Duchesne County?
Measured between 28°F hard freezes, Duchesne County sees about 183 frost-free days — roughly Apr 21 through Oct 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 Duchesne County?
Duchesne County's zone 6a supports a wide range — strong performers include Cherry, Peach, Tomato, Sego Lily, and Blue Spruce. 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 Duchesne County, really?
Officially, Duchesne County sits in USDA zone 6a (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 Duchesne County?
The federal record around Duchesne County is a meaningful one — 228 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 Duchesne County — what should I know before planting?
Start with three facts. Duchesne County sits in USDA zone 6a, which sets what survives winter; the last 28°F hard freeze typically clears around Apr 21, with about 183 frost-free days to work with (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and 228 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 Duchesne 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 Utah's frost window, season length, and soil profile against the plant's real requirements.