What Grows in Lamoille County, Vermont

USDA Zones 4b · 295K acres

Lamoille County, in Vermont, sits in USDA hardiness zone 4b — a zone band wide enough that plant choice, not possibility, is the interesting question.

Growers here do well with sugar maple, apple, garlic, and blueberry — with the usual caveat that any single yard's soil, sun, and drainage cast the deciding vote.

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

Score your parcel · free

Lamoille County holds more than one microclimate.

Soils and elevations shift across Lamoille 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

4b

Last Hard Freeze (28°F)

Apr 20

County normal — light frosts run a few weeks later

First Hard Freeze (28°F)

Nov 1

County normal — light frosts arrive a few weeks earlier

County Area

295K acres

Hardiness Zone Range

4b4b
3a (Cold)13b (Hot)

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

Soil in Lamoille County

Across Lamoille County, the ground is predominantly Spodosols, where Tunbridge, Lyman, and Berkshire are the most extensive named soil series. The soil is generally well drained with a fine sandy loam surface. Topsoil pH runs about 4.6–4.8, very strongly acidic. Rainfall drains through hydrologic group C soils.

Soil order

Spodosols

Drainage

Well drained

Prime farmland

7%

Hydric soils

9%

Soil still varies lot by lot — soil types explained.

Is it too late to plant in Lamoille 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 23; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Apr 20 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Nov 1 — 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 Vermont

What an experienced grower plans around here — each one has a move.

Short growing season (100-130 frost-free days)

Indoor starts, fast varieties, and a cold frame on each shoulder — the Vermont formula for making 110 days feel like 150.

Rocky soils throughout the Green Mountains

Raised beds spare you the stone harvest — build up over cleared ground and plant the same weekend.

Heavy clay in the Champlain Valley

Champlain clay holds spring water late — raised or mounded beds dry out and warm up weeks earlier for planting.

For cultivar selection, pest pressure, and planting-time guidance specific to Vermont, the UVM Extension is the authoritative local source.

Safe to Grow Here?

What the federal record shows across Lamoille County — and how to grow with it.

Federal record: Elevated

We checked the federal record across Lamoille County281 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 Lamoille 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

281

across Lamoille County

Risk Level

Elevated

Highest-severity

1 Superfund site

Severity Distribution

across Lamoille County

High6Moderate51Low224

Highest-Severity Sites

Judevine Brook Locality
Mining Sites · Occurrence
Morrisville Prospect
Mining Sites · Occurrence
Morrisville Prospect
Mining Sites · Occurrence
Unnamed
Mining Sites · Occurrence
Unnamed Galena Occurrence
Mining Sites · Occurrence

Know Before You Grow

  • Underground tanks can leak petroleum products. Soil testing near former gas stations is recommended.
  • Raised beds with imported soil can reduce exposure risk near brownfield sites.
  • Mining sites may leach heavy metals. Test soil for lead, arsenic, and cadmium before growing food crops.
Free Report

Check your specific parcel in Lamoille 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

Lamoille County Average

  • USDA Zones 4b
  • 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 Lamoille County

Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Lamoille County, Vermont — 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 Lamoille County, Vermont

  • USDA Hardiness Zones: 4b (USDA PHZM 2023)
  • Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Apr 20 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can follow for a few weeks)
  • First Hard Freeze (28°F): Nov 1 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can arrive a few weeks earlier)
  • Days Between Hard Freezes: ~195 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals)
  • County Land Area: 295K 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 Lamoille 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 Lamoille County, Vermont?

Lamoille County sits in USDA hardiness zone 4b, 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 Lamoille 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 23; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Apr 20 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Nov 1 — 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 Lamoille County?

The last hard freeze (28°F) in Lamoille County typically lands around Apr 20, 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 Lamoille County?

Measured between 28°F hard freezes, Lamoille County sees about 195 frost-free days — roughly Apr 20 through Nov 1, 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 Lamoille County?

Lamoille County's zone 4b supports a wide range — strong performers include Sugar Maple, Apple, Garlic, Blueberry, and Kale. 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 Lamoille County, really?

Officially, Lamoille County sits in USDA zone 4b (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 Lamoille County?

The federal record around Lamoille County is a meaningful one — 281 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 Lamoille County — what should I know before planting?

Start with three facts. Lamoille County sits in USDA zone 4b, which sets what survives winter; the last 28°F hard freeze typically clears around Apr 20, with about 195 frost-free days to work with (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and 281 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 Lamoille 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 Vermont's frost window, season length, and soil profile against the plant's real requirements.