Pepin County, in Wisconsin, sits in USDA hardiness zone 4b — room for a real mix of vegetables, fruit, and perennials matched to the local frost calendar.
Well-matched crops include cranberry, cherry, potato, and ginseng, and the gap between "grows in the area" and "grows in your yard" is closed by soil, sun, and drainage.
Pepin County lies within the Driftless Area — a regional growing area with its own character.
Grounded in USDA PHZM 2023 · Growable Ground suitability scoring · NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals
Pepin County holds more than one microclimate.
Soils and elevations shift across Pepin 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
4b
Last Hard Freeze (28°F)
Apr 12
County normal — light frosts run a few weeks later
First Hard Freeze (28°F)
Oct 31
County normal — light frosts arrive a few weeks earlier
County Area
148K acres
Hardiness Zone Range
Zone maps are averages across Pepin County. Your yard's slope, trees, and frost pockets shift what actually grows — see your land's exact reading.
Soil in Pepin County
Across Pepin County, the ground is predominantly Alfisols, where Pepin, Seaton, and Urne are the most extensive named soil series. The soil is generally well drained with a silt loam surface. Topsoil pH runs about 6.0–6.2, slightly acidic. Rainfall drains through hydrologic group B soils.
Soil order
Alfisols
Drainage
Well drained
Prime farmland
15%
Hydric soils
9%
Soil still varies lot by lot — soil types explained.
What Grows in Pepin County
Plants matched to Pepin County's USDA zones 4b — each links to its full growing profile.
Is it too late to plant in Pepin County?
Usually not — gardeners here simply switch what goes in the ground as the season moves. Cool-season crops can go in from around Mar 15; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Apr 12 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Oct 31 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. Here the season winds down slowly: late sowings, a real autumn harvest, and garlic in the ground before the first hard freeze.
Growing Challenges in Wisconsin
What an experienced grower plans around here — each one has a move.
Cold winters (-30F in northern WI)
Plant perennials rated for the cold you actually get — northern Wisconsin rewards zone honesty with decades of returns.
Short growing season (110-140 frost-free days)
Indoor starts plus a cold frame stretch the season on both ends — standard practice from Madison to Superior.
Sandy central soils drain too quickly
The Central Sands fix is organic matter — compost and cover crops, every year, until the ground holds its own water.
For cultivar selection, pest pressure, and planting-time guidance specific to Wisconsin, the UW–Madison Division of Extension is the authoritative local source.
Safe to Grow Here?
What the federal record shows across Pepin County — and how to grow with it.
We checked the federal record across Pepin County — 131 documented sites across 7 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 Pepin 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 Pepin County
Highest-Severity Sites
A note from Gnorman
What an experienced grower watches for around here
In and around Pepin County, Underground Storage Tanks runs higher than the national average — 86 sites nearby. Knowing it is half the work — and it's nothing a thoughtful grower can't plan for.
Underground Storage Tanks: Underground storage tanks are the single most common source of soil contamination near homes and gardens.
Use raised beds with imported soil — this eliminates the primary soil-contact pathway.
Check your specific parcel in Pepin 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
Pepin 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
Read your parcel in Pepin County
Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Pepin County, Wisconsin — 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 Pepin County, Wisconsin
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 4b (USDA PHZM 2023)
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Apr 12 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can follow for a few weeks)
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Oct 31 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can arrive a few weeks earlier)
- Days Between Hard Freezes: ~202 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals)
- County Land Area: 148K 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 Pepin 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 Pepin County, Wisconsin?
Pepin 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 Pepin County?
Usually not — gardeners here simply switch what goes in the ground as the season moves. Cool-season crops can go in from around Mar 15; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Apr 12 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Oct 31 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. Here the season winds down slowly: late sowings, a real autumn harvest, and garlic in the ground before the first hard freeze.
When does frost risk typically end in Pepin County?
The last hard freeze (28°F) in Pepin County typically lands around Apr 12, 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 Pepin County?
Measured between 28°F hard freezes, Pepin County sees about 202 frost-free days — roughly Apr 12 through Oct 31, 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 Pepin County?
Pepin County's zone 4b supports a wide range — strong performers include Cranberry, Cherry, Potato, Ginseng, and Sugar Maple. 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 Pepin County, really?
Officially, Pepin 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 Pepin County?
The federal record around Pepin County is a meaningful one — 131 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 Pepin County — what should I know before planting?
Start with three facts. Pepin County sits in USDA zone 4b, which sets what survives winter; the last 28°F hard freeze typically clears around Apr 12, with about 202 frost-free days to work with (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and 131 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 Pepin 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 Wisconsin's frost window, season length, and soil profile against the plant's real requirements.