What Grows in Goodman, Wisconsin

USDA Zones 4b · 1K acres

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

These conditions suit cabbage, cranberry, cilantro, and collard greens — a starting list any specific site will trim or extend with its own soil, sun, and drainage.

Score your parcel · free

Even in Goodman, no two yards are alike.

A low spot, a south-facing slope, or a stand of trees moves the frost date and sun across a single Goodman lot. Enter your address and we'll score 1,086 plants against your land's actual soil, sun, and frost.

We read public map data around Goodman — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.

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Goodman — the short answer

Goodman, Wisconsin: USDA zone 4b, about 149 days between hard freezes, across 1K acres of town.

USDA zone
4b
USDA PHZM 2023
Last hard freeze (28°F)
May 10
NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals, 28°F — this town
First hard freeze (28°F)
Oct 6
NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals, 28°F — this town
Days between freezes
~149
NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals, 28°F — this town
Town area
1K acres
US Census TIGER/Line 2025

Every figure names the dataset it came from. Hard-freeze dates are this town’s own 28°F normals: light frosts run a few weeks past them, and tender transplants usually wait 2–3 weeks after the last hard freeze.

Hardiness Zone Range

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

Zone 4b is Goodman's average, not your lot's — a low corner or a tree line moves it. Against Goodman's 149-day season, see what your own ground reads.

Soil varies lot by lot — soil types explained.

What this means for growing in Goodman

Each reading below is measured for Goodman itself — here is what it means for a garden here, and the move an experienced grower makes about it.

Season length

Measured

Goodman runs about 149 days between hard freezes — a short growing season.

Long-maturing crops like melons, sweet potatoes, and winter squash can run out of runway before the first hard freeze, ripening late or not at all.

Lead with fast-maturing varieties, and stretch the season on both ends with cold frames, low tunnels, or a greenhouse.

NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals

Winter hardiness

Measured

Goodman sits in USDA hardiness zone 4b.

The zone sets which perennials, shrubs, and fruit trees live through an average winter here — a plant rated for a colder zone is a safe bet, one rated warmer needs winter protection or gets treated as an annual.

Match perennials and fruit to the zone before you buy, so nothing you plant is a gamble against the cold.

USDA PHZM 2023

The kind of country Goodman is in

Goodman sits in the Northern Lakes and Forests — EPA Level III, inside the wider Northern Forests. That is read at Goodman's own centroid rather than borrowed from Marinette County.

What that means for soil

What Grows in Goodman

Every plant below cleared Goodman's own zone 4b and its 149-day season. Each card opens that plant's Wisconsin profile. How we score.

cabbage, photograph
Growing cabbage in WisconsinZones 2–11Goodman's 4b — 2 zones of cold margin.
cranberry, photograph
Wisconsin cranberry guideZones 2–7Goodman's 4b — 2 zones of cold margin.
cilantro, photograph
Cilantro in WisconsinZones 2–11Goodman's 149 days clear the ~35 it needs.
collard greens, photograph
Collard greens: Wisconsin growing notesZones 2–11Goodman's 4b — 2 zones of cold margin.
hazelnut, photograph
Growing hazelnut in WisconsinZones 4–9Goodman's 4b is its exact cold limit.
epazote, photograph
Wisconsin epazote guideGoodman's 149 days clear the ~60 it needs.
kale, photograph
Kale in WisconsinZones 2–11Goodman's 4b — 2 zones of cold margin.
blueberry, photograph
Blueberry: Wisconsin growing notesZones 3–8Goodman's 4b — 1 zone of cold margin.
shiso, photograph
Growing shiso in WisconsinGoodman's 149 days clear the ~80 it needs.
lentil, photograph
Wisconsin lentil guideZones 2–11Goodman's 149 days clear the ~70 it needs.
apple, photograph
Apple in WisconsinZones 3–8Goodman's 4b — 1 zone of cold margin.
okra, photograph
Okra: Wisconsin growing notesZones 2–12Goodman's 149 days clear the ~50 it needs.
rhubarb, photograph
Growing rhubarb in WisconsinZones 2–8Goodman's 149 days clear the ~60 it needs.
sweet corn, photograph
Wisconsin sweet corn guideZones 2–11Goodman's 149 days clear the ~65 it needs.
zucchini, photograph
Zucchini in WisconsinZones 2–11Goodman's 149 days clear the ~40 it needs.
hosta, photograph
Hosta: Wisconsin growing notesZones 3–8Goodman's 4b — 1 zone of cold margin.
sunflower, photograph
Growing sunflower in WisconsinZones 2–11Goodman's 149 days clear the ~70 it needs.
azalea, photograph
Wisconsin azalea guideZones 4–8Goodman's 4b is its exact cold limit.
hops, photograph
Hops in WisconsinZones 3–8Goodman's 4b — 1 zone of cold margin.
iris, photograph
Iris: Wisconsin growing notesZones 3–10Goodman's 4b — 1 zone of cold margin.
French marigold, photograph
Growing french marigold in WisconsinGoodman's 149 days clear the ~50 it needs.
lilac, photograph
Wisconsin lilac guideZones 4–10Goodman's 4b is its exact cold limit.
riverbank grape, photograph
Riverbank grape in WisconsinZones 2–8Goodman's 4b — 2 zones of cold margin.
Siberian squill, photograph
Siberian squill: Wisconsin growing notesZones 2–8Goodman's 4b — 2 zones of cold margin.
blue spruce, photograph
Growing blue spruce in WisconsinZones 2–8Goodman's 4b — 2 zones of cold margin.
field pea, photograph
Wisconsin field pea guideZones 2–10Goodman's 149 days clear the ~60 it needs.
Kentucky bluegrass, botanical illustration
Kentucky bluegrass in WisconsinZones 2–7Goodman's 4b — 2 zones of cold margin.
American elm, photograph
American elm: Wisconsin growing notesZones 3–9Goodman's 4b — 1 zone of cold margin.
turnip cover crop, photograph
Growing turnip cover crop in WisconsinZones 2–10Goodman's 149 days clear the ~40 it needs.
Canada wild rye, photograph
Wisconsin canada wild rye guideZones 3–8Goodman's 4b — 1 zone of cold margin.

Is it too late to plant in Goodman?

For most of the year, no — what changes is which crops still fit the days remaining. Cool-season crops can go in from around Apr 12; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near May 10 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Oct 6 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. Short seasons reward decisiveness — quick-maturing varieties late, hardy greens under cover, and next year’s garlic in the ground before it closes.

What's on the federal record near Goodman

Closest first, within ~10 miles of Goodman. Listing isn't leaking, and distance isn't exposure.

  1. GOODMAN ARMSTRONG CREEK H SUnderground Storage Tanks · 0.6 mi
  2. GOODMAN ARMSTRONG CREEK SCHOOLBrownfields · 0.6 mi
  3. AMERICAN GRAPHICS INCToxics Release Inventory · 0.6 mi
  4. MT-36/17E/03-0091Nitrate · 0.8 mi
  5. Stanley GazlerUnderground Storage Tanks · 0.8 mi
  6. ROCHON PLUMBING & HEATING INCUnderground Storage Tanks · 0.8 mi
  7. Goodman MobilUnderground Storage Tanks · 0.8 mi
  8. GEORGE O HOFFMANUnderground Storage Tanks · 0.9 mi
  9. R B GOODMAN LUMBER CO GAS STATUnderground Storage Tanks · 0.9 mi
  10. Goodman Veneer & Lumber CoUnderground Storage Tanks · 0.9 mi
  11. GOODMAN VENEER & LUMBER COToxics Release Inventory · 0.9 mi
  12. TRAILS END TAVERNUnderground Storage Tanks · 1.1 mi

6 more sites are on the record inside the same radius. See them on the map

Measured from Goodman's center, not your beds. Run your own address for what's upwind of you specifically.

Environmental Intelligence

The counts behind that headline — every source type on the record near Goodman.

Total Sites

55

within ~10 miles of Goodman

Risk Level

Moderate

Highest-severity

2 Toxics Release Inventory facilities

Severity Distribution

within ~10 miles of Goodman

High0Moderate20Low35

Highest-Severity Sites

American Graphics INC
Toxics Release Inventory · 54125mrcng610ma
Duval
Mining Sites · Unknown
Goodman Veneer & Lumber CO
Toxics Release Inventory · 54125gdmnv200ca
Goodman Veneer & Lumber CO
Underground Storage Tanks · Open UST(S)
Gudowicz Stoney Ridge
Underground Storage Tanks · Open UST(S)

A note from Gnorman

What an experienced grower watches for around here

In and around Goodman, Underground Storage Tanks runs higher than the national average — 38 sites within ~10 miles of Goodman. It's not cause for alarm — it's worth knowing, and there's a sensible way to grow around it.

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.

Free Report

Check your specific parcel in Goodman

Get exact proximity distances to contamination sources for your specific parcel — plus soil, sun, drainage, and 1,086 plant recommendations.

25+ data sources read at your address, not the Goodman average

Your land is one point inside Goodman

Everything above resolves to Goodman as a whole — one PHZM band and one 28°F frost record, read across 1K acres. Your parcel is one point inside that footprint. Slope, tree cover, a low spot that pools cold air, and what is in the soil are all resolved at the address, and none of them are visible at town scale. That is the honest boundary of this page, and the reason the next step is a reading of your own ground rather than a better local average.

Your Lot vs the Goodman Average

Goodman Average

  • USDA Zones 4b, averaged across Goodman
  • One soil character for all of Goodman
  • Frost dates read at Goodman's scale: May 10 to Oct 6

YOUR Parcel

  • Your exact zone, not Goodman's 4b
  • Your SSURGO soil type & pH
  • Your sun exposure, cast in 3D

See MY Growing Report

Free Report

Read your specific parcel in Goodman

Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Goodman, Wisconsin — soil, sun, drainage, frost risk, and scored plant recommendations.

Three things about your lot that Goodman averages can't show:

Your soil pHYour frost-free days — Goodman averages 149Your sun & shade

We read public map data around Goodman — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.

25+ data sources read at your address, not the Goodman average

How we know this about Goodman

The datasets: hardiness from the USDA ARS Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023, read at this town’s own centroid; hard-freeze dates from NOAA 1991–2020 28°F normals at Goodman’s own record; boundaries and acreage from US Census TIGER/Line 2025; the contamination records from the federal sources named in their beats above. Soil is not read at town grain anywhere on this page — there is no town-resolution survey in our data, which is why you will find no soil grid here rather than a statewide one wearing a local label. The resolution ledger below names every figure this page inherited.

Common questions about Goodman

When does frost risk typically end in Goodman?

The last hard freeze (28°F) in Goodman typically lands around May 10, per NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals — earlier than the light-frost dates most charts quote. That marks the hard freeze, not the last light frost — lighter frosts keep biting past it, which is why tender transplants here wait until about May 31.

When is the first frost in Goodman?

The first hard freeze (28°F) in Goodman typically arrives around Oct 6, per NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals — the point tender summer crops finish. Lighter frosts run ahead of it, near Sep 22, so the watching starts about Sep 6 — about 149 days after the spring freeze cleared.

How long is the growing season in Goodman?

Measured between 28°F hard freezes, Goodman sees about 149 frost-free days — roughly May 10 through Oct 6, per NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals. Tender crops work a shorter one: nearer May 31 to Sep 22, about 114 days.

Is the soil safe to grow vegetables in Goodman?

The federal record around Goodman shows 55 documented sites, mostly Underground Storage Tanks entries (38), the nearest Underground Storage Tanks record about 0.6 miles out — 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.

How do gardeners stretch the season in Goodman?

With about 149 frost-free days between hard freezes, Goodman rewards the classic extension moves: floating row cover buys roughly two to four extra weeks at each shoulder — on this season that is a working window nearer 177 to 205 days — and cold frames or low tunnels buy more. Starting transplants indoors ahead of the May 10 hard-freeze normal stretches the season without touching the calendar.

Everything above is measured at Goodman's scale — its 4b band and its 149-day season. Your yard writes its own version of Goodman's numbers: we read soil, sun, drainage and frost at your exact address. Try it for 14 days — no card required.

What this page reads at Goodman’s own scale

6 of the readings below were taken at Goodman's own scale — its own ~149-day season between 28°F freezes, the 1,064 acres it covers and 55 documented sites around it; 4 are borrowed from a wider read, named and linked below.

Measured here

  • Goodman's own USDA hardiness band, zones 4bUSDA PHZM 2023
  • Goodman's own 28°F hard-freeze dates, about May 10 and Oct 6 and the ~149-day span between themNOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals
  • 55 documented contamination sites on the federal record near Goodman, the closest Underground Storage Tanks record about 0.6 miles out from the town centreFederal environmental registers
  • Goodman's boundary and the 1,064 acres inside itUS Census TIGER/Line 2025
  • Which of 1,086 plants clear zones 4b and a ~149-day seasonGrowable Ground crop-matching engine
  • The ecoregion at Goodman's own centroid, the Northern Lakes and ForestsUS EPA Level III Ecoregions

Inherited from a wider read

  • Soil character — no town-scale survey exists, so Goodman's 1,064 acres read through its county's SSURGO summaryfrom Marinette County
  • Growing-degree days and winter chill — measured county-wide only, so the county page carries themfrom Marinette County
  • The growing challenges every Wisconsin grower plans around — written at state scale, so they stay on the state guidefrom Wisconsin
  • Butterfly and beetle records, and the farmland pesticide estimate — all published county-widefrom Marinette County

What this page can’t tell you

  • The soil pH, drainage, sun hours, and frost pockets on any one lot among Goodman's 1,064 acreswhy one lot differs from the next
  • Which side of Goodman you're on — a low spot frosts first and a south wall warms early, and one normal is being asked to speak for all 1,064 acresreading your own microclimate
  • How close that record sits to YOUR lot — the closest Underground Storage Tanks record about 0.6 miles out, measured from the town centrehow we read the record
  • Where cold air settles, which slopes face the sun, and which way the wind runs on your own ground — measured at your address, and averaged away by any Goodman-wide figureread your own land
The next step finer is your own address

More in Wisconsin

Wider growing context

What grows across Wisconsin

Goodman sits outside our named growing regions, so Wisconsin as a whole is its closest context here.

Nearby growing guides