Converse County, in Wyoming, sits in USDA hardiness zone 5a — enough range to grow cool-season vegetables, hardy fruit, and warm-season crops that mature before the first hard frost.
These conditions suit potato, indian paintbrush, cottonwood, and rhubarb — a starting list any specific site will trim or extend with its own soil, sun, and drainage.
Grounded in USDA PHZM 2023 · Growable Ground suitability scoring · NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals
Converse County holds more than one microclimate.
Soils and elevations shift across Converse 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
5a
Last Hard Freeze (28°F)
Apr 28
County normal — light frosts run a few weeks later
First Hard Freeze (28°F)
Oct 14
County normal — light frosts arrive a few weeks earlier
County Area
2.7M acres
Hardiness Zone Range
Zone maps are averages across Converse County. Your yard's slope, trees, and frost pockets shift what actually grows — see your land's exact reading.
Soil in Converse County
Across Converse County, the ground is predominantly Aridisols, where Hiland, Shingle, and Bowbac are the most extensive named soil series. The soil is generally well drained with a loam surface. Topsoil pH runs about 7.2–7.8, slightly alkaline. Rainfall drains through hydrologic group D soils.
Soil order
Aridisols
Drainage
Well drained
Hydric soils
0%
Soil still varies lot by lot — soil types explained.
What Grows in Converse County
Plants matched to Converse County's USDA zones 5a — each links to its full growing profile.
Is it too late to plant in Converse County?
Almost never — the real question is what to plant next. Cool-season crops can go in from around Mar 31; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Apr 28 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Oct 14 — 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 Wyoming
What an experienced grower plans around here — each one has a move.
Extremely short growing season (60-90 frost-free days)
At 60-90 frost-free days, a greenhouse or high tunnel isn't optional equipment — it's where the season actually happens.
Very low rainfall requires irrigation
Drip irrigation under mulch makes scarce water go the distance — build the system before the first bed.
Persistent high winds desiccate and damage plants
Windbreaks first, plants second — a sheltered bed loses a fraction of the moisture an exposed one does.
For cultivar selection, pest pressure, and planting-time guidance specific to Wyoming, the University of Wyoming Extension is the authoritative local source.
Safe to Grow Here?
What the federal record shows across Converse County — and how to grow with it.
We checked the federal record across Converse County — 391 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 Converse 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 Converse County
Highest-Severity Sites
A note from Gnorman
What an experienced grower watches for around here
In and around Converse County, two things run higher than the national average — Nitrate (176 sites) and Mining (30 sites). 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.
Mining: Mining sites — both historic and active — can leach heavy metals (arsenic, lead, cadmium, mercury) into soil and water for centuries after operations cease.
Test well water for nitrate if you rely on a private well for irrigation (EPA standard: 10 mg/L).
Test soil for heavy metals (lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury) — this is essential near any mining site.
Check your specific parcel in Converse 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
Converse County Average
- ●USDA Zones 5a
- ●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 Converse County
Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Converse County, Wyoming — 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 Converse County, Wyoming
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 5a (USDA PHZM 2023)
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Apr 28 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can follow for a few weeks)
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Oct 14 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can arrive a few weeks earlier)
- Days Between Hard Freezes: ~169 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals)
- County Land Area: 2.7M 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 Converse 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 Converse County, Wyoming?
Converse County sits in USDA hardiness zone 5a, 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 Converse County?
Almost never — the real question is what to plant next. Cool-season crops can go in from around Mar 31; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Apr 28 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Oct 14 — 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 Converse County?
The last hard freeze (28°F) in Converse County typically lands around Apr 28, 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 Converse County?
Measured between 28°F hard freezes, Converse County sees about 169 frost-free days — roughly Apr 28 through Oct 14, 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 Converse County?
Converse County's zone 5a supports a wide range — strong performers include Potato, Indian Paintbrush, Cottonwood, Rhubarb, and Chokecherry. 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 Converse County, really?
Officially, Converse County sits in USDA zone 5a (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 Converse County?
The federal record around Converse County is a meaningful one — 391 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 Converse County — what should I know before planting?
Start with three facts. Converse County sits in USDA zone 5a, which sets what survives winter; the last 28°F hard freeze typically clears around Apr 28, with about 169 frost-free days to work with (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and 391 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 Converse 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 Wyoming's frost window, season length, and soil profile against the plant's real requirements.