Data Sources
Every recommendation is backed by public federal data.
USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map
Source: PRISM Climate Group / USDA Agricultural Research Service (2023). Determines the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature for each county.
planthardiness.ars.usda.govUSDA SSURGO Soil Surveys
Source: USDA Soil Data Access (SDA) REST API. Provides soil pH, texture, drainage, organic matter, and dominant soil series per county.
sdmdataaccess.sc.egov.usda.govNOAA Climate Normals
Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), 1991-2020 normals. Provides first/last frost dates and growing degree days.
ncei.noaa.govUS Drought Monitor
Source: National Drought Mitigation Center, USDA, and NOAA. Weekly drought severity classifications per county.
droughtmonitor.unl.edu