Data: 2023 USDA zones (PRISM/OSU) · NOAA 1991–2020 normals · updated Oct 29, 2026

Planting zone for 74501 — Mcalester, OK

ZIP code 74501 (Mcalester, Pittsburg County) is in USDA zone 7b: the coldest winter night averages 5 to 10 °F. The median last spring frost is March 31 and the first fall frost November 3.

Where ZIP 74501 is

Outlined: the ZIP code area · tap the map for the zone at any spot · scroll or pinch to zoom

Not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Zones come from the 2023 USDA hardiness-zone data by the PRISM Group, Oregon State University; we re-mapped and recolored them. The official map is at planthardiness.ars.usda.gov.

Zone7b5 to 10 °F

Coldest night−15 to −12.2 °C

Last frostMar 31

First frostNov 3

2012 zone7b

Same zone as on the 2012 map. The zone is the one at the center of the ZIP code; hilly ZIPs can span two zones. What zone 7b means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Mcalester, OK…

Forecast data: National Weather Service (api.weather.gov), public domain. This is not a warning service — for official frost and freeze warnings see weather.gov.

Frost dates in Mcalester, OK

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free

Last spring frostMarch 31median — 50% chance of a later frost

Safe for tender plantsApril 18only 10% chance of frost after

First fall frostNovember 3median — 10% chance by Oct 20

Growing season216 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around March 15 and returns around November 13.

From the NOAA station Mcalester Regional Airport, OK — 7 miles away, elevation 771 ft. NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, 32 °F threshold. Low spots and valleys can freeze later in spring than the station.

When to plant vegetables in 74501

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

PeasSow outdoors · Feb 17 – Mar 3

SpinachSow outdoors · Feb 17 – Mar 10

Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Jan 20 – Feb 3

Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Mar 10 – Mar 24

Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 3 – Mar 17

PotatoesPlant outdoors · Mar 10 – Mar 24

LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 3 – Mar 17

Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Mar 10 – Mar 24

TomatoesStart indoors · Feb 3 – Feb 17

TomatoesTransplant · Apr 7 – Apr 21

Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Jan 20 – Feb 3

Peppers, eggplantTransplant · Apr 14 – Apr 28

BeansSow outdoors · Apr 7 – Apr 21

Sweet cornSow outdoors · Apr 7 – Apr 21

Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Apr 7 – Apr 21

Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Sep 8 – Sep 22

GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 20 – Nov 24

Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Mar 31) and first fall frost (Nov 3) with the rules of thumb U.S. extension services publish. Cool-season crops take a light frost; warm-season crops do best once the soil is above about 60 °F.

When spring arrived in 2026

In 2026, spring leaf-out near 74501 came on Feb 12 — 7 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Feb 19).

average
Feb 192026
Feb 12

JanFebMarAprMayJun

The Spring Index marks the day when accumulated warmth is enough for lilac and honeysuckle to leaf out — a widely used signal that the growing season has started. Source: USA National Phenology Network, www.usanpn.org — Spring Indices, first leaf, 2026 (data as of 2026-09-08) and 30-year average 1991–2020 (CC BY 4.0).

Native plants for zone 7b in Oklahoma

518 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Oklahoma, and rated by the USDA to survive 5 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 7b. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Source: USDA, NRCS. 2026. The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov), National Plant Data Team — state distribution, native status and the “Temperature, Minimum” characteristic. Check light, moisture and soil needs before buying; local nurseries and your state native plant society can confirm what thrives in Mcalester, OK.

Soil in Mcalester, OK

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 74501 is Bengal — stony fine sandy loam, well drained.

TextureStony fine sandy loamdrains and warms fast; dries out and needs more feeding

pH5.3strongly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0

DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class

Organic matter1.25%low — add compost

Hydrologic groupDwater soaks in very slowly

Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Bengal-Clebit-Clearview complex, 5 to 30 percent slopes.

Soil Survey Staff, Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA. Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) Database, via Soil Data Access, accessed 2026-10-29. The soil at the center point of ZIP 74501; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Mcalester, OK

Summer high93 °Faverage high, July

Winter low30 °Faverage low, January

Hot days73days a year at 90 °F or more

Freezing nights66nights a year at 32 °F or less

Growing degree days5,478base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat

Longest day14 h 31 mindaylight on June 21

Shortest day9 h 48 mindaylight on December 21

Onions to growIntermediateday-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully

Precipitation49.5 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

Precipitation by month inches

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Mcalester Regional Airport, OK (7 mi away); precipitation: Krebs 0.3 Wnw, OK (5 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 7b.

Indianola, OK · 10 mi

Haileyville, OK · 15 mi

All 2 ZIP codes in Mcalester → · Oklahoma planting zones →

Questions about 74501

What planting zone is ZIP code 74501?

ZIP code 74501 (Mcalester, OK) is in USDA hardiness zone 7b on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches 5 to 10 °F (−15 to −12.2 °C).

When is the last frost in Mcalester, OK?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 74501 is March 31; after April 18 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Mcalester Regional Airport station.

When is the first frost in Mcalester, OK?

The median first fall frost near 74501 is November 3, giving a median frost-free growing season of 216 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 74501?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Feb 3 – Feb 17 and set transplants outside around Apr 7 – Apr 21, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 74501 get?

About 49.5 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Krebs 0.3 Wnw station).

How hot do summers get in Mcalester, OK?

The average high peaks at 93 °F in July, with about 73 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 74501 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Bengal at the center of ZIP 74501: stony fine sandy loam, well drained, pH about 5.3 (strongly acidic).

Did spring come early in Mcalester, OK in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 74501 came on Feb 12 in 2026, 7 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Feb 19), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Mcalester, OK?

Intermediate onions: the longest day near 74501 is 14 h 31 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.