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What Can Grow in Nebraska?

Growing Zone Zone 5b
Frost-Free Days 197
Last Frost early April
First Frost late October

Nebraska spans from Zone 4a in the northwest to Zone 6a in the southeast. Cold winters and warm summers. Excellent for corn, winter wheat, and cool-season crops.

Find your exact zone:
Nebraska spans 5 different growing zones. The planting calendar below uses the most common zone (Zone 5b). Use the search above or browse all zones here:
Zone 4a Zone 4b Zone 5a Zone 5b Zone 6a

📅 Planting Calendar for Nebraska

When to start seeds indoors and transplant outdoors, based on your frost dates.

Plant Start Indoors Transplant Out Direct Sow Harvest
🌾 Amaranth (Chaulai / Rajgira) Mar 10 Apr 7 — May 27 – Jun 21
🥬 Arugula — — Apr 7 Apr 28 – May 17
❤️ Beets — — Apr 7 May 27 – Jun 16
🫑 Bell Pepper Feb 10 Apr 7 — Jun 16 – Jul 6
🥬 Bok Choy Mar 10 Apr 7 — May 22 – Jun 6
🥦 Broccoli Feb 24 Apr 7 — Jun 6 – Jun 26
🫛 Brussels Sprouts Feb 10 Apr 7 — Jul 6 – Oct 4
🥬 Cabbage Feb 24 Apr 7 — Jun 16 – Aug 5
🥕 Carrot — — Apr 7 Jun 16 – Jun 26
🥔 Celeriac Jan 27 Apr 7 — Jul 26 – Aug 5
🍒 Cherry Tomato Feb 24 Apr 7 — Jun 1 – Jun 16
🌶️ Chili Pepper Feb 10 Apr 7 — Jun 11 – Jun 26
🥬 Collard Greens Mar 10 Apr 7 — Jun 6 – Jun 26
🌽 Corn — — Apr 7 Jun 6 – Jul 6
🥒 Cucumber Mar 17 Apr 7 — May 27 – Jun 16
🫛 Edamame (Soybean) — — Apr 7 Jun 16 – Jul 11
🍆 Eggplant Feb 10 Apr 7 — Jun 11 – Jun 26
🫘 Fava Beans — — Apr 7 Jun 26 – Jul 16
🌿 Florence Fennel — — Apr 7 Jun 11 – Jul 6
🧄 Garlic — — Oct 1 – Oct 31 Jun – Jul (following year)
🫘 Green Beans — — Apr 7 May 27 – Jun 11
🍬 Ground Cherry Feb 24 Apr 7 — Jun 16 – Jul 1
🥬 Kale Mar 10 Apr 7 — Jun 1 – Jun 21
🥬 Kohlrabi Mar 10 Apr 7 — May 22 – Jun 6
🧅 Leek Jan 13 Apr 7 — Jul 16 – Sep 4
🥬 Lettuce — — Apr 7 May 7 – Jun 6
🌱 Microgreens — — Apr 7 Apr 14 – Apr 28
🥬 Mustard Greens — — Apr 7 May 7 – May 17
🧅 Onion Feb 10 Apr 7 — Jul 6 – Aug 5
🥕 Parsnip — — Apr 7 Jul 16 – Aug 15
🫛 Peas — — Apr 7 Jun 1 – Jun 16
🥔 Potato — — Apr 7 Jun 16 – Aug 5
🎃 Pumpkin Mar 17 Apr 7 — Jun 21 – Jul 16
🔴 Radish — — Apr 7 Apr 29 – May 7
🥔 Rutabaga — — Apr 7 Jul 6 – Jul 21
🫛 Snap Peas — — Apr 7 Jun 6 – Jun 16
🥬 Spinach — — Apr 7 May 17 – May 27
🍠 Sweet Potato — — Apr 7 Jul 6 – Aug 5
🥬 Swiss Chard — — Apr 7 May 27 – Jun 6
🫑 Tomatillo Feb 24 Apr 7 — Jun 21 – Jul 16
🍅 Tomato Feb 24 Apr 7 — Jun 6 – Jul 1
🫛 Turnip — — Apr 7 May 22 – Jun 6
🥬 Zucchini Mar 17 Apr 7 — May 22 – Jun 6
🌿 Basil Mar 10 Apr 7 — May 7 – Jun 6
💙 Borage — — Apr 7 May 27 – Jun 6
🌿 Cilantro — — Apr 7 Apr 28 – May 22
🌿 Dill — — Apr 7 May 17 – Jun 6
🌱 Fenugreek (Methi) — — Apr 7 Apr 27 – May 7
🌿 French Tarragon — — Apr 7 Jun 6 – Jul 6
🌼 German Chamomile — — Apr 7 Jun 6 – Jul 6
🍃 Lemon Balm Feb 24 Apr 7 — Jun 6 – Jun 16
🌿 Parsley — — Apr 7 Jun 16 – Jul 6
🍉 Watermelon Mar 10 Apr 7 — Jun 16 – Jul 6
🌻 Sunflower — — Apr 7 Jun 6 – Jun 26

Dates are averages based on Zone 5b frost dates (last frost: early April, first frost: late October). Adjust for your specific microclimate.

🥦 Vegetables

🍓 Fruits

🌿 Herbs

⚠️ Worth Trying (Marginal)

These plants are outside the ideal zone range but possible with the right approach.

🗺️ USDA Plant Hardiness Zones

Zone 5 is shown in this colour on the map below
2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map — zones 1 to 13

2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map — public domain. USDA Agricultural Research Service

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

USDA zones run 1a–13b (26 half-zones). Each full zone above covers both the a and b half-zones. Browse all US zones →

Browse Related Zones

Zone 4a Zone 4b Zone 5a Zone 5b Zone 6a Zone 6b Zone 7a

Frequently Asked Questions

Nebraska spans from Zone 4a in the northwest to Zone 6a in the southeast. Cold winters and warm summers. Excellent for corn, winter wheat, and cool-season crops. Vegetables like Amaranth (Chaulai / Rajgira), Arugula, Asparagus, Beets, Bell Pepper all grow well here.
With 197 frost-free days, you can grow two cool-season crops per year — one in spring (plant after early April) and one in late summer for fall harvest before late October.
Top vegetables for Nebraska: Amaranth (Chaulai / Rajgira), Arugula, Asparagus, Beets, Bell Pepper. For beginners, Amaranth (Chaulai / Rajgira) and Arugula are the easiest to start with.
Apple, Blackberry, Blueberry, Elderberry all grow well in Nebraska. Zone 5b is suitable for most temperate fruits.