Omaha, Nebraska planting calendar and frost dates

Frost dates in Omaha

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Omaha Eppley Airfield, 4.1 miles NNE of the city center. Low-lying and rural spots often frost later in spring and earlier in fall than airports and city centers.

What to plant each month in Omaha

1. January

   Start indoors: broccoli, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, leeks, onions, petunias, ranunculus

2. February

   Start indoors: black-eyed susans, broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, celery, chives, collard greens, ginger, kale, leeks, lettuce, marigolds, onions, oregano, parsley, peppers, petunias, ranunculus, rosemary, sage, snapdragons

3. March

   Start indoors: basil, black-eyed susans, cabbages, celery, chives, cilantro, collard greens, eggplants, ginger, lettuce, marigolds, nasturtiums, peppers, ranunculus, sage, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, tomatoes

   Plant or sow outdoors: beets, black-eyed susans, blackberries, blueberries, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, chives, cilantro, collard greens, figs, garlic, gladioli, grapes, grass seed, hollyhocks, kale, leeks, lettuce, onions, parsley, peas, poppies, radishes, ranunculus, raspberries, rhubarb, roses, spinach, strawberries, swiss chard, turnips, wildflowers

4. April

   Start indoors: basil, cantaloupes, cosmos, cucumbers, okra, pumpkins, ranunculus, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini

   Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, beets, black-eyed susans, blackberries, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, chives, cilantro, dahlias, dill, figs, garden mums, ginger, gladioli, grapes, green onions, kentucky bluegrass, lavenders, leeks, lettuce, lilies, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, onions, oregano, parsley, perennial ryegrass, petunias, potatoes, radishes, ranunculus, rosemary, roses, sage, snapdragons, spinach, sunflowers, sweet corn, sweet peas, swiss chard, tall fescue, thyme, turnips

5. May

   Start indoors: zinnias

   Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, basil, bermudagrass, cantaloupes, celery, centipedegrass, cosmos, cucumbers, eggplants, garden mums, ginger, grapes, green beans, green onions, kentucky bluegrass, lavenders, lilies, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, okra, oregano, parsley, peanuts, peppers, perennial ryegrass, petunias, pumpkins, rosemary, sage, st. augustinegrass, sunflowers, sweet corn, sweet peas, sweet potatoes, tall fescue, thyme, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zoysiagrass, zucchini

6. June

   Plant or sow outdoors: bermudagrass, celery, centipedegrass, cosmos, green onions, okra, peanuts, st. augustinegrass, zinnias, zoysiagrass

7. July

   Plant for fall: bearded irises, brussels sprouts, carrots, collard greens, lettuce, peas, snapdragons, swiss chard

8. August

   Plant for fall: azaleas, bearded irises, beets, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, clematis, collard greens, coneflowers, daylilies, hostas, hydrangeas, kale, lettuce, peas, radishes, roses, saffron, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, turnips

9. September

   Plant for fall: azaleas, bearded irises, beets, broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, clematis, coneflowers, crocuses, daffodils, daylilies, grass seed, hostas, hyacinths, hydrangeas, kale, kentucky bluegrass, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, perennial ryegrass, radishes, roses, saffron, spinach, tall fescue, tulips, turnips

10. October

    Plant for fall: crocuses, daffodils, garlic, hyacinths, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, tulips

11. November

    Plant for fall: crocuses, garlic, hyacinths, ornamental alliums, tulips

12. December

    Start indoors: onions

Frost dates and zones by ZIP code in Omaha

All 18 of Omaha's main ZIP codes take their frost dates from Omaha Eppley Airfield, so the dates on this page apply across the city. The hardiness zone is 5b in 68112, and 6a in 68022, 68104, 68106, 68107, 68110, 68111, 68114, 68117, 68124, 68127, 68130, 68134, 68135, 68137, 68144, 68154, 68164.

Omaha Eppley Airfield also supplies the frost dates for Bellevue and Council Bluffs, so their planting calendars match Omaha's.

Planting dates for popular crops in Omaha

Nearby cities

• Bellevue, NE zone 5b, last frost Apr 18
• Council Bluffs, IA zone 5b, last frost Apr 18
• Lincoln, NE zone 6a, last frost Apr 24
• Sioux City, IA zone 5a, last frost Apr 29
• West Des Moines, IA zone 5b, last frost Apr 18
• St. Joseph, MO zone 6a, last frost Apr 19