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

Planting zone for Lincoln, NE

Lincoln, NE is in USDA zones 5b to 6a across its 27 ZIP codes. The median last spring frost is April 24 and the first fall frost October 13.

Lincoln on the zone map

Outlined: its 22 ZIP code areas · 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.

Zones5b–6a−15 to −5 °F
ZIP codes27
Last frostApr 24
First frostOct 13
Growing season171 days

5b 2 ZIPs   6a 25 ZIPs

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

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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 Lincoln, NE

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 24median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 7only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 13median — 10% chance by Sep 29
Growing season171 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 15 and returns around October 22.

From the NOAA station Lincoln Municipal Airport, NE, elevation 1,191 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 Lincoln

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 13 – Mar 27
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 13 – Apr 3
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 13 – Feb 27
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Apr 3 – Apr 17
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 27 – Apr 10
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Apr 3 – Apr 17
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 27 – Apr 10
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Apr 3 – Apr 17
TomatoesStart indoors · Feb 27 – Mar 13
TomatoesTransplant · May 1 – May 15
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 13 – Feb 27
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 8 – May 22
BeansSow outdoors · May 1 – May 15
Sweet cornSow outdoors · May 1 – May 15
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · May 1 – May 15
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 18 – Sep 1
GarlicPlant cloves · Sep 29 – Nov 3
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 24) and first fall frost (Oct 13) 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 68503 came on Mar 9 — 20 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 29).

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 5b in Nebraska

420 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Nebraska, and rated by the USDA to survive −15 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 5b. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 31

American basswood100 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −46 °FAmerican elm120 ft · blooms early spring · medium shade tolerance · to −46 °FAmerican sycamore100 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to −34 °Fbitternut hickory75 ft · blooms mid spring · high shade tolerance · to −47 °Fblack locust60 ft · blooms spring · high shade tolerance · to −37 °Fblack oak80 ft · blooms early spring · medium shade tolerance · to −30 °F

Shrubs 55

alderleaf mountain mahogany15 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −41 °FAmerican black currant3 ft · blooms early spring · to −46 °FAmerican hazelnut10 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican plum24 ft · blooms mid spring · high shade tolerance · to −38 °Fantelope bitterbrush6 ft · blooms early spring · medium shade tolerance · to −36 °Fbig sagebrush4 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −43 °F

Wildflowers & perennials 190

alkali buttercup1 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Falpine sweetvetch2 ft · blooms early summer · high shade tolerance · to −62 °FAmerican licorice4 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican lotus3 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −36 °FAmerican pokeweed7 ft · blooms mid summer · low shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican speedwell0.8 ft · blooms mid summer · low shade tolerance · to −38 °F

Grasses 130

alkali cordgrass3 ft · blooms late summer · high shade tolerance · to −38 °Falkali sacaton3 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −38 °Fawlfruit sedge4 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Fbasin wildrye5 ft · blooms early spring · high shade tolerance · to −43 °Fbeaked spikerush3 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −28 °FBebb's sedge3 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °F

Vines 7

American bittersweet15 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Fdevil's darning needles15 ft · blooms mid summer · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °Ffrost grape83 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −23 °Friverbank grape45 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °Fsummer grape30 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −23 °FVirginia creeper1 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −28 °F

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 Lincoln, NE.

Soil in Lincoln, NE

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 68503 is Aksarben — silty clay loam, well drained. Much of the area is built over (urban land); this is the natural soil underneath.

TextureSilty clay loamholds water and nutrients; slow to drain and warm up
pH5.8moderately acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter3%moderate
Hydrologic groupCwater soaks in slowly
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Urban land-Wymore-Aksarben complex, 2 to 6 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 68503; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Lincoln, NE

Summer high89 °Faverage high, July
Winter low14 °Faverage low, January
Hot days42days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights143nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days3,726base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day15 h 06 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 14 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation30.9 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

0°10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32 °FJanuary: average high 36 °F, low 14 °F 36°14° JanFebruary: average high 41 °F, low 18 °F 41°18° FebMarch: average high 54 °F, low 29 °F 54°29° MarApril: average high 65 °F, low 39 °F 65°39° AprMay: average high 75 °F, low 51 °F 75°51° MayJune: average high 85 °F, low 62 °F 85°62° JunJuly: average high 89 °F, low 67 °F 89°67° JulAugust: average high 87 °F, low 64 °F 87°64° AugSeptember: average high 80 °F, low 54 °F 80°54° SepOctober: average high 67 °F, low 41 °F 67°41° OctNovember: average high 52 °F, low 28 °F 52°28° NovDecember: average high 39 °F, low 18 °F 39°18° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″4″5″6″January: 0.70 in precipitation 0.7 JanFebruary: 0.86 in precipitation 0.9 FebMarch: 1.53 in precipitation 1.5 MarApril: 2.81 in precipitation 2.8 AprMay: 5.19 in precipitation 5.2 MayJune: 4.76 in precipitation 4.8 JunJuly: 3.52 in precipitation 3.5 JulAugust: 3.41 in precipitation 3.4 AugSeptember: 3.10 in precipitation 3.1 SepOctober: 2.43 in precipitation 2.4 OctNovember: 1.33 in precipitation 1.3 NovDecember: 1.30 in precipitation 1.3 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Lincoln Municipal Airport, NE (4 mi away); precipitation: Lincoln 1.8 Se, NE (4 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

ZIP codes in Lincoln

685016a
−10 to −5 °F
685026a
−10 to −5 °F
685036a
−10 to −5 °F
685046a
−10 to −5 °F
685056a
−10 to −5 °F
685066a
−10 to −5 °F
685076a
−10 to −5 °F
685086a
−10 to −5 °F
685096a
−10 to −5 °F
685106a
−10 to −5 °F
685126a
−10 to −5 °F
685145b
−15 to −10 °F
685166a
−10 to −5 °F
685176a
−10 to −5 °F
685206a
−10 to −5 °F
685216a
−10 to −5 °F
685226a
−10 to −5 °F
685236a
−10 to −5 °F
685246a
−10 to −5 °F
685266a
−10 to −5 °F
685275b
−15 to −10 °F
685286a
−10 to −5 °F
685296a
−10 to −5 °F
685316a
−10 to −5 °F
685326a
−10 to −5 °F
685426a
−10 to −5 °F
685446a
−10 to −5 °F

Nebraska planting zones →

Questions about Lincoln

What planting zone is Lincoln, NE?

Lincoln, NE is in USDA hardiness zones 5b to 6a on the 2023 map (5b: −15 to −10 °F; 6a: −10 to −5 °F).

When is the last frost in Lincoln, NE?

The median last spring frost is April 24 and the median first fall frost is October 13 (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Lincoln Municipal Airport station).

When can I plant a garden in Lincoln, NE?

Cool-season crops like peas and spinach go in around Mar 13 – Apr 3; tomatoes, peppers, beans and squash after about May 1, once frost risk has passed.

What kind of onions grow in Lincoln, NE?

Long-day onions: the longest day is 15 h 06 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).

How much rain and snow does Lincoln, NE get?

About 30.9 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals).