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

Planting zone for 68064 — Valley, NE

ZIP code 68064 (Valley, Douglas County) is in USDA zone 5b: the coldest winter night averages −15 to −10 °F. The median last spring frost is April 15 and the first fall frost October 21.

Where ZIP 68064 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.

Zone5b−15 to −10 °F
Coldest night−26.1 to −23.3 °C
Last frostApr 15
First frostOct 21
2012 zone5b

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 5b means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Valley, NE…

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 Valley, NE

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 15median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsApril 29only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 21median — 10% chance by Oct 6
Growing season187 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 5 and returns around October 31.

From the NOAA station Valley NWS, NE — 2 miles away, elevation 1,145 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 68064

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 4 – Mar 18
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 4 – Mar 25
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 4 – Feb 18
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Mar 25 – Apr 8
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 18 – Apr 1
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Mar 25 – Apr 8
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 18 – Apr 1
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Mar 25 – Apr 8
TomatoesStart indoors · Feb 18 – Mar 4
TomatoesTransplant · Apr 22 – May 6
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 4 – Feb 18
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · Apr 29 – May 13
BeansSow outdoors · Apr 22 – May 6
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Apr 22 – May 6
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Apr 22 – May 6
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 26 – Sep 9
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 7 – Nov 11
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 15) and first fall frost (Oct 21) 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 68064 came on Mar 15 — 16 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 31).

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 Valley, NE.

Soil in Valley, NE

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 68064 is Gibbon — silt loam, somewhat poorly drained.

TextureSilt loama good balance for most vegetables
pH7.9alkaline; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageSomewhat poorly drainedconsider raised beds
Organic matter3%moderate
Hydrologic groupCwater soaks in slowly
Farmland classPrime farmland if drainedUSDA classification

Map unit: Gibbon-Wann complex, occasionally flooded.

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 68064; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Valley, NE

Summer high87 °Faverage high, July
Winter low15 °Faverage low, January
Hot days25days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights136nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days3,660base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day15 h 10 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 11 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation33.1 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall32 inper year; 41 days with snow on the ground

Average high and low, by month

0°10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32 °FJanuary: average high 33 °F, low 15 °F 33°15° JanFebruary: average high 38 °F, low 19 °F 38°19° FebMarch: average high 50 °F, low 30 °F 50°30° MarApril: average high 62 °F, low 41 °F 62°41° AprMay: average high 73 °F, low 53 °F 73°53° MayJune: average high 83 °F, low 64 °F 83°64° JunJuly: average high 87 °F, low 68 °F 87°68° JulAugust: average high 84 °F, low 65 °F 84°65° AugSeptember: average high 78 °F, low 56 °F 78°56° SepOctober: average high 65 °F, low 43 °F 65°43° OctNovember: average high 50 °F, low 31 °F 50°31° NovDecember: average high 37 °F, low 20 °F 37°20° Dec

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

0″1″2″3″4″5″6″January: 0.85 in precipitation, 7.4 in snowfall 0.8❄7 JanFebruary: 1.03 in precipitation, 9.5 in snowfall 1.0❄10 FebMarch: 1.78 in precipitation, 5 in snowfall 1.8❄5 MarApril: 3.11 in precipitation, 1.4 in snowfall 3.1❄1 AprMay: 4.74 in precipitation, 0.1 in snowfall 4.7 MayJune: 5.29 in precipitation 5.3 JunJuly: 3.97 in precipitation 4.0 JulAugust: 4.30 in precipitation 4.3 AugSeptember: 3.02 in precipitation 3.0 SepOctober: 2.37 in precipitation, 1 in snowfall 2.4❄1 OctNovember: 1.37 in precipitation, 1.2 in snowfall 1.4❄1 NovDecember: 1.32 in precipitation, 6.2 in snowfall 1.3❄6 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Valley NWS, NE (2 mi away); precipitation: Valley NWS, NE (2 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

4 of the 8 nearest ZIP codes are in a different zone — elevation and distance from water change winter lows quickly.

680226a
Elkhorn, NE · 7 mi
680695b
Waterloo, NE · 7 mi
680735b
Yutan, NE · 8 mi
680686a
Washington, NE · 8 mi
680076a
Bennington, NE · 9 mi
680255b
Fremont, NE · 10 mi
680265b
Fremont, NE · 10 mi
680346a
Kennard, NE · 10 mi

Nebraska planting zones →

Questions about 68064

What planting zone is ZIP code 68064?

ZIP code 68064 (Valley, NE) is in USDA hardiness zone 5b on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches −15 to −10 °F (−26.1 to −23.3 °C).

When is the last frost in Valley, NE?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 68064 is April 15; after April 29 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Valley NWS station.

When is the first frost in Valley, NE?

The median first fall frost near 68064 is October 21, giving a median frost-free growing season of 187 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 68064?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Feb 18 – Mar 4 and set transplants outside around Apr 22 – May 6, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 68064 get?

About 33.1 inches of precipitation a year and 32 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Valley NWS station).

How hot do summers get in Valley, NE?

The average high peaks at 87 °F in July, with about 25 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 68064 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Gibbon at the center of ZIP 68064: silt loam, somewhat poorly drained, pH about 7.9 (alkaline).

Did spring come early in Valley, NE in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 68064 came on Mar 15 in 2026, 16 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 31), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Valley, NE?

Long-day onions: the longest day near 68064 is 15 h 10 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).