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

Planting zone for 68927 — Bertrand, NE

ZIP code 68927 (Bertrand, Phelps County) is in USDA zone 6a: the coldest winter night averages −10 to −5 °F. The median last spring frost is May 1 and the first fall frost October 8.

Where ZIP 68927 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.

Zone6a−10 to −5 °F
Coldest night−23.3 to −20.6 °C
Last frostMay 1
First frostOct 8
2012 zone5b

Was 5b on the 2012 map — half a zone warmer now. The zone is the one at the center of the ZIP code; hilly ZIPs can span two zones. What zone 6a means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Bertrand, 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 Bertrand, NE

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostMay 1median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 12only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 8median — 10% chance by Sep 26
Growing season161 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 22 and returns around October 18.

From the NOAA station Oxford 6nnw, NE — 12 miles away, elevation 2,241 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 68927

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 20 – Apr 3
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 20 – Apr 10
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 20 – Mar 6
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Apr 10 – Apr 24
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Apr 3 – Apr 17
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Apr 10 – Apr 24
LettuceSow outdoors · Apr 3 – Apr 17
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Apr 10 – Apr 24
TomatoesStart indoors · Mar 6 – Mar 20
TomatoesTransplant · May 8 – May 22
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 20 – Mar 6
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 15 – May 29
BeansSow outdoors · May 8 – May 22
Sweet cornSow outdoors · May 8 – May 22
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · May 8 – May 22
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 13 – Aug 27
GarlicPlant cloves · Sep 24 – Oct 29
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (May 1) and first fall frost (Oct 8) 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 68927 came on Mar 8 — 20 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 28).

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 6a in Nebraska

432 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Nebraska, and rated by the USDA to survive −10 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 6a. 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 57

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 198

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 8

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 °Ftrumpet creeper2 ft · blooms summer · high shade tolerance · to −13 °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 Bertrand, NE.

Soil in Bertrand, NE

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 68927 is Coly — silt loam, well drained.

TextureSilt loama good balance for most vegetables
pH7.6slightly alkaline; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter1.5%low — add compost
Hydrologic groupBwater soaks in moderately
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Coly-Uly-Hobbs silt loams, 3 to 60 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 68927; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Bertrand, NE

Summer high89 °Faverage high, July
Winter low13 °Faverage low, January
Hot days44days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights157nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days3,243base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day15 h 04 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 16 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation24.2 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall18 inper year

Average high and low, by month

0°10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32 °FJanuary: average high 38 °F, low 13 °F 38°13° JanFebruary: average high 42 °F, low 16 °F 42°16° FebMarch: average high 54 °F, low 25 °F 54°25° MarApril: average high 64 °F, low 35 °F 64°35° AprMay: average high 73 °F, low 47 °F 73°47° MayJune: average high 84 °F, low 58 °F 84°58° JunJuly: average high 89 °F, low 63 °F 89°63° JulAugust: average high 86 °F, low 60 °F 86°60° AugSeptember: average high 79 °F, low 51 °F 79°51° SepOctober: average high 66 °F, low 37 °F 66°37° OctNovember: average high 52 °F, low 24 °F 52°24° NovDecember: average high 40 °F, low 15 °F 40°15° Dec

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

0″1″2″3″4″January: 0.36 in precipitation, 4.2 in snowfall 0.4❄4 JanFebruary: 0.60 in precipitation, 5.9 in snowfall 0.6❄6 FebMarch: 1.17 in precipitation, 2.7 in snowfall 1.2❄3 MarApril: 2.24 in precipitation, 0.1 in snowfall 2.2 AprMay: 3.77 in precipitation 3.8 MayJune: 3.77 in precipitation 3.8 JunJuly: 3.56 in precipitation 3.6 JulAugust: 3.20 in precipitation 3.2 AugSeptember: 1.92 in precipitation 1.9 SepOctober: 1.83 in precipitation, 0.7 in snowfall 1.8❄1 OctNovember: 0.98 in precipitation, 1.8 in snowfall 1.0❄2 NovDecember: 0.83 in precipitation, 2.1 in snowfall 0.8❄2 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Oxford 6nnw, NE (12 mi away); precipitation: Bertrand, 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.

689585b
Loomis, NE · 7 mi
689765b
Smithfield, NE · 8 mi
689236a
Atlanta, NE · 12 mi
689375b
Elwood, NE · 13 mi
689496a
Holdrege, NE · 13 mi
689366a
Edison, NE · 15 mi
689676a
Oxford, NE · 17 mi
689225b
Arapahoe, NE · 18 mi

Nebraska planting zones →

Questions about 68927

What planting zone is ZIP code 68927?

ZIP code 68927 (Bertrand, NE) is in USDA hardiness zone 6a on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches −10 to −5 °F (−23.3 to −20.6 °C).

When is the last frost in Bertrand, NE?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 68927 is May 1; after May 12 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Oxford 6nnw station.

When is the first frost in Bertrand, NE?

The median first fall frost near 68927 is October 8, giving a median frost-free growing season of 161 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 68927?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Mar 6 – Mar 20 and set transplants outside around May 8 – May 22, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 68927 get?

About 24.2 inches of precipitation a year and 18 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Bertrand station).

How hot do summers get in Bertrand, NE?

The average high peaks at 89 °F in July, with about 44 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 68927 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Coly at the center of ZIP 68927: silt loam, well drained, pH about 7.6 (slightly alkaline).

Did spring come early in Bertrand, NE in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 68927 came on Mar 8 in 2026, 20 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 28), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Bertrand, NE?

Long-day onions: the longest day near 68927 is 15 h 04 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).

Did the zone for 68927 change?

Yes. The 2012 USDA map put 68927 in zone 5b; the 2023 map puts it in zone 6a. The newer map uses 1991–2020 data and more weather stations.