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

Planting zone for 69169 — Wallace, NE

ZIP code 69169 (Wallace, Lincoln County) is in USDA zone 5b: the coldest winter night averages −15 to −10 °F. The median last spring frost is May 4 and the first fall frost October 4.

Where ZIP 69169 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 frostMay 4
First frostOct 4
2012 zone5a

Was 5a 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 5b means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Wallace, 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 Wallace, NE

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostMay 4median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 16only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 4median — 10% chance by Sep 23
Growing season152 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 25 and returns around October 14.

From the NOAA station Wallace 2w, NE — 2 miles away, elevation 3,153 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 69169

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 23 – Apr 6
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 23 – Apr 13
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 23 – Mar 9
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Apr 13 – Apr 27
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Apr 6 – Apr 20
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Apr 13 – Apr 27
LettuceSow outdoors · Apr 6 – Apr 20
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Apr 13 – Apr 27
TomatoesStart indoors · Mar 9 – Mar 23
TomatoesTransplant · May 11 – May 25
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 23 – Mar 9
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 18 – Jun 1
BeansSow outdoors · May 11 – May 25
Sweet cornSow outdoors · May 11 – May 25
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · May 11 – May 25
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 9 – Aug 23
GarlicPlant cloves · Sep 20 – Oct 25
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (May 4) and first fall frost (Oct 4) 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 69169 came on Mar 6 — 24 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 30).

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 Wallace, NE.

Soil in Wallace, NE

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 69169 is Holdrege — silt loam, well drained.

TextureSilt loama good balance for most vegetables
pH6.2slightly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter2%moderate
Hydrologic groupCwater soaks in slowly
Farmland classprime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Holdrege silt loam, 1 to 3 percent slopes, plains and breaks.

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 69169; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Wallace, NE

Summer high89 °Faverage high, July
Winter low13 °Faverage low, January
Hot days41days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights173nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days2,927base 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)
Precipitation21.4 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall22 inper year; 44 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 39 °F, low 13 °F 39°13° JanFebruary: average high 42 °F, low 15 °F 42°15° FebMarch: average high 53 °F, low 23 °F 53°23° MarApril: average high 62 °F, low 32 °F 62°32° AprMay: average high 72 °F, low 44 °F 72°44° MayJune: average high 83 °F, low 55 °F 83°55° JunJuly: average high 89 °F, low 60 °F 89°60° JulAugust: average high 87 °F, low 58 °F 87°58° AugSeptember: average high 79 °F, low 47 °F 79°47° SepOctober: average high 65 °F, low 34 °F 65°34° OctNovember: average high 52 °F, low 23 °F 52°23° NovDecember: average high 41 °F, low 14 °F 41°14° Dec

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

0″1″2″3″4″January: 0.30 in precipitation, 3.4 in snowfall 0.3❄3 JanFebruary: 0.56 in precipitation, 5.6 in snowfall 0.6❄6 FebMarch: 0.88 in precipitation, 3.1 in snowfall 0.9❄3 MarApril: 2.22 in precipitation, 3.2 in snowfall 2.2❄3 AprMay: 3.47 in precipitation, 0.1 in snowfall 3.5 MayJune: 3.83 in precipitation 3.8 JunJuly: 3.24 in precipitation 3.2 JulAugust: 2.65 in precipitation 2.6 AugSeptember: 1.56 in precipitation 1.6 SepOctober: 1.66 in precipitation, 1.5 in snowfall 1.7❄2 OctNovember: 0.51 in precipitation, 2.4 in snowfall 0.5❄2 NovDecember: 0.49 in precipitation, 2.7 in snowfall 0.5❄3 Dec

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

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 5b.

691325b
Dickens, NE · 9 mi
691345b
Elsie, NE · 10 mi
690325b
Hayes Center, NE · 18 mi
691505b
Madrid, NE · 19 mi
691705b
Wellfleet, NE · 23 mi
691655b
Sutherland, NE · 23 mi
690455b
Wauneta, NE · 26 mi
691435b
Hershey, NE · 27 mi

Nebraska planting zones →

Questions about 69169

What planting zone is ZIP code 69169?

ZIP code 69169 (Wallace, 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 Wallace, NE?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 69169 is May 4; after May 16 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Wallace 2w station.

When is the first frost in Wallace, NE?

The median first fall frost near 69169 is October 4, giving a median frost-free growing season of 152 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 69169?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Mar 9 – Mar 23 and set transplants outside around May 11 – May 25, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 69169 get?

About 21.4 inches of precipitation a year and 22 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Wallace 2w station).

How hot do summers get in Wallace, NE?

The average high peaks at 89 °F in July, with about 41 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 69169 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Holdrege at the center of ZIP 69169: silt loam, well drained, pH about 6.2 (slightly acidic).

Did spring come early in Wallace, NE in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 69169 came on Mar 6 in 2026, 24 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 30), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Wallace, NE?

Long-day onions: the longest day near 69169 is 15 h 06 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).

Did the zone for 69169 change?

Yes. The 2012 USDA map put 69169 in zone 5a; the 2023 map puts it in zone 5b. The newer map uses 1991–2020 data and more weather stations.