Calendars by city / NE
Omaha, Nebraska vegetable planting calendar
Planting windows for Omaha, Nebraska built from the NOAA 1991–2020 freeze normals at OMAHA EPPLEY AIRFIELD, NE US (station USW00014942), not from a hardiness zone.
Omaha, Nebraska planting dates for 27 vegetables
The same windows as a table
Each row applies a published extension rule to the frost dates above. Hardy crops go out 2–4 weeks before the last frost; semi-hardy crops 0–2 weeks before; tender crops around the frost date; very tender crops 2 or more weeks after. The last fall planting date counts the crop's days to harvest back from the first fall frost. The rules and their sources are on the methodology page.
| Crop | Frost class | Start seeds indoors | Plant outdoors | Last fall planting | Days to harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beets | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 7 – Apr 21 | Aug 19 | 60 |
| Broccoli | Hardy | Feb 3 – Mar 3 | Transplant: Mar 24 – Apr 7 | Aug 21 | 65 (from transplant) |
| Cabbage | Hardy | Feb 3 – Mar 3 | Transplant: Mar 24 – Apr 7 | Aug 1 | 85 (from transplant) |
| Carrots | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 7 – Apr 21 | Aug 9 | 70 |
| Cauliflower | Semi-hardy | Feb 17 – Mar 17 | Transplant: Apr 7 – Apr 21 | Aug 14 | 65 (from transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 24 – Apr 7 | Sep 5 | 50 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 24 – Apr 7 | Aug 26 | 60 |
| Onions (green) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 24 – Apr 7 | Aug 26 | 60 |
| Onions (dry, from seed) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 24 – Apr 7 | Jul 7 | 110 |
| Onions (dry, from sets) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Plant sets: Mar 24 – Apr 7 | Jul 7 | 110 |
| Parsnips | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 7 – Apr 21 | Aug 9 | 70 |
| Peas | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 24 – Apr 7 | Aug 21 | 65 |
| Potatoes | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Plant seed potatoes: Apr 7 – Apr 21 | Jun 15 | 125 |
| Radishes | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 24 – Apr 7 | Sep 25 | 30 |
| Spinach | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 24 – Apr 7 | Sep 15 | 40 |
| Swiss chard | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 7 – Apr 21 | Aug 19 | 60 |
| Turnips | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 24 – Apr 7 | Sep 5 | 50 |
| Snap beans | Tender | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 21 – Apr 28 | Aug 12 | 60 |
| Cantaloupe | Very tender | Apr 14 – May 5 | Direct sow (or transplant): May 5 – May 19 | Jul 18 | 85 |
| Sweet corn | Tender | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 21 – Apr 28 | Jul 13 | 60–90 |
| Cucumbers | Tender | Mar 31 – Apr 14 | Direct sow (or transplant): Apr 21 – Apr 28 | Aug 17 | 55 |
| Eggplant | Very tender | Mar 3 – Apr 7 | Transplant: May 5 – May 19 | Aug 12 | 60 (from transplant) |
| Peppers | Very tender | Mar 10 – Apr 7 | Transplant: May 5 – May 19 | Aug 2 | 70 (from transplant) |
| Tomatoes | Very tender | Mar 17 – Apr 14 | Transplant: May 5 – May 19 | Aug 7 | 65 (from transplant) |
| Summer squash | Tender | Mar 31 – Apr 14 | Direct sow (or transplant): Apr 21 – Apr 28 | Aug 22 | 50 |
| Winter squash | Very tender | Apr 14 – May 5 | Direct sow (or transplant): May 5 – May 19 | Jul 3 | 100 |
| Watermelon | Very tender | Apr 14 – May 5 | Direct sow (or transplant): May 5 – May 19 | Jul 18 | 85 |
What the Omaha, Nebraska frost-free season means for your choices
At 173 frost-free days, Omaha, Nebraska gardeners should compare that number to the days-to-harvest column before buying seed. A crop whose days to harvest plus its transplant age is close to the season length needs either an early start indoors or a short-season variety.
- Hardy crops (peas, spinach, radishes, lettuce, broccoli, cabbage) can go in from about Mar 24 – Apr 7 and again for fall.
- Very tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, melons, winter squash) should wait until May 5 – May 19; start tomato seeds indoors Mar 17 – Apr 14.
- Fall sowing is worthwhile only for the rows that show a separate fall date; for the others the spring window already covers the season.
Omaha, NE planting questions
When is the last frost in Omaha, Nebraska?
The 50% probability date for the last spring 32°F reading at OMAHA EPPLEY AIRFIELD, NE US is Apr 21, from the NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals. In half the years on that record the last frost came later than that date, so tender crops are safer a week or two after it. The last 28°F hard freeze averages Apr 11.
When can I plant tomatoes in Omaha, Nebraska?
Tomatoes are a very tender crop, so the Colorado State Extension rule puts them out 2 or more weeks after the last spring frost: May 5 – May 19 in Omaha, Nebraska. Start the seeds indoors Mar 17 – Apr 14, which is 5 to 7 weeks before that transplant window.
How long is the growing season in Omaha, Nebraska?
Omaha, Nebraska averages 173 frost-free days, between the 50% last spring frost on Apr 21 and the 50% first fall frost on Oct 11 at OMAHA EPPLEY AIRFIELD, NE US. Check a variety's days to harvest against that number before buying seed.
When should I start seeds indoors in Omaha, Nebraska?
The earliest indoor sowing on this calendar is broccoli and cabbage at Feb 3 – Mar 3. Hardy crops are transplanted out Mar 24 – Apr 7 here, and each crop's indoor window is simply its outdoor window minus the transplant age published by Colorado State Extension, so nothing starts earlier than that.
What can I plant in fall in Omaha, Nebraska?
The crops with a separate fall sowing here, latest first, are radishes, spinach, kohlrabi, turnips, lettuce (leaf) and onions (green), plus 21 more on the chart above. Each fall date counts the crop's days to harvest back from the first fall frost on Oct 11, plus an allowance for frost-tolerant crops that is our own assumption, not the source's.
Station data and limitations
| NOAA station | OMAHA EPPLEY AIRFIELD, NE US (USW00014942) |
|---|---|
| Location | 41.3102, -95.8991 · elevation 299.3 m |
| Last spring 32°F / 28°F (50%) | Apr 21 / Apr 11 |
| First fall 32°F / 28°F (50%) | Oct 11 / Oct 23 |
| Dataset | NOAA/NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, annual/seasonal product, data types ANN-TMIN-PRBLST/PRBFST-T32FP50 and T28FP50 |
| Retrieved | 2026-10-16 |
The normals describe the airport station, not your yard. They are averages of a 30-year record and say nothing about this year's weather. Watch the local forecast around the dates shown, and use soil temperature for warm-season crops, which the Colorado State guide treats as the better signal.
Nearby calendars
- Des Moines, Iowa — last spring frost Apr 17
- Kansas City, Missouri — last spring frost Apr 12
- Minneapolis–St. Paul, Minnesota — last spring frost Apr 25
- St. Louis, Missouri — last spring frost Apr 3
Read the method behind these dates: last frost date vs hardiness zone.