Tomato hornworm in Nebraska: When It Shows Up and What Stops It
Tomato hornworms show up in Nebraska gardens between late June and mid-August, with the heaviest feeding damage typically hitting in July when larvae…
Gardening in Nebraska
Everything we have worked out for Nebraska: what to plant and when, which varieties finish in time, the pests that actually turn up here, and the jobs that pay off month by month. We also cover the rest of the property, from lawns and soil to home care and energy, because a garden rarely stops at the vegetable bed.
The numbers first, because everything else follows from them. Measured at the weather station in Omaha, the last spring freeze runs April 12 to April 23 and the first fall freeze runs October 15 to October 26, USDA zones 4a-5b, 3,740 growing degree days in the year.
Garlic does well: 26.1 weeks below 40 °F, comfortably past the six it needs to form a proper head.
Elsewhere on the property in Nebraska: the pests that turn up here.
Figures from NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals. A state is not one climate: elevation, a large lake or the coast can move these dates by two weeks either way, so check your own county with the extension service before you spend money.
Imported cabbageworm in Nebraska: When It Shows Up and What Stops It
The imported cabbageworm shows up in Nebraska gardens as soon as brassica transplants hit the soil in spring, typically by early to mid-May in the…
Cucumber beetles in Nebraska: When It Shows Up and What Stops It
Cucumber beetles show up in Nebraska gardens once soil temperatures climb past 65°F, which typically lands between mid-May and early June depending on…
Squash bug in Nebraska: When It Shows Up and What Stops It
Squash bugs show up in Nebraska gardens in two waves each year: overwintered adults crawl out of leaf litter and mulch once daytime temps hold steady…
Squash vine borer in Nebraska: When It Shows Up and What Stops It
Squash vine borer moths start flying in Nebraska in late June, with activity peaking through July and tapering off by mid-August.
Blister beetles in Nebraska: When It Shows Up and What Stops It
Blister beetles show up across Nebraska from mid-July through September, with the heaviest activity landing in August, right when alfalfa fields are…
Garden Pests in Nebraska: What Shows Up, When, and How to Stop It
UNL Extension names ten pests common in Nebraska vegetable gardens, from grasshoppers to hornworms, with identification tips, timing, and control costs for each.
Nebraska Lawn Care: What to Plant and When to Feed It
Omaha’s climate data shows why Nebraska lawns need cool-season grass, a September feeding schedule, and a fall seeding window tied to first frost.
Garlic Varieties That Suit Nebraska Winters
This guide sets Nebraska’s fall garlic planting window from NOAA frost data, lists cultivars suited to the state, and flags the local mistakes to avoid.
When to Plant Garlic in Nebraska: Counting Back From the First Frost
Garlic planting in Nebraska runs late September to early October, anchored to NOAA’s Omaha frost normals and each cultivar’s catalog window, not a single fixed date.