When to Plant Asparagus Crowns in Nebraska
Crowns go into Nebraska ground in early spring, timed to the frost window rather than a calendar date, in furrows about 8 inches deep.
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.
Growing Sweet Corn in Nebraska: Will It Ripen?
Yes, sweet corn ripens in Nebraska in most years, and it usually does so with room to spare.
When to Sow Pumpkins in Nebraska
Nebraska gardeners work backward from two numbers: the state’s first fall frost window and the 45 to 55 days a pumpkin flower needs to turn into a ripe…
Will Pumpkins Ripen Before Frost in Nebraska?
Yes, in most years Nebraska pumpkin vines have enough season left to finish the job, provided the first flowers open by the last days of August.
When to Sow Parsnips in Nebraska
Nebraska gardeners get a clear yes on parsnips: the state’s winters run cold enough to trigger the frost sweetening this root crop depends on, and the…
Will Parsnips Sweeten in Nebraska?
Yes, in most of Nebraska. The mean daily minimum of the coldest month sits at 15.2°F, which means the ground gets weeks of genuine frost exposure, not…
Growing Asparagus in Nebraska: Fifteen Years in One Spot
Plant asparagus in the right spot in Nebraska and you won’t touch that ground again for a decade or more.
Growing Spinach in Nebraska: When Will It Bolt?
Spinach bolts in Nebraska once the calendar pushes past the longest days of the year, and heat finishes the job.
Growing Pumpkins in Nebraska: Will They Ripen in Time?
Yes, but only if you count backward from the right end of the calendar. Nebraska’s first fall frost typically lands between October 15 and October 26…
Will Carrots Fork in Nebraska Soil?
The short answer is no, not automatically. Nebraska’s own state soil, the Holdrege series, is a well-drained silt loam, not a dense clay, so it doesn’t…