In the garden now (2 November 2026)
Omaha planting calendar
Bars show when each crop can go in and when a planting from that window is ready. The blue band is the frost season, from the average first autumn frost to the average last spring frost. Hover or tap a crop for details.
Sow indoorsSow or plant outdoorsHarvestFrost seasonToday
Swipe sideways to see the whole year →
Dates by crop
| Crop | Sow indoors | Sow / plant outdoors | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Mar 13 – Apr 17 | May 8 – Aug 6 plant out | Jul 6 – Oct 17 |
| Pepper | Mar 8 – Apr 12 | May 17 – Aug 2 plant out | Jul 14 – Oct 17 |
| Eggplant (aubergine) | Mar 13 – Apr 17 | May 22 – Jul 30 plant out | Jul 20 – Oct 17 |
| Cucumber | Apr 15 – May 12 | May 13 – Aug 16 sow | Jun 28 – Oct 17 |
| Zucchini (courgette) | Apr 10 – May 7 | May 8 – Aug 19 sow | Jun 22 – Oct 17 |
| Pumpkin and winter squash | Apr 10 – May 7 | May 8 – Jul 19 sow | Jul 26 – Oct 20 |
| Watermelon | Apr 24 – May 21 | May 22 – Jul 29 sow | Jul 24 – Oct 17 |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 27 – Aug 1 sow | Jul 8 – Oct 17 |
| Green beans | – | May 8 – Aug 16 sow | Jun 25 – Oct 17 |
| Peas | – | Mar 24 – Apr 9 sow | Jun 4 – Jul 6 |
| Lettuce | Feb 14 – Mar 14 | Mar 21 – Apr 29, Aug 11 – Sep 9 sow | May 24 – Jul 6, Sep 17 – Oct 31 |
| Spinach | – | Mar 16 – Apr 25, Sep 11 – Sep 15 sow | May 20 – Jun 30, Oct 25 – Nov 20 |
| Kale | Feb 6 – Mar 13 | Mar 20 – May 26, Jun 27 – Sep 4 sow | May 31 – Dec 5 |
| Cabbage | Feb 8 – Mar 15, May 23 – Jun 27 | Mar 29 – Apr 24, Jul 11 – Aug 23 plant out | Jun 13 – Jul 21, Sep 4 – Nov 11 |
| Broccoli | Feb 8 – Mar 15, Jun 16 – Jul 21 | Mar 29 – May 2, Aug 4 – Aug 30 plant out | Jun 6 – Jul 19, Sep 21 – Nov 4 |
| Carrots | – | Mar 29 – Aug 27 sow | Jun 9 – Dec 5 |
| Beets (beetroot) | – | Mar 29 – Sep 3 sow | Jun 2 – Nov 11 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 20 – May 16, Aug 27 – Sep 27 sow | May 5 – Jun 19, Sep 17 – Nov 4 |
| Onions | Jan 13 – Feb 17 | Mar 24 – Jul 31 plant out | Jun 30 – Oct 21 |
| Garlic | – | Oct 10 – Nov 4 sow | May 24 – Jun 13 |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 4 – Jun 21 sow | Jun 29 – Oct 10 |
| Swiss chard | – | Apr 4 – Sep 7 sow | May 31 – Nov 11 |
| Basil | Apr 5 – May 3 | May 17 – Sep 3 plant out | Jun 13 – Oct 17 |
| Cilantro (coriander) | – | Mar 29 – May 6, Aug 27 – Sep 17 sow | May 18 – Jul 4, Sep 26 – Nov 4 |
| Parsley | Feb 5 – Mar 12 | Apr 2 – Aug 24 sow | Jun 14 – Nov 20 |
Dates are for a typical year and the middle of the window is the safest. Sow a little at a time across a window rather than all at once. Cold snaps, heat waves, frost pockets and city warmth all shift the real dates; watch the forecast.
Frost dates in Omaha
- Average last spring frost
- April 18
- Late frost (1 year in 10)
- April 30
- Average first autumn frost
- October 21
- Early frost (1 year in 10)
- October 6
- Frost-free growing season
- 185 days
“Average” is the date with an even chance of a later (spring) or earlier (autumn) frost: a night at or below 0 °C (32 °F) at screen height. Tender crops go out a week or two after the spring date, which brings the risk down to about one year in ten.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Omaha Eppley Airfield (7 km from the city centre).
Climate at a glance
- Hardiness zone
- 5b from station records
- Average coldest winter night
- -23°C-10°F
- Warmest month
- July, highs 31°C88°F
- Coldest month
- January, lows -9°C15°F
- Crops with an outdoor window
- 25 of 25
The zone follows the USDA scheme: bands of the average lowest temperature of the year, 10 °F wide, split into a and b halves. Worked out from the coldest night of each year 1991–2020 at the NOAA station. It tells you which perennials survive winter, not when to sow.
Temperature and rain by month
Average highAverage lowRainFreezing point
| Month | High | Low | Mean | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 1°C34°F | -9°C15°F | -4°C25°F | 19 mm0.7 in |
| February | 4°C39°F | -7°C19°F | -2°C29°F | 24 mm0.9 in |
| March | 11°C52°F | -1°C30°F | 5°C41°F | 42 mm1.6 in |
| April | 18°C64°F | 5°C41°F | 11°C52°F | 74 mm2.9 in |
| May | 24°C74°F | 11°C52°F | 17°C63°F | 124 mm4.9 in |
| June | 29°C84°F | 17°C63°F | 23°C74°F | 118 mm4.6 in |
| July | 31°C88°F | 20°C67°F | 25°C78°F | 91 mm3.6 in |
| August | 30°C86°F | 18°C64°F | 24°C75°F | 93 mm3.6 in |
| September | 26°C79°F | 13°C55°F | 20°C67°F | 74 mm2.9 in |
| October | 18°C65°F | 6°C43°F | 12°C54°F | 57 mm2.3 in |
| November | 10°C50°F | -1°C30°F | 4°C40°F | 29 mm1.1 in |
| December | 3°C37°F | -7°C19°F | -2°C28°F | 25 mm1.0 in |
Monthly averages 1991–2020 from TerraClimate (about 4 km grid).