Frost dates for ZIP 68402 (Malcolm, NE)
Average last spring and first fall frost dates with 10%, 50% and 90% odds, from NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the nearest weather station, Raymond 2E, NE (7 miles away).
- Average last spring frostApr 2250% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostOct 1650% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)175 daysmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone5b-15 to -10°F avg. coldest night
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This week in your yard
As of Oct 17, 2026, from your frost dates, zone and soil temperature. Lawn timing · Vegetables · Pruning · Plants
Soil temperature now
2-inch depth
50°F 50–55°F
24-hour average · latest 52°F, as of Oct 17, 10:00 PM CDT
Measured at NOAA USCRN station Lincoln 11 SW, 14 mi away. Daily averages: Wed 58°, Thu 57°, Fri 53°.
4-inch depth
54°F 50–55°F
24-hour average · latest 54°F, as of Oct 17, 10:00 PM CDT
Measured at NOAA USCRN station Lincoln 11 SW, 14 mi away. Daily averages: Wed 60°, Thu 59°, Fri 56°.
Fall: Texas A&M AgriLife times fall pre-emergent (for winter weeds such as annual bluegrass) to soil cooling to about 70°F for several days. The 50–55°F band is the spring trigger. Always read and follow the product label.
7-day forecast and frost risk
The latest National Weather Service 7-day forecast and any Frost Advisory or Freeze Warning for 68402 load here. You can also open the NWS forecast for this ZIP.
Pre-emergent
Soil is 54°F at 4 inches. Fall pre-emergent window is mostly past. Next: spring, when soil reaches 50°F (typically mid-April to early May).
Fertilizer window
Lawn region: North (cool-season). Timing only; always follow the product label.
- Kentucky bluegrass (cool-season): Early fall: Around Labor Day (late August–September); Late fall: Late October–November, before the ground freezes; Late spring: Optional around Memorial Day. Avoid: Early-spring and midsummer feeding (pushes top growth, favors crabgrass).
Plant now
No vegetable planting windows are open this week.
Prune now
No frost-timed pruning windows are open this week.
Spring-flowering shrubs are pruned right after their flowers fade, not by date. See the pruning guide.
Last spring frost odds
| Chance of a 32°F freeze after this date | Date |
|---|---|
| 90% (early: most years still freeze after this) | Apr 9 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Apr 22 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | May 3 |
Most gardeners plant frost-tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, basil) after the 50% date, and closer to the 10% date for less risk.
First fall frost odds
| Chance the first 32°F freeze has happened by this date | Date |
|---|---|
| 10% (early: 1 year in 10 freezes this soon) | Sep 29 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Oct 16 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Oct 26 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | May 1 | Oct 6 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Apr 22 | Oct 16 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Apr 12 | Oct 24 |
n/a means NOAA did not publish a date at that threshold for this station (usually because it rarely gets that cold).
Vegetable planting calendar for 68402
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Apr 22) and first fall frost (Oct 16). Half of years have a frost after the spring date, so give tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, squash) some slack.
| Crop | Start indoors | Spring planting | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Feb 25–Mar 11 | Apr 29–May 13 (transplant) | – |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Feb 11–25 | May 6–20 (transplant) | – |
| Eggplant | Feb 11–25 | May 6–20 (transplant) | – |
| Tomatillo | Feb 25–Mar 11 | Apr 29–May 13 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Feb 25–Mar 11 | Apr 1–22 (transplant) Mar 25–May 6 (sow outdoors) | Aug 21–Sep 11 (transplant) Aug 7–Sep 4 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Mar 11–Apr 1 (sow outdoors) | Aug 21–Sep 11 (sowing) |
| Kale | Feb 25–Mar 11 | Mar 25–Apr 8 (transplant) Mar 25–Apr 8 (sow outdoors) | Jul 24–Aug 21 (transplant) Jul 10–Aug 7 (sowing) |
| Collards | Feb 25–Mar 11 | Mar 25–Apr 22 (transplant) Mar 25–Apr 22 (sow outdoors) | Jul 24–Aug 21 (transplant) Jul 10–Aug 7 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Feb 11–25 | Mar 25–Apr 8 (transplant) | Jul 10–Aug 7 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Feb 11–25 | Mar 25–Apr 8 (transplant) | Jul 10–Aug 7 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Feb 11–25 | Apr 8–22 (transplant) | Jul 10–Aug 7 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Jan 28–Feb 11 | Mar 25–Apr 8 (transplant) | Jun 26–Jul 17 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Feb 25–Mar 11 | Mar 25–Apr 8 (transplant) Mar 25–Apr 8 (sow outdoors) | Aug 7–21 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Mar 25–Apr 8 (sow outdoors) | Aug 21–Sep 4 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Mar 25–Apr 22 (sow outdoors) | Aug 21–Sep 18 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Mar 25–Apr 15 (sow outdoors) | Aug 21–Sep 4 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Mar 11–25 | Apr 8–29 (transplant) Apr 8–May 6 (sow outdoors) | Aug 7–21 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Mar 25–Apr 22 (sow outdoors) | Aug 7–21 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Apr 1–29 (sow outdoors) | Jul 24–Aug 7 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Mar 18–Apr 29 (sow outdoors) | Sep 4–18 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Mar 25–Apr 15 (sow outdoors) | Aug 7–21 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Apr 1–22 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Feb 25–Mar 25 (sow outdoors) | Jul 24–Aug 7 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Jan 28–Feb 11 | Mar 11–25 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Mar 11–Apr 8 (sow outdoors) | Aug 7–21 (sowing) |
| Leek | Jan 28–Feb 11 | Mar 25–Apr 8 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 4–Oct 2 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Mar 11–25 (transplant) | Sep 4–Oct 2 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Mar 25–Apr 8 (transplant) | Jun 26–Jul 10 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | May 13–27 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 29–May 13 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | Apr 29–May 13 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, pole | – | Apr 29–May 13 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | May 6–20 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | May 13–Jun 3 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Mar 25–Apr 1 | Apr 29–May 13 (transplant) Apr 29–May 13 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Mar 25–Apr 1 | Apr 29–May 13 (transplant) Apr 29–May 13 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Winter squash | Mar 25–Apr 1 | Apr 29–May 13 (transplant) Apr 29–May 13 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | Apr 29–May 13 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Mar 25–Apr 1 | May 6–20 (transplant) May 6–20 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Mar 25–Apr 1 | May 6–20 (transplant) May 6–20 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Mar 11–25 | May 6–20 (transplant) May 6–20 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Jan 28–Feb 11 | Apr 29–May 6 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Mar 11–25 | Apr 29–May 13 (transplant) Apr 29–May 13 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Apr 8–May 6 (sow outdoors) | Aug 21–Sep 4 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Feb 11–25 | Apr 8–22 (transplant) Apr 1–22 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Apr 22–May 6 (sow outdoors) | Aug 21–Sep 4 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Apr 22–May 6 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Mar 25–Apr 8 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Mar 25–Apr 8 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Mar 25–Apr 8 (transplant) | Aug 7–Sep 4 (transplant) |
Typical ranges from university extension planting calendars, adjusted to your frost dates. Probabilities, not guarantees. Fall windows that would overlap spring planting are left out, as are fall crops of frost-tender plants where the frost-free season is under 210 days.
Plants that do well here
Nebraska has a university or garden plant program: GreatPlants. Plant frost-tender annuals after April 22 here (the average last frost). Not affiliated with the program.
Where these numbers come from
Station: Raymond 2E, NE (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00257055), elevation 1,283 ft, 6.6 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: R (representative, 10+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln Muni AP, NE | 7 mi | Apr 24 | Oct 13 |
| Seward, NE | 12 mi | Apr 26 | Oct 12 |
| Lincoln 11 SW, NE | 15 mi | Apr 22 | Oct 14 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 4 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 68402
When is the last frost in 68402?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 68402 is April 22. For a more cautious planting date, use May 3, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 68402?
The average first fall freeze is October 16. In 1 year in 10 it comes by September 29.
What hardiness zone is 68402?
ZIP 68402 is in USDA zone 5b (-15 to -10°F average coldest winter night), per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP listing.
What is the soil temperature in 68402 right now?
This page shows the latest 2-inch and 4-inch soil temperature from the nearest public soil station (USDA SCAN, NOAA USCRN or TexMesonet), or a labeled estimate when no station is close, against the 50–55°F spring pre-emergent band.
Nearby ZIP codes
68524 Lincoln 68428 Agnew 68360 Garland 68528 Lincoln 68531 68532 68521 Lincoln 68423 Pleasant Dale
Other ZIP codes in Lancaster County
68317 68336 68339 68358 68368 68372 68404 68419 68428 68430 68438 68461 68462 68502 68503 68504 68505 68506 68507 68508 68510 68512 68514 68516 All Lancaster County frost dates · Nebraska frost dates
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