The best vegetables to grow in Nebraska are composed of cool-season and warm-season crops. These vegetables include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, lettuce, onion, peas, potatoes, radish, spinach, basil, beans, cucumber, corn, eggplant, okra, pepper, and tomato. These 18 vegetables require the gardener an understanding of the temperatures that are appropriate for their growth.
Since you will have some limitations on when and where to plant vegetables, you can consider indoor gardening. You can protect your crops from frost and extreme heat using a greenhouse, so year-round productivity is achievable. Refer to Krostrade.com to know more about greenhouses.
List Of Best Vegetables To Grow In Nebraska
According to the Nebraska Extension in Dodge County, you can grow cool-season and warm-season vegetables in Nebraska. What’s the importance of these two classifications for you? If you’re able to group your crops, you can plan their planting dates and ensure the right conditions.
Cool-season vegetables
The cool-season vegetables for Nebraska are the cruciferous broccoli and cauliflower, onion, peas, potatoes, radish, and greens like cabbage, kale, lettuce, and spinach. They are the group for cool-season planting because they will thrive and produce well even if the temperature is chilly. This also makes cool-season vegetables ideal for fall because they are hardy enough for frost.
However, while broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and kale can stand frost, remember not to let the temperature drop near 20°F. You can control the temperatures in a greenhouse to minimize problems in fall planting. Otherwise, you can start some crops indoors.
Warm-season vegetables
After spring, summer in Nebraska can still be suitable for warm-season planting. You will notice that as the temperature gets warmer, your cool-season crops like lettuce and spinach can bolt. Instead, basil, beans, cucumber, corn, eggplant, okra, pepper, and tomato are suitable for this weather.
The summer in July is excellent for these warm-season vegetables. For some crops, this time of the year is even their third planting. However, seeds are still fragile until they are established. You can also use a greenhouse to protect the sprouting seeds.
When Can You Start Planting In Nebraska?
You can start planting cool-season vegetables on March 15, but note that as April 15 approaches, you must ensure that the frost has passed. It’s ideal for vegetables to be in an area with nighttime temperatures above 50°F and soil temperatures above 60°F
For warm-season vegetables, you can start from the first day or in the middle of May. Overall, Nebraska is in the planting zones 4 and 5, so some areas, especially the top two-thirds of the state, must wait for the frost to pass. On the other hand, you can plant early if you’re in the bottom third.
How To Plant Vegetables In Nebraska
Alongside choosing the right variety for your area and being diligent in the maintenance of crops, you’ll have a more successful vegetable garden in Nebraska if you classify your plants. So if you’re aware that you will face temperatures that are either too warm or too cold for your vegetables, consider protecting them using a greenhouse. Cool-season crops are best for spring or fall, while warm-season vegetables are ideal for the summer.
It’s also worth noting that beans, cucumbers, corn, lettuce, radish, peas, basil, squash, and spinach will be more successful if you sow them directly. On the contrary, start your cruciferous vegetables, cabbage, tomato, pepper, and eggplant indoors. These crops will survive better by giving them a headstart in a greenhouse.
When Should You Plant Tomatoes In Nebraska?
The Nebraska Extension recommends planting tomatoes on May 10 if you are in the eastern part of the state. If you’re in the north, you can plant a week later, and those in the southeast can plant a week earlier. Gardeners have until June 20 to plant tomatoes in Nebraska.
What Vegetables Are Best To Grow Now?
Right now, garlic is ideal for fall planting. Gardening at this time is quite challenging because you want to finish harvesting before frost begins in October. You can count how many days it will take for a vegetable to be ready for harvest.
You can also sow peas in the garden around the last week of July and some cole crops like cabbage and broccoli. However, start the latter plants indoors before transplanting them.
What Vegetables Grow Best In Grow Bags?
Growing vegetables in grow bags allows you to expand your gardening space and save costs and effort. This method is ideal for plants like tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, zucchini, potatoes, eggplant, basil, lettuce, and rocket. As you notice, all of the roots of these crops don’t go very deep.
Conclusion
Nebraska is an ideal state for gardening. You can classify the best vegetables to grow in Nebraska into cool-season and warm-season crops. Therefore, you must know the ideal planting season for each group, so you can make the necessary adjustments in your area to meet their requirements.
Some plants will survive better if you start them indoors in a greenhouse. You can also use this structure to protect against frost and heat in Nebraska. And if you have limited space and want to save time, you can consider using grow bags for some vegetables.