Fall in zone 6aPhoto: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 68431 (Rulo, 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, Falls City Brenner Fld, NE (8 miles away).
- Average last spring frostApr 1850% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostOct 1750% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)180 daysmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone6a-10 to -5°F avg. coldest night
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Frost and freeze alerts from the NWS forecast for 68431, the spring soil-temperature heads-up for pre-emergent, and a short weekly yard-timing email.
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This week in your yard
As of Oct 18, 2026, from your frost dates, zone and soil temperature. Lawn timing · Vegetables · Pruning · Plants
Soil temperature now
2-inch depth
57°F 55°F or warmer
24-hour average · latest 56°F, as of Oct 18, 2:00 AM CDT
Estimate Not a measurement at this ZIP: distance-weighted average of Centralia Lake (46 mi).
4-inch depth
57°F 55°F or warmer
24-hour average · latest 56°F, as of Oct 18, 2:00 AM CDT
Estimate Not a measurement at this ZIP: distance-weighted average of Centralia Lake (46 mi).
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 68431 load here. You can also open the NWS forecast for this ZIP.
Pre-emergent
Soil is 57°F at 4 inches (estimated soil temperature, not a station reading). Fall pre-emergent (annual bluegrass, winter weeds): window open as soil cools through the 70s and 60s.
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 4 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Apr 18 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | May 2 |
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) | Oct 1 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Oct 17 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Oct 30 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | Apr 28 | Oct 7 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Apr 18 | Oct 17 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Apr 8 | Oct 26 |
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 68431
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Apr 18) and first fall frost (Oct 17). 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 21–Mar 7 | Apr 25–May 9 (transplant) | – |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Feb 7–21 | May 2–16 (transplant) | – |
| Eggplant | Feb 7–21 | May 2–16 (transplant) | – |
| Tomatillo | Feb 21–Mar 7 | Apr 25–May 9 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Feb 21–Mar 7 | Mar 28–Apr 18 (transplant) Mar 21–May 2 (sow outdoors) | Aug 22–Sep 12 (transplant) Aug 8–Sep 5 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Mar 7–28 (sow outdoors) | Aug 22–Sep 12 (sowing) |
| Kale | Feb 21–Mar 7 | Mar 21–Apr 4 (transplant) Mar 21–Apr 4 (sow outdoors) | Jul 25–Aug 22 (transplant) Jul 11–Aug 8 (sowing) |
| Collards | Feb 21–Mar 7 | Mar 21–Apr 18 (transplant) Mar 21–Apr 18 (sow outdoors) | Jul 25–Aug 22 (transplant) Jul 11–Aug 8 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Feb 7–21 | Mar 21–Apr 4 (transplant) | Jul 11–Aug 8 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Feb 7–21 | Mar 21–Apr 4 (transplant) | Jul 11–Aug 8 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Feb 7–21 | Apr 4–18 (transplant) | Jul 11–Aug 8 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Jan 24–Feb 7 | Mar 21–Apr 4 (transplant) | Jun 27–Jul 18 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Feb 21–Mar 7 | Mar 21–Apr 4 (transplant) Mar 21–Apr 4 (sow outdoors) | Aug 8–22 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Mar 21–Apr 4 (sow outdoors) | Aug 22–Sep 5 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Mar 21–Apr 18 (sow outdoors) | Aug 22–Sep 19 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Mar 21–Apr 11 (sow outdoors) | Aug 22–Sep 5 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Mar 7–21 | Apr 4–25 (transplant) Apr 4–May 2 (sow outdoors) | Aug 8–22 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Mar 21–Apr 18 (sow outdoors) | Aug 8–22 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Mar 28–Apr 25 (sow outdoors) | Jul 25–Aug 8 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Mar 14–Apr 25 (sow outdoors) | Sep 5–19 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Mar 21–Apr 11 (sow outdoors) | Aug 8–22 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Mar 28–Apr 18 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Feb 21–Mar 21 (sow outdoors) | Jul 25–Aug 8 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Jan 24–Feb 7 | Mar 7–21 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Mar 7–Apr 4 (sow outdoors) | Aug 8–22 (sowing) |
| Leek | Jan 24–Feb 7 | Mar 21–Apr 4 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 5–Oct 3 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Mar 7–21 (transplant) | Sep 5–Oct 3 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Mar 21–Apr 4 (transplant) | Jun 27–Jul 11 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | May 9–23 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 25–May 9 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | Apr 25–May 9 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, pole | – | Apr 25–May 9 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | May 2–16 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | May 9–30 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Mar 21–28 | Apr 25–May 9 (transplant) Apr 25–May 9 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Mar 21–28 | Apr 25–May 9 (transplant) Apr 25–May 9 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Winter squash | Mar 21–28 | Apr 25–May 9 (transplant) Apr 25–May 9 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | Apr 25–May 9 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Mar 21–28 | May 2–16 (transplant) May 2–16 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Mar 21–28 | May 2–16 (transplant) May 2–16 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Mar 7–21 | May 2–16 (transplant) May 2–16 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Jan 24–Feb 7 | Apr 25–May 2 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Mar 7–21 | Apr 25–May 9 (transplant) Apr 25–May 9 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Apr 4–May 2 (sow outdoors) | Aug 22–Sep 5 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Feb 7–21 | Apr 4–18 (transplant) Mar 28–Apr 18 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Apr 18–May 2 (sow outdoors) | Aug 22–Sep 5 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Apr 18–May 2 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Mar 21–Apr 4 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Mar 21–Apr 4 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Mar 21–Apr 4 (transplant) | Aug 8–Sep 5 (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 18 here (the average last frost). Not affiliated with the program.
Where these numbers come from
Station: Falls City Brenner Fld, NE (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USW00094957), elevation 980 ft, 8.2 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: S (standard, 24+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Falls City 4NE, NE | 4 mi | Apr 18 | Oct 14 |
| Oregon, MO | 17 mi | Apr 16 | Oct 20 |
| Hiawatha 1 S, KS | 17 mi | Apr 14 | Oct 22 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 4 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 68431
When is the last frost in 68431?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 68431 is April 18. For a more cautious planting date, use May 2, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 68431?
The average first fall freeze is October 17. In 1 year in 10 it comes by October 1.
What hardiness zone is 68431?
ZIP 68431 is in USDA zone 6a (-10 to -5°F average coldest winter night), per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP listing.
What is the soil temperature in 68431 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
64437 Big Lake 68355 Falls City 66094 White Cloud 64451 Forest City 64470 Mound City 66434 Hiawatha 68457 Verdon 68433 Salem
Other ZIP codes in Richardson County
68337 68355 68376 68433 68437 68442 68457 All Richardson County frost dates · Nebraska frost dates
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Weekly yard timing, plus frost and soil-temperature alerts for your ZIP code.
- Freeze alerts
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Free. One weekly email plus alerts when your ZIP has a frost or a soil-temperature change worth acting on. After you submit, Kit (our email provider) sends a confirmation email: check your email and click the link to confirm. You aren't subscribed until you do. We collect only your email address and ZIP, sent to Kit to deliver The Dial. Unsubscribe anytime.