Burt County, in Nebraska, sits in USDA hardiness zone 5b — a zone band wide enough that plant choice, not possibility, is the interesting question.
The conditions favor sweet corn, tomato, cottonwood, and sunflower, among others — though every individual site edits that list with its own soil, sun, and drainage.
Grounded in USDA PHZM 2023 · Growable Ground suitability scoring · NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals
Burt County holds more than one microclimate.
Soils and elevations shift across Burt County, so your frost dates and drainage aren't the county average. Enter your address and we'll score 1,112 plants against your land's actual soil, sun, and frost.
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
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Quick Facts
USDA Zones
5b
Last Hard Freeze (28°F)
Mar 29
County normal — light frosts run a few weeks later
First Hard Freeze (28°F)
Nov 5
County normal — light frosts arrive a few weeks earlier
County Area
315K acres
Hardiness Zone Range
Zone maps are averages across Burt County. Your yard's slope, trees, and frost pockets shift what actually grows — see your land's exact reading.
Soil in Burt County
Across Burt County, the ground is predominantly Mollisols, where Moody, Alcester, and Ida are the most extensive named soil series. The soil is generally well drained with a silty clay loam surface. Topsoil pH runs about 6.6–7.3, neutral. Rainfall drains through hydrologic group C soils.
Soil order
Mollisols
Drainage
Well drained
Prime farmland
35%
Hydric soils
25%
Soil still varies lot by lot — soil types explained.
What Grows in Burt County
Plants matched to Burt County's USDA zones 5b — each links to its full growing profile.
Is it too late to plant in Burt County?
Rarely: the season closes in stages, not all at once, and each stage has its crops. Cool-season crops can go in from around Mar 1; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Mar 29 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Nov 5 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. A long window like this one runs successions deep into fall — and even its last weeks take quick greens and garlic.
Growing Challenges in Nebraska
What an experienced grower plans around here — each one has a move.
Low western rainfall (15 inches) requires irrigation
In the west, drip lines and deep mulch are the season — design the water first and the garden follows.
Extreme wind exposure on open plains
A windbreak earns its ground: even a shrub row or a snow fence cuts plant stress dramatically.
Hail damage during severe storm season
Keep row cover or hail netting staged through the storm months — five minutes of cover can save the whole bed.
For cultivar selection, pest pressure, and planting-time guidance specific to Nebraska, the Nebraska Extension is the authoritative local source.
Safe to Grow Here?
What the federal record shows across Burt County — and how to grow with it.
We checked the federal record across Burt County — 95 documented sites across 4 of the 9 source types we track.
The most significant on record: 11 concentrated animal feeding operations. Large-scale animal operations that can contaminate soil and groundwater with nitrates and pathogens.
The federal record across Burt County is a modest one — a typical footprint for a growing area. Nothing here calls for alarm; it's worth knowing which recorded sites sit closest to where you grow, and each one on the map carries its type and location. If one turns out to be a near neighbor, a one-time soil test settles the question.
Sources: EPA, USGS — 1.8M documented sites tracked nationwide across 9 federal source types.
Environmental Intelligence
Understanding what's nearby helps you make informed decisions about where and how to grow.
Total Sites
95
across Burt County
Risk Level
Moderate
Highest-severity
11 concentrated animal feeding operations
Sources Checked
across Burt County
Severity Distribution
across Burt County
Highest-Severity Sites
A note from Gnorman
What an experienced grower watches for around here
In and around Burt County, two things run higher than the national average — CAFO (11 sites) and Nitrate (64 sites). It's not cause for alarm — it's worth knowing, and there's a sensible way to grow around it.
CAFO: CAFOs pose a different contamination profile than chemical sources.
Nitrate: Nitrate contamination primarily comes from agricultural fertilizer runoff and failing septic systems.
Wash all produce consumed raw thoroughly, especially leafy greens grown near CAFOs.
Test well water for nitrate if you rely on a private well for irrigation (EPA standard: 10 mg/L).
Check your specific parcel in Burt County
Get exact proximity distances to contamination sources for your specific parcel — plus soil, sun, drainage, and 1,112 plant recommendations.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources analyzed in seconds
Your Specific Parcel Matters
Burt County Average
- ●USDA Zones 5b
- ●Generic soil type for the area
- ●State-average frost dates
YOUR Parcel
- ✓Your exact hardiness zone
- ✓Your SSURGO soil type & pH
- ✓Your sun exposure, cast in 3D
See MY Growing Report
Read your parcel in Burt County
Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Burt County, Nebraska — soil, sun, drainage, frost risk, and scored plant recommendations.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources analyzed in seconds
Key Growing Facts for Burt County, Nebraska
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 5b (USDA PHZM 2023)
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Mar 29 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can follow for a few weeks)
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Nov 5 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can arrive a few weeks earlier)
- Days Between Hard Freezes: ~221 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals)
- County Land Area: 315K acres (US Census TIGER 2025)
Zone data: USDA ARS Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023. Climate data: NOAA NCEI. County boundaries: US Census TIGER/Line 2025.
Frost dates here are the Burt County average. Low spots and tree cover move them by days on any one yard — see your exact frost windows.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hardiness zone is Burt County, Nebraska?
Burt County sits in USDA hardiness zone 5b, per the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023. Zones reflect average annual extreme minimum temperatures from 1991–2020 weather data.
Is it too late to plant in Burt County?
Rarely: the season closes in stages, not all at once, and each stage has its crops. Cool-season crops can go in from around Mar 1; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Mar 29 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Nov 5 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. A long window like this one runs successions deep into fall — and even its last weeks take quick greens and garlic.
When does frost risk typically end in Burt County?
The last hard freeze (28°F) in Burt County typically lands around Mar 29, per NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals — an earlier marker than the light-frost dates many planting charts quote. That marks the hard freeze, not the last light frost — light frosts can still bite for a few more weeks, so tender transplants usually wait another 2–3 weeks.
How long is the growing season in Burt County?
Measured between 28°F hard freezes, Burt County sees about 221 frost-free days — roughly Mar 29 through Nov 5, per NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals. Tender crops get a somewhat shorter practical window, since lighter frosts reach a few weeks past the hard-freeze dates on both ends.
What vegetables grow in Burt County?
Burt County's zone 5b supports a wide range — strong performers include Sweet Corn, Tomato, Cottonwood, and Sunflower. What actually takes on any one site comes down to its soil, sun, and drainage, and we score each plant against the real conditions at your address.
Which hardiness zone is Burt County, really?
Officially, Burt County sits in USDA zone 5b (USDA PHZM 2023) — but a zone is a 30-year average of winter's coldest night across an area, and it can't see any one yard. A south-facing slope, a tree line, or a low frost pocket can shift a single site by half a zone either way, which is why neighboring gardeners often quote different numbers. We read the conditions at your exact address — soil, sun, slope, and frost — and score 1,112 plants against what's actually there.
Is the soil safe to grow vegetables in Burt County?
The federal record around Burt County shows 95 documented sites — a typical footprint for a growing area, and proximity to a documented site is information, not a diagnosis of any one yard. It's worth seeing which recorded sites sit closest to where you grow, and testing the soil before new food beds near any of them.
Just moved to Burt County — what should I know before planting?
Start with three facts. Burt County sits in USDA zone 5b, which sets what survives winter; the last 28°F hard freeze typically clears around Mar 29, with about 221 frost-free days to work with (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and 95 documented sites sit on the federal record — a typical footprint for a growing area, worth a look on the contamination map before food beds. From there, matching plants to your actual soil and sun is the fun part.
Everything on this page is a Burt County average. Your yard writes its own version — we read soil, sun, drainage, and frost at your exact address. Try it for 14 days — no card required.
Will It Grow Here?
Zone fit is the first question — each answer below reads Nebraska's frost window, season length, and soil profile against the plant's real requirements.