Douglas County, in Nebraska, sits in USDA hardiness zone 6a — a zone band wide enough that plant choice, not possibility, is the interesting question.
The conditions favor sweet corn, tomato, cottonwood, and grape, 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
Douglas County holds more than one microclimate.
Soils and elevations shift across Douglas 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
6a
Last Hard Freeze (28°F)
Mar 24
County normal — light frosts run a few weeks later
First Hard Freeze (28°F)
Nov 9
County normal — light frosts arrive a few weeks earlier
County Area
209K acres
Hardiness Zone Range
Zone maps are averages across Douglas County. Your yard's slope, trees, and frost pockets shift what actually grows — see your land's exact reading.
Soil in Douglas County
Across Douglas County, the ground is predominantly Mollisols, where Contrary, Marshall, and Gibbon are the most extensive named soil series. The soil is generally well drained with a silty clay loam surface. Topsoil pH runs about 5.8–7.2, slightly acidic. Rainfall drains through hydrologic group C soils.
Soil order
Mollisols
Drainage
Well drained
Prime farmland
18%
Hydric soils
4%
Soil still varies lot by lot — soil types explained.
What Grows in Douglas County
Plants matched to Douglas County's USDA zones 6a — each links to its full growing profile.
Is it too late to plant in Douglas County?
For most of the year, no — what changes is which crops still fit the days remaining. Cool-season crops can go in from around Feb 24; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Mar 24 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Nov 9 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. There is slack in a calendar like this — late plantings, second rounds of favorites, and a fall bench that keeps beds working.
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 Douglas County — and how to grow with it.
We checked the federal record across Douglas County — 1,320 documented sites across 7 of the 9 source types we track.
The most significant on record: 19 Superfund sites. Sites tracked in EPA's Superfund program — from assessment-stage CERCLIS entries to confirmed National Priorities List cleanup sites.
Douglas County carries one of the heavier federal records we track — and that's not a verdict on your yard. Proximity to a documented site is information, not a diagnosis: nothing here says any particular parcel is affected. It does earn one concrete step — before food beds go in the ground, a professional soil test tells you exactly what you're working with, and raised beds with clean imported soil grow well almost anywhere in the meantime.
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.
Sources Checked
across Douglas County
Severity Distribution
across Douglas County
Highest-Severity Sites
A note from Gnorman
What an experienced grower watches for around here
In and around Douglas County, two things run higher than the national average — Toxic Release Inventory (111 sites) and Superfund (19 sites). It's not cause for alarm — it's worth knowing, and there's a sensible way to grow around it.
Toxic Release Inventory: TRI facilities report annual chemical releases to air, water, and land.
Superfund: Superfund sites represent the most severe contamination in the federal system.
Check prevailing wind direction — downwind parcels face higher exposure than upwind or crosswind locations.
Commission professional soil testing before any food production (test for heavy metals, VOCs, and SVOCs).
Check your specific parcel in Douglas 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
Douglas County Average
- ●USDA Zones 6a
- ●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 Douglas County
Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Douglas 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 Douglas County, Nebraska
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 6a (USDA PHZM 2023)
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Mar 24 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can follow for a few weeks)
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Nov 9 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can arrive a few weeks earlier)
- Days Between Hard Freezes: ~230 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals)
- County Land Area: 209K 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 Douglas 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 Douglas County, Nebraska?
Douglas County sits in USDA hardiness zone 6a, 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 Douglas County?
For most of the year, no — what changes is which crops still fit the days remaining. Cool-season crops can go in from around Feb 24; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Mar 24 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Nov 9 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. There is slack in a calendar like this — late plantings, second rounds of favorites, and a fall bench that keeps beds working.
When does frost risk typically end in Douglas County?
The last hard freeze (28°F) in Douglas County typically lands around Mar 24, 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 Douglas County?
Measured between 28°F hard freezes, Douglas County sees about 230 frost-free days — roughly Mar 24 through Nov 9, 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 Douglas County?
Douglas County's zone 6a supports a wide range — strong performers include Sweet Corn, Tomato, Cottonwood, Grape, 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 Douglas County, really?
Officially, Douglas County sits in USDA zone 6a (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 Douglas County?
The federal record around Douglas County runs heavier than most — 1,320 documented sites — so test the soil before planting food in the ground, and raised beds with clean imported soil grow well in the meantime. Even here, proximity to a documented site is information, not a diagnosis of any one yard; the contamination map shows exactly what's recorded and where.
Just moved to Douglas County — what should I know before planting?
Start with three facts. Douglas County sits in USDA zone 6a, which sets what survives winter; the last 28°F hard freeze typically clears around Mar 24, with about 230 frost-free days to work with (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and 1,320 documented sites sit on the federal record here, so a soil test before food beds is the smart first step. From there, matching plants to your actual soil and sun is the fun part.
Everything on this page is a Douglas 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.