Franklin County, in Nebraska, sits in USDA hardiness zone 6a — enough range to grow cool-season vegetables, hardy fruit, and warm-season crops that mature before the first hard frost.
These conditions suit sweet corn, tomato, cottonwood, and grape — a starting list any specific site will trim or extend with its own soil, sun, and drainage.
Grounded in USDA PHZM 2023 · Growable Ground suitability scoring · NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals
Franklin County holds more than one microclimate.
Soils and elevations shift across Franklin 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 28
County normal — light frosts run a few weeks later
First Hard Freeze (28°F)
Nov 3
County normal — light frosts arrive a few weeks earlier
County Area
369K acres
Hardiness Zone Range
Zone maps are averages across Franklin County. Your yard's slope, trees, and frost pockets shift what actually grows — see your land's exact reading.
Soil in Franklin County
Across Franklin County, the ground is predominantly Mollisols, where Holdrege, Nuckolls, and Uly are the most extensive named soil series. The soil is generally well drained with a silt loam surface. Topsoil pH runs about 6.2–6.9, slightly acidic. Rainfall drains through hydrologic group B soils.
Soil order
Mollisols
Drainage
Well drained
Prime farmland
41%
Hydric soils
3%
Soil still varies lot by lot — soil types explained.
What Grows in Franklin County
Plants matched to Franklin County's USDA zones 6a — each links to its full growing profile.
Is it too late to plant in Franklin County?
Too late for some crops, right on time for others — a growing season is a sequence, not a deadline. Cool-season crops can go in from around Feb 28; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Mar 28 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Nov 3 — 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 Franklin County — and how to grow with it.
We checked the federal record across Franklin County — 19 documented sites across 4 of the 9 source types we track.
The most significant on record: 1 concentrated animal feeding operation. Large-scale animal operations that can contaminate soil and groundwater with nitrates and pathogens.
The federal record across Franklin County is light. Growing food here starts from a strong position — a quick pass over the map tells you whether any recorded site sits near your land, and if one does, that's information to plant with, not a reason to stop.
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
19
across Franklin County
Risk Level
Low
Highest-severity
1 concentrated animal feeding operation
Sources Checked
across Franklin County
Severity Distribution
across Franklin County
Highest-Severity Sites
Know Before You Grow
- •Test well water for nitrates if you rely on a private well. Levels above 10 mg/L require treatment.
- •Underground tanks can leak petroleum products. Soil testing near former gas stations is recommended.
- •Raised beds with imported soil can reduce exposure risk near brownfield sites.
Check your specific parcel in Franklin 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
Franklin 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 Franklin County
Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Franklin 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 Franklin County, Nebraska
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 6a (USDA PHZM 2023)
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Mar 28 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can follow for a few weeks)
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Nov 3 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can arrive a few weeks earlier)
- Days Between Hard Freezes: ~220 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals)
- County Land Area: 369K 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 Franklin 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 Franklin County, Nebraska?
Franklin 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 Franklin County?
Too late for some crops, right on time for others — a growing season is a sequence, not a deadline. Cool-season crops can go in from around Feb 28; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Mar 28 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Nov 3 — 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 Franklin County?
The last hard freeze (28°F) in Franklin County typically lands around Mar 28, 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 Franklin County?
Measured between 28°F hard freezes, Franklin County sees about 220 frost-free days — roughly Mar 28 through Nov 3, 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 Franklin County?
Franklin 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 Franklin County, really?
Officially, Franklin 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 Franklin County?
The federal record around Franklin County is light — 19 documented sites across the 9 federal source types we checked — and proximity to a documented site is information, not a diagnosis of any one yard. Growing food here starts from a strong position; a soil test before new food beds settles any site-specific question.
Just moved to Franklin County — what should I know before planting?
Start with three facts. Franklin County sits in USDA zone 6a, which sets what survives winter; the last 28°F hard freeze typically clears around Mar 28, with about 220 frost-free days to work with (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and the local federal record is light — 19 documented sites across the area we checked. From there, matching plants to your actual soil and sun is the fun part.
Everything on this page is a Franklin 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.