What to plant this week in Lincoln, NE
With Lincoln's average last frost finally passing on April 21, your soil is ready for direct sowing of cool-season favorites and early warm-weather crops like French marigolds and bush beans. This week marks the transition from late spring cleanup to active planting as temperatures stabilize above freezing but remain mild enough to avoid shock for young seedlings.
The next 7 days
Lincoln, NEGrowing in Lincoln right now
- Lincoln's sandy-loam soils drain quickly after our typical April showers, so apply a light layer of compost or mulch around transplants to retain moisture and prevent root drying.
- Because frost dates here are unpredictable until mid-May, stagger sowings of squash and zucchini by two weeks to ensure at least half the crop survives any unexpected late chill.
- The city's exposed south-facing slopes warm up faster than valley bottoms, making them ideal for starting your okra and eggplant earlier this week while north gardens remain cooler.
Sow this week
7 crops- Bush Bean
- Cucumber
- French Marigold
- Nasturtium
- Okra
- Yellow Summer Squash
- Zucchini
Transplant this week
Nothing is due to go out this week.
Harvest soon
58 crops- Anaheim (New Mexico) Pepper
- Banana Pepper
- Basil
- Beefsteak Tomato
- Beet
- Bell Pepper
- Borage
- Brussels Sprouts
- Bush Bean
- Cantaloupe
- Carrot
- Cayenne Pepper
- Cleome (Spider Flower)
- Cosmos
- Cowpea (Black-Eyed Pea)
- Cucumber
- Dahlia
- Edamame
- Eggplant
- Fennel
- Flour Corn
- French Marigold
- Garden Geranium (Zonal)
- Garden Verbena
- Garlic
- Honeydew Melon
- Jalapeño
- Lantana
- Lima Bean
- Malabar Spinach
- Marconi Pepper
- Nasturtium
- Okra
- Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine
- Parsley
- Parsnip
- Petunia
- Poblano Pepper
- Pole Bean
- Potato
- Roma Tomato
- Rutabaga
- Scallion (Bunching Onion)
- Scarlet Runner Bean
- Serrano Pepper
- Shiso (Japanese Basil)
- Snapdragon
- Summer Savory
- Sunflower
- Sweet Corn
- Thai Basil
- Tomatillo
- Tomato
- Vinca (Madagascar Periwinkle)
- Watermelon
- Yellow Summer Squash
- Zinnia
- Zucchini
Seasonal tips
- Succession sow bush beans every two weeks for a continuous harvest throughout summer.
- Mulch around established tomato and pepper plants to retain moisture as soil temperatures rise.
- Prune dead or diseased foliage from Brassicas like Brussels Sprouts and Kale to improve air circulation.
Pest & disease watch
- Watch for early-season aphid colonies on the new growth of French marigolds and nasturtiums as they emerge from cool soil.
- Monitor cucumber and squash plants for squash vine borer activity, especially if you notice sudden wilting in the afternoon heat.
- Check tomato and pepper seedlings for flea beetle damage, which can be severe on young leaves before natural predators arrive.
Watering this week
Water deeply in the morning to encourage strong root growth while minimizing fungal disease risk.
Pinch back the tips of young Bush Bean plants if they are leggy to encourage bushier, more productive growth.
Lincoln gardening questions
3Can I plant my okra and yellow summer squash now that the frost date has passed?
Yes, these warm-weather crops thrive in Lincoln's current temperatures and will set fruit faster if started directly in the ground this week. However, keep a close eye on night temps for any unexpected late frosts before mid-May.
My carrots are listed as both sowable and harvest soon; what does that mean for my garden?
It means you can still sow new carrot seeds for a fall crop, but your existing transplants may be ready to pull if they have formed mature roots by now. Check the root diameter regularly since Lincoln's sandy soil allows carrots to mature relatively quickly.
Are there specific peppers I should harvest immediately versus leaving on the vine?
Harvest any Anaheim, Jalapeño, or Poblano peppers that have reached full color and size for immediate use, but leave immature green fruits if frost-free weather continues. Leaving them on the plant can also lead to ripening into sweeter red varieties in Lincoln's summer heat.
Other cities in zone 6a
12See the full zone 6a guide → · Plan your Lincoln garden in SproutGuide →