GreenlyFrost dates and when to plant in Virginia
United States
In Virginia the last spring frost comes between 8 March (Virginia Beach) and 3 April (Roanoke) — the median of 2016–2025 in 3 cities. The first autumn frost comes between 11 November (Roanoke) and 1 December (Virginia Beach). The frost-free season lasts 222–268 days. Tomato: plant out into open ground 30 March – 11 August, earliest in Virginia Beach, latest in Virginia Beach.
Frost dates by city in Virginia
| City | Last spring frost | First autumn frost | Frost-free days | Climate zone | Tomato: window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach | 8 March | 1 December | 268 | 210–269 frost-free days | 30 March – 11 August |
| Richmond | 26 March | 16 November | 235 | 210–269 frost-free days | 7 April – 27 July |
| Roanoke | 3 April | 11 November | 222 | 210–269 frost-free days | 17 April – 22 July |
Median of 2016–2025 for the 25 km grid cell of the city: the last day at or below 0 °C in spring and the first in autumn (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo). In a cold year a frost can come a week or two later — Greenly warns 48 hours ahead.
When to plant in Virginia: windows by crop
The earliest start and the latest end among the cities here, each with its city; every city’s own window is on its page. Each window starts on the Greenly calendar date and ends on the last day that still leaves the crop’s days to harvest (from its card) before the average first autumn frost, plus six weeks of picking for crops harvested over weeks (tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, cucumbers, courgettes, pumpkins, watermelons, beans) — our rule; earlier in the window is safer.
| Crop | Planting out or sowing |
|---|---|
| Tomato | 30 March (Virginia Beach) – 11 August (Virginia Beach) |
| Cucumber | 23 April (Virginia Beach) – 16 September (Virginia Beach) |
| Bell Pepper, Eggplant | 23 April (Virginia Beach) – 11 August (Virginia Beach) |
| Zucchini | 23 April (Virginia Beach) – 14 September (Virginia Beach) |
| Pumpkin | 23 April (Virginia Beach) – 6 August (Virginia Beach) |
| Watermelon | 23 April (Virginia Beach) – 22 August (Virginia Beach) |
| Peas | 15 February (Virginia Beach) – 18 September (Virginia Beach) |
| Garlic | Autumn planting: 12 October (Roanoke) – end of December (Richmond) |
| Tulip, Daffodil, Crocus, Hyacinth | Autumn planting: by 17 October (Richmond) |
Weather by month in Virginia
Across the 3 cities the warmest month is July (average days 30.6 … 32.6 °C) and the coldest January (average nights -1.5 … 2.1 °C). 2 of the 3 cities have months with nights below 0 °C on average; the longest such winter is in Richmond (January).
| Month | Day, °C | Night, °C | Rain, mm |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7.6 … 10.2 °C | -1.5 … 2.1 °C | 93 |
| February | 11.9 … 13.3 °C | 1.1 … 4.3 °C | 98 |
| March | 15.7 … 16.1 °C | 3.8 … 6.7 °C | 88 |
| April | 20.4 … 21.5 °C | 8.1 … 11.1 °C | 90 |
| May | 23.8 … 25.1 °C | 13.3 … 15.8 °C | 117 |
| June | 28.1 … 29.9 °C | 17.3 … 20.2 °C | 98 |
| July | 30.6 … 32.6 °C | 20.2 … 23.2 °C | 108 |
| August | 29.1 … 30.5 °C | 19.1 … 22.4 °C | 105 |
| September | 26.4 … 27.5 °C | 16.3 … 20.3 °C | 120 |
| October | 21.2 … 21.9 °C | 10.4 … 14.7 °C | 87 |
| November | 14.7 … 16.4 °C | 4 … 8.6 °C | 68 |
| December | 10 … 12.3 °C | 0.5 … 4.3 °C | 90 |
Day and night: the lowest … highest monthly average among the cities; rain: the middle city (ERA5 via Open-Meteo).
What to plant month by month: the South
Other regions: United States
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More about the United States
- Gardening in the United States: climate zones and crops by region
- United States: frost dates by city
- When to plant tomatoes in the United States
- When to plant cucumbers in the United States
- When to plant bell peppers in the United States
- When to plant peas in the United States
- When to plant garlic in the United States
- Gardening by country
