Frost dates for Ashland Hanover, VA
When the last spring frost and first fall frost usually come, and when to plant, from 30 years of NOAA weather records.
Last spring frost
April 10
typical year
Safe to plant
April 29
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 31
typical year
Growing season
202 days
frost-free, typical year
Frost watch this week
Tonight's and the next six nights' lows from the National Weather Service forecast for the station's location. Frost: 32°F or colder. Possible frost: 33–36°F, mostly in low spots on clear, still nights.
When to plant
Counted from this page's frost dates. Warm-season crops wait for the safe-to-plant date.
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant outside | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cool-season crops | |||
| Peas | – | Mar 13 – 27 | – |
| Spinach | – | Feb 27 – Mar 20 | Sep 5 – 19 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 13 – Apr 3 | Sep 5 – 19 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 13 – Apr 24 | Sep 19 – Oct 3 |
| Onions | – | Mar 13 – 27 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | – |
| Carrots | – | Mar 20 – Apr 10 | Aug 8 – 22 |
| Beets | – | Mar 13 – 27 | Aug 22 – Sep 5 |
| Kale | Jan 30 – Feb 13 | Mar 13 – 27 | Aug 22 – Sep 5 |
| Broccoli | Jan 30 – Feb 13 | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | Aug 22 – Sep 5 |
| Cabbage | Jan 16 – 30 | Mar 13 – 27 | Aug 22 – Sep 5 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 19 – Oct 10 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 4 – 18 | Apr 29 – May 13 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | May 6 – 20 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 29 – May 20 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 29 – May 27 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 29 – May 20 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 29 – Aug 22 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 29 – May 27 | – |
| Basil | Mar 25 – Apr 8 | May 6 – 13 | – |
Onions: from sets. Green beans: until 10 weeks before the first fall frost. Garlic: harvest next summer.
The year at a glance
Start indoors Plant outside Fall planting
The chance of frost, by date
| 1 year in 10 | Half of years | 9 years in 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring frost after | April 29 | April 10 | March 27 |
| Fall frost before | October 17 | October 31 | November 13 |
Frost here means 32°F or colder. Read across: in 1 year in 10, spring frost carries on past the first date, which is why that date is the safe-to-plant date.
Hard freeze (28°F)
A hard freeze kills most garden plants, even hardy ones. The last one in spring usually comes around March 28 (April 11 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 11.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station ASHLAND HANOVER CO MUNI AP, VA US (USW00093775), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 10 zip codes, all within 11 miles:
23060, 23069, 23116, 23173, 23226, 23227, 23228, 23229, 23230, 23294
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.