Frost dates for Charlottesville, 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 2
typical year
Safe to plant
April 16
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 8
typical year
Growing season
221 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 5 – 19 | – |
| Spinach | – | Feb 19 – Mar 12 | Sep 13 – 27 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 5 – 26 | Sep 13 – 27 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 5 – Apr 16 | Sep 27 – Oct 11 |
| Onions | – | Mar 5 – 19 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 12 – 26 | – |
| Carrots | – | Mar 12 – Apr 2 | Aug 16 – 30 |
| Beets | – | Mar 5 – 19 | Aug 30 – Sep 13 |
| Kale | Jan 22 – Feb 5 | Mar 5 – 19 | Aug 30 – Sep 13 |
| Broccoli | Jan 22 – Feb 5 | Mar 19 – Apr 2 | Aug 30 – Sep 13 |
| Cabbage | Jan 8 – 22 | Mar 5 – 19 | Aug 30 – Sep 13 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 27 – Oct 18 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | Apr 16 – 30 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 12 – 26 | Apr 23 – May 7 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 16 – May 7 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 16 – May 14 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 16 – May 7 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 16 – Aug 30 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 16 – May 14 | – |
| Basil | Mar 12 – 26 | Apr 23 – 30 | – |
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 16 | April 2 | March 19 |
| Fall frost before | October 28 | November 8 | November 25 |
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 24 (April 6 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 20.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station CHARLOTTESVILLE 2 SSE, VA US (USW00003759), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 3 zip codes, all within 15 miles:
22902, 22937, 22946
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.