Frost dates for Covington, 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 27
typical year
Safe to plant
May 15
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 18
typical year
Growing season
172 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 30 – Apr 13 | – |
| Spinach | – | Mar 16 – Apr 6 | Aug 23 – Sep 6 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 30 – Apr 20 | Aug 23 – Sep 6 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 30 – May 11 | Sep 6 – 20 |
| Onions | – | Mar 30 – Apr 13 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 6 – 20 | – |
| Carrots | – | Apr 6 – 27 | Jul 26 – Aug 9 |
| Beets | – | Mar 30 – Apr 13 | Aug 9 – 23 |
| Kale | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Mar 30 – Apr 13 | Aug 9 – 23 |
| Broccoli | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Apr 13 – 27 | Aug 9 – 23 |
| Cabbage | Feb 2 – 16 | Mar 30 – Apr 13 | Aug 9 – 23 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 6 – 27 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | May 15 – 29 | – |
| Peppers | Mar 13 – 27 | May 22 – Jun 5 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | May 15 – Jun 5 | – |
| Zucchini | – | May 15 – Jun 12 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | May 15 – Jun 5 | – |
| Green beans | – | May 15 – Aug 9 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 15 – Jun 12 | – |
| Basil | Apr 10 – 24 | May 22 – 29 | – |
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 | May 15 | April 27 | April 12 |
| Fall frost before | October 4 | October 18 | November 1 |
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 April 14 (May 2 in a late year), and the first one in fall around October 28.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 3 towns.
Covington, Clifton Forge, Iron Gate
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station COVINGTON FLTR PLT, VA US (USC00442044), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 5 zip codes, all within 11 miles:
24085, 24426, 24448, 24457, 24474
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.