Frost dates for Fredericksburg, 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 6
typical year
Safe to plant
April 22
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 1
typical year
Growing season
207 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 9 – 23 | – |
| Spinach | – | Feb 23 – Mar 16 | Sep 6 – 20 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 9 – 30 | Sep 6 – 20 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 9 – Apr 20 | Sep 20 – Oct 4 |
| Onions | – | Mar 9 – 23 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 16 – 30 | – |
| Carrots | – | Mar 16 – Apr 6 | Aug 9 – 23 |
| Beets | – | Mar 9 – 23 | Aug 23 – Sep 6 |
| Kale | Jan 26 – Feb 9 | Mar 9 – 23 | Aug 23 – Sep 6 |
| Broccoli | Jan 26 – Feb 9 | Mar 23 – Apr 6 | Aug 23 – Sep 6 |
| Cabbage | Jan 12 – 26 | Mar 9 – 23 | Aug 23 – Sep 6 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 20 – Oct 11 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | Apr 22 – May 6 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Apr 29 – May 13 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 22 – May 13 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 22 – May 20 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 22 – May 13 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 22 – Aug 23 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 22 – May 20 | – |
| Basil | Mar 18 – Apr 1 | Apr 29 – May 6 | – |
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 22 | April 6 | March 23 |
| Fall frost before | October 19 | November 1 | November 12 |
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 27 (April 8 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 11.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 1 town.
Fredericksburg
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station FREDERICKSBURG SEWAGE, VA US (USC00443204), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 7 zip codes, all within 15 miles:
22401, 22405, 22406, 22407, 22551, 22553, 22736
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.