Frost dates for Norfolk, 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
March 16
typical year
Safe to plant
April 1
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 26
typical year
Growing season
255 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 | – | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | – |
| Spinach | – | Feb 2 – 23 | Oct 1 – 15 |
| Lettuce | – | Feb 16 – Mar 9 | Oct 1 – 15 |
| Radishes | – | Feb 16 – Mar 30 | Oct 15 – 29 |
| Onions | – | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | – |
| Carrots | – | Feb 23 – Mar 16 | Sep 3 – 17 |
| Beets | – | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Sep 17 – Oct 1 |
| Kale | Jan 5 – 19 | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Sep 17 – Oct 1 |
| Broccoli | Jan 5 – 19 | Mar 2 – 16 | Sep 17 – Oct 1 |
| Cabbage | Dec 22 – Jan 5 | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Sep 17 – Oct 1 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 15 – Nov 5 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 4 – 18 | Apr 1 – 15 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 28 – Feb 11 | Apr 8 – 22 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 1 – 22 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 1 – 29 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 1 – 22 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 1 – Sep 17 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 1 – 29 | – |
| Basil | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | Apr 8 – 15 | – |
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 1 | March 16 | February 26 |
| Fall frost before | November 8 | November 26 | December 17 |
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 2 (March 19 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 12.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 2 towns.
Norfolk, Portsmouth
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station NORFOLK NAS, VA US (USW00013750), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 8 zip codes, all within 11 miles:
23433, 23503, 23505, 23511, 23551, 23607, 23651, 23703
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.