Frost dates for Norfolk S, 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 23
typical year
Safe to plant
April 6
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 16
typical year
Growing season
239 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 23 – Mar 9 | – |
| Spinach | – | Feb 9 – Mar 2 | Sep 21 – Oct 5 |
| Lettuce | – | Feb 23 – Mar 16 | Sep 21 – Oct 5 |
| Radishes | – | Feb 23 – Apr 6 | Oct 5 – 19 |
| Onions | – | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 2 – 16 | – |
| Carrots | – | Mar 2 – 23 | Aug 24 – Sep 7 |
| Beets | – | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | Sep 7 – 21 |
| Kale | Jan 12 – 26 | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | Sep 7 – 21 |
| Broccoli | Jan 12 – 26 | Mar 9 – 23 | Sep 7 – 21 |
| Cabbage | Dec 29 – Jan 12 | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | Sep 7 – 21 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 5 – 26 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 9 – 23 | Apr 6 – 20 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 2 – 16 | Apr 13 – 27 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 6 – 27 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 6 – May 4 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 6 – 27 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 6 – Sep 7 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 6 – May 4 | – |
| Basil | Mar 2 – 16 | Apr 13 – 20 | – |
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 6 | March 23 | March 7 |
| Fall frost before | November 4 | November 16 | December 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 March 10 (March 26 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 1.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station NORFOLK S, VA US (USC00446147), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 19 zip codes, all within 9 miles:
23324, 23325, 23462, 23464, 23502, 23504, 23507, 23508, 23509, 23510, 23513, 23517, 23523, 23701, 23702, 23704, 23707, 23708, 23709
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.