Frost dates for Wallaceton-Lake Drummond, 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 20
typical year
Safe to plant
May 9
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 27
typical year
Growing season
190 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 23 – Apr 6 | – |
| Spinach | – | Mar 9 – 30 | Sep 1 – 15 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 23 – Apr 13 | Sep 1 – 15 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 23 – May 4 | Sep 15 – 29 |
| Onions | – | Mar 23 – Apr 6 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 30 – Apr 13 | – |
| Carrots | – | Mar 30 – Apr 20 | Aug 4 – 18 |
| Beets | – | Mar 23 – Apr 6 | Aug 18 – Sep 1 |
| Kale | Feb 9 – 23 | Mar 23 – Apr 6 | Aug 18 – Sep 1 |
| Broccoli | Feb 9 – 23 | Apr 6 – 20 | Aug 18 – Sep 1 |
| Cabbage | Jan 26 – Feb 9 | Mar 23 – Apr 6 | Aug 18 – Sep 1 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 15 – Oct 6 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 14 – 28 | May 9 – 23 | – |
| Peppers | Mar 7 – 21 | May 16 – 30 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | May 9 – 30 | – |
| Zucchini | – | May 9 – Jun 6 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | May 9 – 30 | – |
| Green beans | – | May 9 – Aug 18 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 9 – Jun 6 | – |
| Basil | Apr 4 – 18 | May 16 – 23 | – |
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 9 | April 20 | April 2 |
| Fall frost before | October 17 | October 27 | November 7 |
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 7 (April 28 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 4.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station WALLACETON-LAKE DRUMMOND, VA US (USC00448837), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 5 zip codes, all within 18 miles:
23323, 27926, 27946, 27976, 27979
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.