Frost dates for Warrenton, 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 9
typical year
Safe to plant
April 28
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 1
typical year
Growing season
205 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 12 – 26 | – |
| Spinach | – | Feb 26 – Mar 19 | Sep 6 – 20 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 12 – Apr 2 | Sep 6 – 20 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 12 – Apr 23 | Sep 20 – Oct 4 |
| Onions | – | Mar 12 – 26 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 19 – Apr 2 | – |
| Carrots | – | Mar 19 – Apr 9 | Aug 9 – 23 |
| Beets | – | Mar 12 – 26 | Aug 23 – Sep 6 |
| Kale | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | Mar 12 – 26 | Aug 23 – Sep 6 |
| Broccoli | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | Mar 26 – Apr 9 | Aug 23 – Sep 6 |
| Cabbage | Jan 15 – 29 | Mar 12 – 26 | Aug 23 – Sep 6 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 20 – Oct 11 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 3 – 17 | Apr 28 – May 12 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 24 – Mar 10 | May 5 – 19 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 28 – May 19 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 28 – May 26 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 28 – May 19 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 28 – Aug 23 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 28 – May 26 | – |
| Basil | Mar 24 – Apr 7 | May 5 – 12 | – |
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 28 | April 9 | March 26 |
| Fall frost before | October 18 | November 1 | November 14 |
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 29 (April 11 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 14.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 3 towns.
Warrenton, Remington, The Plains
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station WARRENTON 3 SE, VA US (USC00448888), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 13 zip codes, all within 16 miles:
20115, 20119, 20137, 20186, 20187, 20198, 22712, 22718, 22720, 22724, 22728, 22734, 22742
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.