Virginia vegetable planting calendar 2027: frost dates and when to plant
In Virginia, the average last spring frost is April 3 in Richmond and March 29 in Virginia Beach (NOAA 1991-2020 normals). Below are planting dates for Richmond and Virginia Beach for 27 common vegetables and herbs, worked out the way the Rowtime app does it: NOAA's average frost dates for the nearest weather station, with the planting rules of state extension guides. Dates are for the 2027 season.
Rowtime: Garden Planner works these dates out for your own ZIP code in Virginia, shows where each one comes from, and recalculates when a planting slips. Get Rowtime on the App Store.
Dates are estimates. Check your local extension office before you plant, and use your own frost records if you have them. Dates shift by a week or more within a state, so pick the city closest to your conditions.
Richmond
When to plant tomatoes in Richmond?
In Richmond, Virginia, the average last spring frost is April 3 and the average first fall frost is November 4 (NOAA 1991-2020 normals, RICHMOND INTL AP station, 10.8 km from ZIP 23219). For tomatoes, start seeds indoors March 8 to May 14 and plant out seedlings April 18 to August 6, following University of Maryland Extension (Home & Garden Information Center) and Purdue University Extension. Dates are for the 2027 season; sources last checked October 24, 2026.
Frost dates for Richmond (23219)
- Last spring frost: Apr 3 on average, Apr 18 for a 10% risk of a later frost.
- First fall frost: Nov 4 on average, Oct 23 for a 10% risk of an earlier frost.
- USDA hardiness zone 7b (PRISM 2023 listing).
| Crop | When |
|---|---|
| Beet | Sow outdoors: Mar 21 to Apr 4 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 28 to Sep 25 |
| Broccoli | Start seeds indoors: Feb 15 to Mar 24 Plant out seedlings: Mar 7 to Mar 21 Plant out seedlings for fall: Aug 28 to Sep 25 |
| Cabbage | Start seeds indoors: Feb 8 to Mar 7 Plant out seedlings: Mar 7 to Mar 21 Plant out seedlings for fall: Aug 28 to Sep 25 |
| Carrot | Sow outdoors: Mar 21 to Apr 4 |
| Cauliflower | Start seeds indoors: Feb 22 to Mar 24 Plant out seedlings: Mar 21 to Apr 4 Plant out seedlings for fall: Jul 5 to Aug 4 |
| Cucumber | Sow outdoors: May 2 to Aug 26 |
| Eggplant | Start seeds indoors: Mar 25 to Apr 23 Plant out seedlings: May 2 to Aug 6 |
| Green onion | Plant onion sets: Mar 7 to Mar 21 Plant out seedlings for fall: Aug 28 to Sep 25 |
| Kale | Sow outdoors: Mar 7 to Mar 21 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 28 to Sep 25 |
| Lettuce | Sow outdoors: Mar 21 to Apr 4 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 28 to Sep 25 |
| Melon and watermelon | Sow outdoors: May 2 to Jul 27 |
| Okra | Plant out seedlings: May 2 to Aug 31 |
| Onion | Plant onion sets: Mar 7 to Mar 21 |
| Pea | Sow outdoors: Mar 7 to Mar 21 |
| Pepper | Start seeds indoors: Mar 8 to Apr 7 Plant out seedlings: May 2 to Aug 6 |
| Potato | Plant seed potatoes: Mar 7 to Mar 21 |
| Snap bean | Sow outdoors: Apr 18 to Sep 5 |
| Spinach | Sow outdoors: Mar 7 to Mar 21 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 28 to Sep 25 |
| Summer squash | Sow outdoors: May 2 to Sep 5 |
| Sweet corn | Sow outdoors: Apr 18 to Aug 6 |
| Sweet potato | Sprout slips indoors: Apr 8 to May 7 Plant out slips: May 2 to Jun 27 |
| Tomato | Start seeds indoors: Mar 8 to May 14 Plant out seedlings: Apr 18 to Aug 6 |
| Winter squash and pumpkin | Sow outdoors: May 2 to Jul 27 |
| Basil | Plant outdoors: May 7 to Aug 6 |
| Cilantro | Sow outdoors: Feb 7 to Apr 6 Sow outdoors for fall: Sep 12 to Sep 26 |
| Dill | Sow outdoors: Mar 22 to Apr 6 Sow outdoors for fall: Jul 28 to Sep 11 |
| Parsley | Sow outdoors: Mar 25 to Apr 23 Plant outdoors for fall: Jul 28 to Sep 26 |
Virginia Beach
When to plant tomatoes in Virginia Beach?
In Virginia Beach, Virginia, the average last spring frost is March 29 and the average first fall frost is November 12 (NOAA 1991-2020 normals, OCEANA NAS station, 6.7 km from ZIP 23451). For tomatoes, start seeds indoors March 3 to May 9 and plant out seedlings April 11 to August 14, following University of Maryland Extension (Home & Garden Information Center) and Purdue University Extension. Dates are for the 2027 season; sources last checked October 24, 2026.
Frost dates for Virginia Beach (23451)
- Last spring frost: Mar 29 on average, Apr 11 for a 10% risk of a later frost.
- First fall frost: Nov 12 on average, Nov 1 for a 10% risk of an earlier frost.
- USDA hardiness zone 8b (PRISM 2023 listing).
| Crop | When |
|---|---|
| Beet | Sow outdoors: Mar 14 to Mar 28 Sow outdoors for fall: Sep 6 to Oct 4 |
| Broccoli | Start seeds indoors: Feb 10 to Mar 19 Plant out seedlings: Feb 28 to Mar 14 Plant out seedlings for fall: Sep 6 to Oct 4 |
| Cabbage | Start seeds indoors: Feb 3 to Mar 2 Plant out seedlings: Feb 28 to Mar 14 Plant out seedlings for fall: Sep 6 to Oct 4 |
| Carrot | Sow outdoors: Mar 14 to Mar 28 |
| Cauliflower | Start seeds indoors: Feb 17 to Mar 19 Plant out seedlings: Mar 14 to Mar 28 Plant out seedlings for fall: Jul 13 to Aug 12 |
| Cucumber | Sow outdoors: Apr 25 to Sep 3 |
| Eggplant | Start seeds indoors: Mar 20 to Apr 18 Plant out seedlings: Apr 25 to Aug 14 |
| Green onion | Plant onion sets: Feb 28 to Mar 14 Plant out seedlings for fall: Sep 6 to Oct 4 |
| Kale | Sow outdoors: Feb 28 to Mar 14 Sow outdoors for fall: Sep 6 to Oct 4 |
| Lettuce | Sow outdoors: Mar 14 to Mar 28 Sow outdoors for fall: Sep 6 to Oct 4 |
| Melon and watermelon | Sow outdoors: Apr 25 to Aug 4 |
| Okra | Plant out seedlings: Apr 25 to Sep 8 |
| Onion | Plant onion sets: Feb 28 to Mar 14 |
| Pea | Sow outdoors: Feb 28 to Mar 14 |
| Pepper | Start seeds indoors: Mar 3 to Apr 2 Plant out seedlings: Apr 25 to Aug 14 |
| Potato | Plant seed potatoes: Feb 28 to Mar 14 |
| Snap bean | Sow outdoors: Apr 11 to Sep 13 |
| Spinach | Sow outdoors: Feb 28 to Mar 14 Sow outdoors for fall: Sep 6 to Oct 4 |
| Summer squash | Sow outdoors: Apr 25 to Sep 13 |
| Sweet corn | Sow outdoors: Apr 11 to Aug 14 |
| Sweet potato | Sprout slips indoors: Apr 3 to May 2 Plant out slips: Apr 25 to Jul 5 |
| Tomato | Start seeds indoors: Mar 3 to May 9 Plant out seedlings: Apr 11 to Aug 14 |
| Winter squash and pumpkin | Sow outdoors: Apr 25 to Aug 4 |
| Basil | Plant outdoors: May 2 to Aug 1 |
| Cilantro | Sow outdoors: Feb 2 to Apr 1 Sow outdoors for fall: Sep 20 to Oct 4 |
| Dill | Sow outdoors: Mar 17 to Apr 1 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 5 to Sep 19 |
| Parsley | Sow outdoors: Mar 20 to Apr 18 Plant outdoors for fall: Aug 5 to Oct 4 |
Sources
Planting rules, in the order Rowtime tries them here:
- Purdue University Extension, Indiana Vegetable Planting Calendar (HO-186-W). Checked October 20, 2026.
- University of Maryland Extension (Home & Garden Information Center), Vegetable Planting Calendar for Central Maryland. Checked October 24, 2026.
- NC State Extension, Central North Carolina Planting Calendar for Annual Vegetables, Fruits, and Herbs (AG-756-01). Checked October 21, 2026.
Frost dates, locations and zones:
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 annual/seasonal (freeze probabilities).
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2025 Gazetteer Files: ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.
- PRISM Group, Oregon State University / USDA ARS, 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP code listings. PRISM Group, Oregon State University, https://prism.oregonstate.edu, accessed 20 Oct 2026.
How the dates are worked out: a guide's rule such as "two weeks after the last frost" is applied to the station's NOAA date. Purdue's dates are 10% dates, so they are counted from the station's 10% date. When a guide gives no last date, the window closes early enough for the crop's longest days to harvest before the first fall frost. When a guide gives no first date for a fall planting, no fall window is shown. "Season too short" means the guide's window would close before it opens at this station's frost dates.
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