Charleston, West Virginia: planting zone & frost dates
Charleston is in USDA plant hardiness zone 7a, where the average coldest winter night reaches 0 to 5°F (-17.8 to -15.0°C). The typical last spring frost is around Apr 23 and the first fall frost around Oct 21.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | May 5 | Oct 13 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 23 | Oct 21 |
| Median (50%) | Apr 16 | Oct 26 |
How to read this: after the spring "10% risk" date, a 32°F frost happens in only about 1 year in 10. In fall, the "10% risk" date is the early end — a frost before it happens about 1 year in 10.
Frost data comes from NOAA station CHARLESTON YEAGER AP, WV (USW00013866), 3.1 mi (5.0 km) from the city center and 312 ft higher than the city center (+95 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 30 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Charleston
All 9 ZIP codes covering Charleston are in zone 7a.
Vegetable planting calendar for Charleston
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 23, first frost Oct 21). Shift a week later in cold spots or low-lying ground.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant out | Direct sow | Fall crop sow/plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | Apr 30 – May 14 | — | — |
| Pepper | Feb 12 – Feb 26 | May 7 – May 21 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Mar 12 – Mar 26 | Apr 9 – Apr 30 | Mar 26 – May 7 | Aug 12 – Sep 9 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 30 – Jun 4 | Jul 29 – Aug 12 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 30 – May 28 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 26 – Apr 2 | Apr 30 – May 14 | Apr 30 – May 21 | Jul 29 – Aug 12 |
| Cucumber | Mar 26 – Apr 2 | May 7 – May 14 | Apr 30 – May 21 | Jul 29 – Aug 12 |
| Carrot | — | — | Apr 2 – May 7 | Jul 29 – Aug 12 |
| Onion | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | Mar 26 – Apr 9 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 26 – Apr 16 | — | — |
| Basil | Mar 12 – Mar 26 | May 7 – May 21 | May 7 – May 28 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Mar 12 – Apr 9 | Aug 26 – Sep 23 |
| Kale | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | Mar 26 – Apr 16 | Mar 26 – Apr 16 | Aug 12 – Sep 9 |
| Broccoli | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | Apr 9 – Apr 30 | — | Jul 29 – Aug 12 |
| Peas | — | — | Mar 12 – Apr 2 | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Eggplant | Feb 12 – Feb 26 | May 7 – May 21 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | Mar 26 – Apr 9 | — | Jul 29 – Aug 12 |
| Radish | — | — | Mar 19 – May 7 | Sep 9 – Oct 7 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 26 – Apr 16 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Apr 2 – May 14 | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
Nearby cities in West Virginia
- Huntington — zone 7a, last frost Apr 19, first frost Oct 24
More: all West Virginia cities · other zone 7a cities: Louisville, KY, Wichita, KS, Cleveland, OH, Lexington, KY, St. Louis, MO, Boise, ID, Amarillo, TX, Providence, RI
Charleston gardening questions
When is the last frost in Charleston, WV?
Plan around Apr 23. At NOAA's Charleston Yeager Airport, WV station, 3.1 mi from the city center, there is a 30% chance of a 32°F frost after that date. Half of springs have their last frost by Apr 16, and after May 5 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Apr 1. The 90% and 10% dates are 34 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Charleston, WV?
Start seeds indoors Feb 26 – Mar 12 and set transplants outside Apr 30 – May 14, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 181 days between the 30% frost dates, enough for most varieties including 80–85-day slicers. More: tomato planting dates by zone.
How long is the growing season in Charleston?
About 192 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 168 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 211 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 13 and a 30% chance by Oct 21.
When should I plant a fall garden in Charleston?
Count back from the first fall frost (Oct 21): transplant broccoli Jul 29 – Aug 12; sow kale Aug 12 – Sep 9; sow lettuce Aug 12 – Sep 9; sow radishes Sep 9 – Oct 7. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Nov 5. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Charleston's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Charleston was zone 6b on the 2012 map and is zone 7a on the 2023 map — half a zone warmer, like about 56% of U.S. ZIP codes. The shift comes from a newer 1991–2020 averaging period plus more weather stations and better mapping; it does not mean last frost comes earlier. Why the 2023 map is warmer.
How does Charleston compare with Huntington, WV?
Both are in zone 7a. The typical last spring frost in Charleston (Apr 23) comes about 4 days later than in Huntington, WV (Apr 19), 44 miles away, and the first fall frost is Oct 21 versus Oct 24. The two cities use different NOAA stations.