Chesapeake, Virginia: planting zone & frost dates
Chesapeake is in USDA plant hardiness zone 8a, where the average coldest winter night reaches 10 to 15°F (-12.2 to -9.4°C). The typical last spring frost is around Mar 29 and the first fall frost around Nov 12.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Apr 7 | Nov 4 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Mar 29 | Nov 12 |
| Median (50%) | Mar 23 | Nov 18 |
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 FENTRESS NAAS, VA (USW00013762), 9.3 mi (14.9 km) from the city center and 3 ft higher than the city center (+1 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 11 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Chesapeake
All 6 ZIP codes covering Chesapeake are in zone 8a.
Vegetable planting calendar for Chesapeake
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Mar 29, first frost Nov 12). 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 1 – Feb 15 | Apr 5 – Apr 19 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 18 – Feb 1 | Apr 12 – Apr 26 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Feb 15 – Mar 1 | Mar 15 – Apr 5 | Mar 1 – Apr 12 | Sep 3 – Oct 1 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 5 – May 10 | Aug 20 – Sep 3 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 5 – May 3 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 1 – Mar 8 | Apr 5 – Apr 19 | Apr 5 – Apr 26 | Aug 20 – Sep 3 |
| Cucumber | Mar 1 – Mar 8 | Apr 12 – Apr 19 | Apr 5 – Apr 26 | Aug 20 – Sep 3 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 8 – Apr 12 | Aug 20 – Sep 3 |
| Onion | Jan 4 – Jan 18 | Mar 1 – Mar 15 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 1 – Mar 22 | — | — |
| Basil | Feb 15 – Mar 1 | Apr 12 – Apr 26 | Apr 12 – May 3 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Sep 17 – Oct 15 |
| Kale | Feb 1 – Feb 15 | Mar 1 – Mar 22 | Mar 1 – Mar 22 | Sep 3 – Oct 1 |
| Broccoli | Feb 1 – Feb 15 | Mar 15 – Apr 5 | — | Aug 20 – Sep 3 |
| Peas | — | — | Feb 15 – Mar 8 | Sep 3 – Sep 17 |
| Eggplant | Jan 18 – Feb 1 | Apr 12 – Apr 26 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 1 – Feb 15 | Mar 1 – Mar 15 | — | Aug 20 – Sep 3 |
| Radish | — | — | Feb 22 – Apr 12 | Oct 1 – Oct 29 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 1 – Mar 22 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 8 – Apr 19 | Sep 3 – Sep 17 |
Nearby cities in Virginia
- Portsmouth — zone 8b, last frost Mar 30, first frost Nov 11
- Norfolk — zone 8b, last frost Mar 23, first frost Nov 18
- Virginia Beach — zone 8b, last frost Apr 3, first frost Nov 7
- Suffolk — zone 8a, last frost Apr 1, first frost Nov 9
- Hampton — zone 8b, last frost Mar 30, first frost Nov 10
- Newport News — zone 8a, last frost Apr 7, first frost Nov 4
More: all Virginia cities · other zone 8a cities: Charlotte, NC, Memphis, TN, Atlanta, GA, Raleigh, NC, Greensboro, NC, Durham, NC, Winston-Salem, NC, Huntsville, AL
Chesapeake gardening questions
When is the last frost in Chesapeake, VA?
Plan around Mar 29. At NOAA's Fentress Naas, VA station, 9.3 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 Mar 23, and after Apr 7 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 10. The 90% and 10% dates are 33 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Chesapeake, VA?
Start seeds indoors Feb 1 – Feb 15 and set transplants outside Apr 5 – Apr 19, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 228 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 Chesapeake?
About 240 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 219 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 268 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Nov 4 and a 30% chance by Nov 12. That ranks 3rd longest of 11 Virginia cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Chesapeake?
Count back from the first fall frost (Nov 12): transplant broccoli Aug 20 – Sep 3; sow kale Sep 3 – Oct 1; sow lettuce Sep 3 – Oct 1; sow radishes Oct 1 – Oct 29. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Dec 2. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Chesapeake's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
No. Going by the zone that covers most of the city's land, Chesapeake is zone 8a on both the 2012 and the 2023 USDA maps (PRISM/OSU ZIP listings). About 42% of U.S. ZIP codes kept their half-zone in 2023. Why the 2023 map is warmer.
How does Chesapeake compare with Portsmouth, VA?
Chesapeake is zone 8a and Portsmouth is zone 8b. The typical last spring frost in Chesapeake (Mar 29) comes about the same time as in Portsmouth, VA (Mar 30), 13 miles away, and the first fall frost is Nov 12 versus Nov 11. The two cities use different NOAA stations.