Hampton, Virginia: planting zone & frost dates
Hampton is in USDA plant hardiness zone 8b, where the average coldest winter night reaches 15 to 20°F (-9.4 to -6.7°C). The typical last spring frost is around Mar 30 and the first fall frost around Nov 10.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Apr 6 | Nov 3 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Mar 30 | Nov 10 |
| Median (50%) | Mar 24 | Nov 15 |
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 LANGLEY AFB, VA (USW00013702), 3.8 mi (6.1 km) from the city center and 7 ft higher than the city center (+2 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 13 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Hampton
All 10 ZIP codes covering Hampton are in zone 8b.
Vegetable planting calendar for Hampton
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Mar 30, first frost Nov 10). 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 2 – Feb 16 | Apr 6 – Apr 20 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 19 – Feb 2 | Apr 13 – Apr 27 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Mar 16 – Apr 6 | Mar 2 – Apr 13 | Sep 1 – Sep 29 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 6 – May 11 | Aug 18 – Sep 1 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 6 – May 4 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 2 – Mar 9 | Apr 6 – Apr 20 | Apr 6 – Apr 27 | Aug 18 – Sep 1 |
| Cucumber | Mar 2 – Mar 9 | Apr 13 – Apr 20 | Apr 6 – Apr 27 | Aug 18 – Sep 1 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 9 – Apr 13 | Aug 18 – Sep 1 |
| Onion | Jan 5 – Jan 19 | Mar 2 – Mar 16 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 2 – Mar 23 | — | — |
| Basil | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Apr 13 – Apr 27 | Apr 13 – May 4 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Feb 16 – Mar 16 | Sep 15 – Oct 13 |
| Kale | Feb 2 – Feb 16 | Mar 2 – Mar 23 | Mar 2 – Mar 23 | Sep 1 – Sep 29 |
| Broccoli | Feb 2 – Feb 16 | Mar 16 – Apr 6 | — | Aug 18 – Sep 1 |
| Peas | — | — | Feb 16 – Mar 9 | Sep 1 – Sep 15 |
| Eggplant | Jan 19 – Feb 2 | Apr 13 – Apr 27 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 2 – Feb 16 | Mar 2 – Mar 16 | — | Aug 18 – Sep 1 |
| Radish | — | — | Feb 23 – Apr 13 | Sep 29 – Oct 27 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 2 – Mar 23 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 9 – Apr 20 | Sep 1 – Sep 15 |
Nearby cities in Virginia
- Norfolk — zone 8b, last frost Mar 23, first frost Nov 18
- Portsmouth — zone 8b, last frost Mar 30, first frost Nov 11
- Newport News — zone 8a, last frost Apr 7, first frost Nov 4
- Chesapeake — zone 8a, last frost Mar 29, first frost Nov 12
- Virginia Beach — zone 8b, last frost Apr 3, first frost Nov 7
- Suffolk — zone 8a, last frost Apr 1, first frost Nov 9
More: all Virginia cities · other zone 8b cities: Dallas, TX, Fort Worth, TX, El Paso, TX, Virginia Beach, VA, Arlington, TX, Plano, TX, Irving, TX, Garland, TX
Hampton gardening questions
When is the last frost in Hampton, VA?
Plan around Mar 30. At NOAA's Langley AFB, VA station, 3.8 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 24, and after Apr 6 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 10. The last frost is fairly predictable here: only 28 days separate the 90% and 10% dates (median for cities on this site: 36 days).
When should I plant tomatoes in Hampton, VA?
Start seeds indoors Feb 2 – Feb 16 and set transplants outside Apr 6 – Apr 20, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 225 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 Hampton?
About 238 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 217 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 261 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Nov 3 and a 30% chance by Nov 10. That ranks 5th longest of 11 Virginia cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Hampton?
Count back from the first fall frost (Nov 10): transplant broccoli Aug 18 – Sep 1; sow kale Sep 1 – Sep 29; sow lettuce Sep 1 – Sep 29; sow radishes Sep 29 – Oct 27. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Nov 28. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Hampton's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Hampton was zone 8a on the 2012 map and is zone 8b 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 Hampton compare with Norfolk, VA?
Both are in zone 8b. The typical last spring frost in Hampton (Mar 30) comes about 7 days later than in Norfolk, VA (Mar 23), 9 miles away, and the first fall frost is Nov 10 versus Nov 18. The two cities use different NOAA stations.