Lynchburg, Virginia: planting zone & frost dates
Lynchburg is in USDA plant hardiness zone 7b, where the average coldest winter night reaches 5 to 10°F (-15.0 to -12.2°C). The typical last spring frost is around Apr 23 and the first fall frost around Oct 19.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | May 4 | Oct 12 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 23 | Oct 19 |
| Median (50%) | Apr 17 | Oct 25 |
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 LYNCHBURG #2, VA (USC00445117), 2.4 mi (3.8 km) from the city center and 95 ft higher than the city center (+29 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 14 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Lynchburg
All 5 ZIP codes covering Lynchburg are in zone 7b.
Vegetable planting calendar for Lynchburg
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 23, first frost Oct 19). 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 10 – Sep 7 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 30 – Jun 4 | Jul 27 – Aug 10 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 30 – May 28 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 26 – Apr 2 | Apr 30 – May 14 | Apr 30 – May 21 | Jul 27 – Aug 10 |
| Cucumber | Mar 26 – Apr 2 | May 7 – May 14 | Apr 30 – May 21 | Jul 27 – Aug 10 |
| Carrot | — | — | Apr 2 – May 7 | Jul 27 – Aug 10 |
| 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 24 – Sep 21 |
| Kale | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | Mar 26 – Apr 16 | Mar 26 – Apr 16 | Aug 10 – Sep 7 |
| Broccoli | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | Apr 9 – Apr 30 | — | Jul 27 – Aug 10 |
| Peas | — | — | Mar 12 – Apr 2 | Aug 10 – Aug 24 |
| Eggplant | Feb 12 – Feb 26 | May 7 – May 21 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | Mar 26 – Apr 9 | — | Jul 27 – Aug 10 |
| Radish | — | — | Mar 19 – May 7 | Sep 7 – Oct 5 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 26 – Apr 16 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Apr 2 – May 14 | Aug 10 – Aug 24 |
Nearby cities in Virginia
- Roanoke — zone 7b, last frost Apr 9, first frost Oct 27
- Richmond — zone 7b, last frost Apr 9, first frost Oct 31
- Alexandria — zone 8a, last frost Mar 30, first frost Nov 12
- Suffolk — zone 8a, last frost Apr 1, first frost Nov 9
- Newport News — zone 8a, last frost Apr 7, first frost Nov 4
- Portsmouth — zone 8b, last frost Mar 30, first frost Nov 11
More: all Virginia cities · other zone 7b cities: New York, NY, Philadelphia, PA, Oklahoma City, OK, Nashville, TN, Washington, DC, Baltimore, MD, Albuquerque, NM, Tulsa, OK
Lynchburg gardening questions
When is the last frost in Lynchburg, VA?
Plan around Apr 23. At NOAA's Lynchburg #2, VA station, 2.4 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 17, and after May 4 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Apr 2. The 90% and 10% dates are 31 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Lynchburg, VA?
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 179 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 Lynchburg?
About 190 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 209 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 12 and a 30% chance by Oct 19. That is the shortest of the 11 Virginia cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Lynchburg?
Count back from the first fall frost (Oct 19): transplant broccoli Jul 27 – Aug 10; sow kale Aug 10 – Sep 7; sow lettuce Aug 10 – Sep 7; sow radishes Sep 7 – Oct 5. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Nov 3. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Lynchburg's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Lynchburg was zone 7a on the 2012 map and is zone 7b 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 Lynchburg compare with Roanoke, VA?
Both are in zone 7b. The typical last spring frost in Lynchburg (Apr 23) comes about 14 days later than in Roanoke, VA (Apr 9), 43 miles away, and the first fall frost is Oct 19 versus Oct 27. Lynchburg sits about 335 ft lower, which explains part of the gap. The two cities use different NOAA stations.