Norfolk, Virginia: planting zone & frost dates
Norfolk 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 23 and the first fall frost around Nov 18.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Apr 1 | Nov 8 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Mar 23 | Nov 18 |
| Median (50%) | Mar 16 | Nov 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 NORFOLK NAS, VA (USW00013750), 2.9 mi (4.6 km) from the city center and 3 ft higher than the city center (+1 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 24 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Norfolk
All 14 ZIP codes covering Norfolk are in zone 8b.
Vegetable planting calendar for Norfolk
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Mar 23, first frost Nov 18). Shift a week later in cold spots or low-lying ground.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant out | Direct sow | Fall crop sow/plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Jan 26 – Feb 9 | Mar 30 – Apr 13 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 12 – Jan 26 | Apr 6 – Apr 20 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Feb 9 – Feb 23 | Mar 9 – Mar 30 | Feb 23 – Apr 6 | Sep 9 – Oct 7 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Mar 30 – May 4 | Aug 26 – Sep 9 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Mar 30 – Apr 27 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Feb 23 – Mar 2 | Mar 30 – Apr 13 | Mar 30 – Apr 20 | Aug 26 – Sep 9 |
| Cucumber | Feb 23 – Mar 2 | Apr 6 – Apr 13 | Mar 30 – Apr 20 | Aug 26 – Sep 9 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 2 – Apr 6 | Aug 26 – Sep 9 |
| Onion | Dec 29 – Jan 12 | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Feb 23 – Mar 16 | — | — |
| Basil | Feb 9 – Feb 23 | Apr 6 – Apr 20 | Apr 6 – Apr 27 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Feb 9 – Mar 9 | Sep 23 – Oct 21 |
| Kale | Jan 26 – Feb 9 | Feb 23 – Mar 16 | Feb 23 – Mar 16 | Sep 9 – Oct 7 |
| Broccoli | Jan 26 – Feb 9 | Mar 9 – Mar 30 | — | Aug 26 – Sep 9 |
| Peas | — | — | Feb 9 – Mar 2 | Sep 9 – Sep 23 |
| Eggplant | Jan 12 – Jan 26 | Apr 6 – Apr 20 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Jan 26 – Feb 9 | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | — | Aug 26 – Sep 9 |
| Radish | — | — | Feb 16 – Apr 6 | Oct 7 – Nov 4 |
| Strawberry | — | Feb 23 – Mar 16 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 2 – Apr 13 | Sep 9 – Sep 23 |
Nearby cities in Virginia
- Portsmouth — zone 8b, last frost Mar 30, first frost Nov 11
- Hampton — zone 8b, last frost Mar 30, first frost Nov 10
- Chesapeake — zone 8a, last frost Mar 29, first frost Nov 12
- Virginia Beach — zone 8b, last frost Apr 3, first frost Nov 7
- Newport News — zone 8a, last frost Apr 7, first frost Nov 4
- 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
Norfolk gardening questions
When is the last frost in Norfolk, VA?
Plan around Mar 23. At NOAA's Norfolk NAS, VA station, 2.9 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 16, and after Apr 1 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 2. 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 Norfolk, VA?
Start seeds indoors Jan 26 – Feb 9 and set transplants outside Mar 30 – Apr 13, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 240 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 Norfolk?
About 255 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 231 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 283 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Nov 8 and a 30% chance by Nov 18. That is the longest of the 11 Virginia cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Norfolk?
Count back from the first fall frost (Nov 18): transplant broccoli Aug 26 – Sep 9; sow kale Sep 9 – Oct 7; sow lettuce Sep 9 – Oct 7; sow radishes Oct 7 – Nov 4. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Dec 12. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Norfolk's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Norfolk 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 Norfolk compare with Portsmouth, VA?
Both are in zone 8b. The typical last spring frost in Norfolk (Mar 23) comes about 7 days earlier than in Portsmouth, VA (Mar 30), 8 miles away, and the first fall frost is Nov 18 versus Nov 11. The two cities use different NOAA stations.