Richmond, Virginia: planting zone & frost dates
Richmond 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 9 and the first fall frost around Oct 31.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Apr 18 | Oct 23 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 9 | Oct 31 |
| Median (50%) | Apr 3 | Nov 4 |
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 RICHMOND INTL AP, VA (USW00013740), 8.7 mi (14.0 km) from the city center and 92 ft higher than the city center (+28 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 29 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Richmond
All 14 ZIP codes covering Richmond are in zone 7b.
Vegetable planting calendar for Richmond
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 9, first frost Oct 31). 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 12 – Feb 26 | Apr 16 – Apr 30 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | Apr 23 – May 7 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | Mar 26 – Apr 16 | Mar 12 – Apr 23 | Aug 22 – Sep 19 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 16 – May 21 | Aug 8 – Aug 22 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 16 – May 14 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 12 – Mar 19 | Apr 16 – Apr 30 | Apr 16 – May 7 | Aug 8 – Aug 22 |
| Cucumber | Mar 12 – Mar 19 | Apr 23 – Apr 30 | Apr 16 – May 7 | Aug 8 – Aug 22 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 19 – Apr 23 | Aug 8 – Aug 22 |
| Onion | Jan 15 – Jan 29 | Mar 12 – Mar 26 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 12 – Apr 2 | — | — |
| Basil | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | Apr 23 – May 7 | Apr 23 – May 14 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Feb 26 – Mar 26 | Sep 5 – Oct 3 |
| Kale | Feb 12 – Feb 26 | Mar 12 – Apr 2 | Mar 12 – Apr 2 | Aug 22 – Sep 19 |
| Broccoli | Feb 12 – Feb 26 | Mar 26 – Apr 16 | — | Aug 8 – Aug 22 |
| Peas | — | — | Feb 26 – Mar 19 | Aug 22 – Sep 5 |
| Eggplant | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | Apr 23 – May 7 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 12 – Feb 26 | Mar 12 – Mar 26 | — | Aug 8 – Aug 22 |
| Radish | — | — | Mar 5 – Apr 23 | Sep 19 – Oct 17 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 12 – Apr 2 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 19 – Apr 30 | Aug 22 – Sep 5 |
Nearby cities in Virginia
- Newport News — zone 8a, last frost Apr 7, first frost Nov 4
- Suffolk — zone 8a, last frost Apr 1, first frost Nov 9
- Hampton — zone 8b, last frost Mar 30, first frost Nov 10
- Portsmouth — zone 8b, last frost Mar 30, first frost Nov 11
- Alexandria — zone 8a, last frost Mar 30, first frost Nov 12
- Norfolk — zone 8b, last frost Mar 23, first frost Nov 18
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
Richmond gardening questions
When is the last frost in Richmond, VA?
Plan around Apr 9. At NOAA's Richmond Int'l Airport, VA station, 8.7 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 3, and after Apr 18 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 22. The 90% and 10% dates are 30 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Richmond, VA?
Start seeds indoors Feb 12 – Feb 26 and set transplants outside Apr 16 – Apr 30, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 205 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 Richmond?
About 215 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 195 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 236 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 23 and a 30% chance by Oct 31. That ranks 9th longest of 11 Virginia cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Richmond?
Count back from the first fall frost (Oct 31): transplant broccoli Aug 8 – Aug 22; sow kale Aug 22 – Sep 19; sow lettuce Aug 22 – Sep 19; sow radishes Sep 19 – Oct 17. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Nov 15. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Richmond's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Richmond 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 Richmond compare with Newport News, VA?
Richmond is zone 7b and Newport News is zone 8a. The typical last spring frost in Richmond (Apr 9) comes about the same time as in Newport News, VA (Apr 7), 61 miles away, and the first fall frost is Oct 31 versus Nov 4. The two cities use different NOAA stations.