Roanoke, Virginia: planting zone & frost dates
Roanoke 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 27.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Apr 18 | Oct 18 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 9 | Oct 27 |
| Median (50%) | Apr 3 | Nov 1 |
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 ROANOKE RGNL AP, VA (USW00013741), 2.8 mi (4.5 km) from the city center and 200 ft higher than the city center (+61 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 30 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Roanoke
All 9 ZIP codes covering Roanoke are in zone 7b.
Vegetable planting calendar for Roanoke
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 9, first frost Oct 27). 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 18 – Sep 15 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 16 – May 21 | Aug 4 – Aug 18 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 16 – May 14 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 12 – Mar 19 | Apr 16 – Apr 30 | Apr 16 – May 7 | Aug 4 – Aug 18 |
| Cucumber | Mar 12 – Mar 19 | Apr 23 – Apr 30 | Apr 16 – May 7 | Aug 4 – Aug 18 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 19 – Apr 23 | Aug 4 – Aug 18 |
| 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 1 – Sep 29 |
| Kale | Feb 12 – Feb 26 | Mar 12 – Apr 2 | Mar 12 – Apr 2 | Aug 18 – Sep 15 |
| Broccoli | Feb 12 – Feb 26 | Mar 26 – Apr 16 | — | Aug 4 – Aug 18 |
| Peas | — | — | Feb 26 – Mar 19 | Aug 18 – Sep 1 |
| Eggplant | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | Apr 23 – May 7 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 12 – Feb 26 | Mar 12 – Mar 26 | — | Aug 4 – Aug 18 |
| Radish | — | — | Mar 5 – Apr 23 | Sep 15 – Oct 13 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 12 – Apr 2 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 19 – Apr 30 | Aug 18 – Sep 1 |
Nearby cities in Virginia
- Lynchburg — zone 7b, last frost Apr 23, first frost Oct 19
- 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
Roanoke gardening questions
When is the last frost in Roanoke, VA?
Plan around Apr 9. At NOAA's Roanoke Regional Airport, VA station, 2.8 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 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 Roanoke, 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 201 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 Roanoke?
About 210 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 189 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 231 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 18 and a 30% chance by Oct 27. That ranks 10th longest of 11 Virginia cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Roanoke?
Count back from the first fall frost (Oct 27): transplant broccoli Aug 4 – Aug 18; sow kale Aug 18 – Sep 15; sow lettuce Aug 18 – Sep 15; sow radishes Sep 15 – Oct 13. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Nov 12. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Roanoke's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
No. Going by the zone that covers most of the city's land, Roanoke is zone 7b 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 Roanoke compare with Lynchburg, VA?
Both are in zone 7b. The typical last spring frost in Roanoke (Apr 9) comes about 14 days earlier than in Lynchburg, VA (Apr 23), 43 miles away, and the first fall frost is Oct 27 versus Oct 19. Roanoke sits about 335 ft higher, which explains part of the gap. The two cities use different NOAA stations.