Seed Starting Calendar for Virginia

Q: When is the last frost in Virginia?

It depends on the station. The earliest median last spring freeze in Virginia is March 16 at Norfolk NAS; the latest is May 12 at Mill Gap. A median is a coin flip: at Richmond the last 32°F freeze comes after April 3 in half of years, and has passed by April 18 in 9 of 10 years (NOAA 1991 to 2020 normals).

Q: When can I plant tomatoes outside in Virginia?

UNH Extension sets tomatoes out 1 to 2 weeks after the last frost, which at Richmond is Apr 10 to Apr 17 in 2027. Tomatoes are frost tender, so the date to watch is April 18, when 9 of 10 springs at Richmond have had their last 32°F night. Hardening off starts two weeks before setting out (Mar 27 to Apr 10).

Q: What months do I plant vegetables in Virginia?

Virginia Cooperative Extension publishes planting months by region (USDA hardiness Zone 6a, USDA hardiness Zone 6b, USDA hardiness Zone 7a, USDA hardiness Zone 7b, USDA hardiness Zone 8a, USDA hardiness Zone 8b). For USDA hardiness Zone 6a, tomatoes go in during May, June and July. Seeds for transplants go in 4 to 10 weeks ahead of those months, depending on the crop.

Q: What does Virginia Cooperative Extension say about planting dates in Virginia?

Virginia Cooperative Extension's Virginia’s Home Garden Vegetable Planting Guide: Recommended Planting Dates and Amounts to Plant puts it this way: "Refer to the recommended planting date table for your USDA hardiness zone (tables 2-4) to find recommended planting periods for various crops." The guide is linked below with the date it was read (September 21, 2026).

Q: How many weeks before the last frost do I start peppers and eggplant?

UNH Extension gives 8 to 10 weeks from seed to transplant for both, and sets peppers out 2 weeks after the last frost and eggplant 2 to 3 weeks after, so the sowing date is 6 to 8 weeks before the median last frost. At Richmond that is Feb 6 to Feb 20 for peppers.

Q: How long do seedlings need to harden off?

About two weeks. University of Missouri Extension: "Hardening should be started about two weeks before planting in the garden." University of Minnesota Extension adds that seedlings should go out on a cloudy day or in the late afternoon.

Median last frost from Mar 26 to Apr 30 across Virginia

NOAA stations

120

Median last frost, Richmond

Apr 3

Passed in 9 of 10 years

Apr 18

Last frost

Last spring frost dates in Virginia

Norfolk on Hampton Roads reaches its median last frost around Mar 17, Richmond and Roanoke around Apr 3, and Dulles in Northern Virginia around Apr 15.

Three dates per station from the NOAA 1991 to 2020 normals. The median is the date half of springs run past. The last column is the date the last 32°F night has passed by in 9 years out of 10, the one to hold tender transplants for.

Station	Elevation	Early (1 in 10 years later than this)	Median last frost	Passed in 9 of 10 years	Median first fall frost
NorfolkNorfolk Intl Airport, USW00013737	30 ft	Feb 27	Mar 17	Mar 31	Nov 23
Wallops Island Flight FacWallops Island Flight Fac, USW00093739	38 ft	Mar 17	Mar 31	Apr 13	Nov 11
RichmondRichmond Intl Airport, USW00013740	164 ft	Mar 19	Apr 3	Apr 18	Nov 4
RoanokeRoanoke Regional Airport, USW00013741	1,175 ft	Mar 19	Apr 3	Apr 18	Nov 1
Washington Dc Dulles AirportWashington Dc Dulles Airport, USW00093738	290 ft	Mar 31	Apr 15	Apr 30	Oct 24

Crop chart

When to start seeds in Virginia, spring 2027

Counted back from the median last frost at Richmond, April 3. Pick another station to redraw the chart for it.

Start indoorsHarden offSet outSow outdoorsMedian last frostLast freeze passed in 9 of 10 years

Every crop, counted from a median last frost of April 3
Crop	Start indoors	Set out	Sow outdoors	Frost class
Tomato	Feb 13 to Feb 27	Apr 10 to Apr 17		Tender, very tender
Pepper	Feb 6 to Feb 20	Apr 17 to Apr 24		Tender, very tender
Eggplant	Feb 6 to Feb 20	Apr 17 to Apr 24		Tender, very tender
Basil	Feb 20 to Mar 6	Apr 17 to Apr 24		Tender
Celery	Jan 9 to Jan 23	Apr 3 to Apr 10		Tender
Cucumber	Mar 13 to Mar 20	Apr 10 to Apr 17	Apr 3 to Apr 10	Tender
Summer squash	Mar 20 to Mar 27	Apr 17 to Apr 24	Apr 3 to Apr 10	Tender
Winter squash	Mar 20 to Mar 27	Apr 17 to Apr 24	Apr 17 to Apr 24	Tender, very tender
Pumpkin	Mar 20 to Mar 27	Apr 17 to Apr 24	Apr 17 to Apr 24	Tender, very tender
Melon (cantaloupe)	Mar 20 to Mar 27	Apr 17 to Apr 24		Tender, very tender
Watermelon	Mar 13 to Mar 27	Apr 17 to Apr 24		Tender, very tender
Onion (from seed)	Dec 26 to Jan 9	Mar 6 to Mar 13		Hardy
Leek	Dec 26 to Jan 9	Mar 6 to Mar 13		Hardy
Parsley	Jan 2 to Jan 9	Mar 13 to Mar 20		Half-hardy
Broccoli	Jan 23 to Feb 6	Mar 6 to Mar 20		Hardy
Brussels sprouts	Jan 23 to Feb 6	Mar 6 to Mar 20		Hardy
Cabbage	Jan 23 to Feb 6	Mar 6 to Mar 13		Hardy
Cauliflower	Feb 6 to Feb 20	Mar 20 to Mar 27		Half-hardy
Kale	Jan 23 to Feb 6	Mar 6 to Mar 13		Hardy
Lettuce	Jan 30 to Feb 6	Mar 6 to Mar 13		Hardy
Swiss chard	Feb 6 to Feb 20	Mar 20 to Mar 27	Mar 6 to Mar 13	Half-hardy
Spinach	Jan 9 to Jan 23	Feb 20 to Mar 13	Mar 6 to Mar 20	Hardy
Peas			Mar 6 to Mar 20	Hardy
Radish			Mar 6 to Mar 20	Hardy
Carrot			Mar 20 to Apr 3	Half-hardy
Beet			Mar 20 to Apr 3	Half-hardy
Beans			Apr 3 to Apr 10	Tender
Sweet corn			Apr 3 to Apr 10	Tender

Six square pots of dark compost seen from above, each holding a single seedling with two narrow seed leaves — Tomato seedlings at the seed leaf stage, one to a pot. The University of Minnesota Extension holds off on fertilizer until a seedling has several sets of true leaves, then feeds at quarter strength once a week. “Tomato Seedlings (49768696597)” by Amanda Slater from Coventry, West Midlands, UK, CC BY-SA 2.0

Extension guide

What Virginia Cooperative Extension advises

Virginia Cooperative Extension publishes the planting guide Virginia gardeners work from, Virginia’s Home Garden Vegetable Planting Guide: Recommended Planting Dates and Amounts to Plant (426-331 (SPES-673)).

“Refer to the recommended planting date table for your USDA hardiness zone (tables 2-4) to find recommended planting periods for various crops.”

Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia’s Home Garden Vegetable Planting Guide: Recommended Planting Dates and Amounts to Plant, quoted exactly.

“Cool-season crops, such as head lettuce, broccoli, and celery, would not have a chance to reach their prime harvest stage in most places in Virginia in spring if not given those extra weeks indoors to get a head start.”

Virginia Cooperative Extension, Seed For The Garden, quoted exactly.

Planting months

Virginia Cooperative Extension planting months for Virginia

The extension also publishes planting months by region. Each filled cell is a month the guide gives for planting that crop.

USDA hardiness Zone 6a

Crop	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct
tomato			May	Jun	Jul
pepper			May	Jun	Jul
eggplant			May	Jun
broccoli		Apr	May		Jul	Aug
cabbage		Apr	May		Jul	Aug
cauliflower		Apr	May		Jul	Aug
lettuce		Apr	May	Jun		Aug	Sep
onion	Mar	Apr	May
kale	Mar	Apr	May		Jul	Aug	Sep
cucumber			May	Jun	Jul
melon			May	Jun	Jul
peas	Mar	Apr
spinach	Mar	Apr	May			Aug	Sep	Oct
carrot		Apr	May		Jul	Aug
beans			May	Jun	Jul
sweet corn			May	Jun	Jul

Planting months from Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia’s Home Garden Vegetable Planting Guide: Recommended Planting Dates and Amounts to Plant, read 2026-09-21. Tomatoes in USDA hardiness Zone 6a: May, June and July.

A gardener kneeling beside a raised bed setting a young tomato plant into dark soil, an empty nursery pot beside her — Setting out a tomato in June at a community garden. Tender crops go out after the last frost, and after a week or two of hardening off outdoors. “Volunteer planting heirloom tomato (4704185147)”, Pacific Southwest Region 5, Public domain

Seed starting questions for Virginia

When should I start seeds indoors in Virginia?

Count back from the median last frost where you garden. At Richmond (Richmond Intl Airport) that date is April 3, so for spring 2027 onions start indoors Dec 26 to Jan 9, peppers Feb 6 to Feb 20 and tomatoes Feb 13 to Feb 27. Across Virginia's 120 NOAA stations the median last frost runs from Mar 26 to Apr 30 for the middle 90 percent, so a garden near Mill Gap starts later than one near Norfolk NAS.

When is the last frost in Virginia?

When can I plant tomatoes outside in Virginia?

What months do I plant vegetables in Virginia?

What does Virginia Cooperative Extension say about planting dates in Virginia?

How many weeks before the last frost do I start peppers and eggplant?

How long do seedlings need to harden off?

Why do seed starting dates differ across Virginia?

Frost dates from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, annual/seasonal, by station (v1.0.1). Planting guidance from Virginia Cooperative Extension, quoted exactly. Seed starting weeks from UNH Cooperative Extension. Compiled 2026-09-21.

First frost in VirginiaThe other end of the season: when fall frost ends the tender crops.Soil temperatureBeans, corn and squash sown direct wait on warm soil as well as the last frost.Virginia lawn care calendarSpring seeding, feeding and mowing dates on the same climate.Fall planting calendarGarlic, cool season crops and a second sowing window in the fall.Frost dates by ZIPFirst and last frost odds for any address.