Richmond, VA 23297 Frost Dates
When can you plant in Richmond, VA?
Around 04/03 is the usual last spring frost, about 218 days away. The first fall frost typically arrives around 11/03, about 216 frost-free days later.
The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map puts Richmond in Zone 7b (5 to 10°F average annual minimum); frost dates are NOAA's 1991-2020 station normal, not this year's forecast.
What to do before the first frost
About 10 weeks of growing season left in Richmond before the first fall frost — a cold frame or row cover can stretch harvest weeks past that date.
Why 04/03 isn't a guarantee
04/03 is the middle of 30 years of NOAA records, not a promise. Plant by 03/20 and you're betting against frost in roughly 9 years out of 10. 04/17 is the safer bet, historically only a 1-in-10 chance of frost that late.
How Richmond compares
Richmond's growing season runs about 216 days, ranking 13,682 of 40,283 US ZIP codes measured here, longest to shortest. Within VA, it ranks 303 of 1,178.
Learn more
the frost range covers how to read the range around Richmond's dates instead of trusting one. local microclimates covers what one yard in Richmond can differ from the 23297 normal.