Calendars by city / VA
Richmond, Virginia vegetable planting calendar
Planting windows for Richmond, Virginia built from the NOAA 1991–2020 freeze normals at RICHMOND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, VA US (station USW00013740), not from a hardiness zone.
Richmond, Virginia planting dates for 27 vegetables
The same windows as a table
Each row applies a published extension rule to the frost dates above. Hardy crops go out 2–4 weeks before the last frost; semi-hardy crops 0–2 weeks before; tender crops around the frost date; very tender crops 2 or more weeks after. The last fall planting date counts the crop's days to harvest back from the first fall frost. The rules and their sources are on the methodology page.
| Crop | Frost class | Start seeds indoors | Plant outdoors | Last fall planting | Days to harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beets | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 21 – Apr 4 | Sep 12 | 60 |
| Broccoli | Hardy | Jan 17 – Feb 14 | Transplant: Mar 7 – Mar 21 | Sep 14 | 65 (from transplant) |
| Cabbage | Hardy | Jan 17 – Feb 14 | Transplant: Mar 7 – Mar 21 | Aug 25 | 85 (from transplant) |
| Carrots | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 21 – Apr 4 | Sep 2 | 70 |
| Cauliflower | Semi-hardy | Jan 31 – Feb 28 | Transplant: Mar 21 – Apr 4 | Sep 7 | 65 (from transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 7 – Mar 21 | Sep 29 | 50 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 7 – Mar 21 | Sep 19 | 60 |
| Onions (green) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 7 – Mar 21 | Sep 19 | 60 |
| Onions (dry, from seed) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 7 – Mar 21 | Jul 31 | 110 |
| Onions (dry, from sets) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Plant sets: Mar 7 – Mar 21 | Jul 31 | 110 |
| Parsnips | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 21 – Apr 4 | Sep 2 | 70 |
| Peas | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 7 – Mar 21 | Sep 14 | 65 |
| Potatoes | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Plant seed potatoes: Mar 21 – Apr 4 | Jul 9 | 125 |
| Radishes | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 7 – Mar 21 | Oct 19 | 30 |
| Spinach | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 7 – Mar 21 | Oct 9 | 40 |
| Swiss chard | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 21 – Apr 4 | Sep 12 | 60 |
| Turnips | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 7 – Mar 21 | Sep 29 | 50 |
| Snap beans | Tender | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 4 – Apr 11 | Sep 5 | 60 |
| Cantaloupe | Very tender | Mar 28 – Apr 18 | Direct sow (or transplant): Apr 18 – May 2 | Aug 11 | 85 |
| Sweet corn | Tender | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 4 – Apr 11 | Aug 6 | 60–90 |
| Cucumbers | Tender | Mar 14 – Mar 28 | Direct sow (or transplant): Apr 4 – Apr 11 | Sep 10 | 55 |
| Eggplant | Very tender | Feb 14 – Mar 21 | Transplant: Apr 18 – May 2 | Sep 5 | 60 (from transplant) |
| Peppers | Very tender | Feb 21 – Mar 21 | Transplant: Apr 18 – May 2 | Aug 26 | 70 (from transplant) |
| Tomatoes | Very tender | Feb 28 – Mar 28 | Transplant: Apr 18 – May 2 | Aug 31 | 65 (from transplant) |
| Summer squash | Tender | Mar 14 – Mar 28 | Direct sow (or transplant): Apr 4 – Apr 11 | Sep 15 | 50 |
| Winter squash | Very tender | Mar 28 – Apr 18 | Direct sow (or transplant): Apr 18 – May 2 | Jul 27 | 100 |
| Watermelon | Very tender | Mar 28 – Apr 18 | Direct sow (or transplant): Apr 18 – May 2 | Aug 11 | 85 |
What the Richmond, Virginia frost-free season means for your choices
At 214 frost-free days, Richmond, Virginia gardeners should compare that number to the days-to-harvest column before buying seed. A crop whose days to harvest plus its transplant age is close to the season length needs either an early start indoors or a short-season variety.
- Hardy crops (peas, spinach, radishes, lettuce, broccoli, cabbage) can go in from about Mar 7 – Mar 21 and again for fall.
- Very tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, melons, winter squash) should wait until Apr 18 – May 2; start tomato seeds indoors Feb 28 – Mar 28.
- Fall sowing is worthwhile only for the rows that show a separate fall date; for the others the spring window already covers the season.
Richmond, VA planting questions
When is the last frost in Richmond, Virginia?
The 50% probability date for the last spring 32°F reading at RICHMOND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, VA US is Apr 4, from the NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals. In half the years on that record the last frost came later than that date, so tender crops are safer a week or two after it. The last 28°F hard freeze averages Mar 22.
When can I plant tomatoes in Richmond, Virginia?
Tomatoes are a very tender crop, so the Colorado State Extension rule puts them out 2 or more weeks after the last spring frost: Apr 18 – May 2 in Richmond, Virginia. Start the seeds indoors Feb 28 – Mar 28, which is 5 to 7 weeks before that transplant window.
How long is the growing season in Richmond, Virginia?
Richmond, Virginia averages 214 frost-free days, between the 50% last spring frost on Apr 4 and the 50% first fall frost on Nov 4 at RICHMOND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, VA US. Check a variety's days to harvest against that number before buying seed.
When should I start seeds indoors in Richmond, Virginia?
The earliest indoor sowing on this calendar is broccoli and cabbage at Jan 17 – Feb 14. Hardy crops are transplanted out Mar 7 – Mar 21 here, and each crop's indoor window is simply its outdoor window minus the transplant age published by Colorado State Extension, so nothing starts earlier than that.
What can I plant in fall in Richmond, Virginia?
The crops with a separate fall sowing here, latest first, are radishes, spinach, kohlrabi, turnips, lettuce (leaf) and onions (green), plus 21 more on the chart above. Each fall date counts the crop's days to harvest back from the first fall frost on Nov 4, plus an allowance for frost-tolerant crops that is our own assumption, not the source's.
Station data and limitations
| NOAA station | RICHMOND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, VA US (USW00013740) |
|---|---|
| Location | 37.505, -77.3202 · elevation 50 m |
| Last spring 32°F / 28°F (50%) | Apr 4 / Mar 22 |
| First fall 32°F / 28°F (50%) | Nov 4 / Nov 17 |
| Dataset | NOAA/NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, annual/seasonal product, data types ANN-TMIN-PRBLST/PRBFST-T32FP50 and T28FP50 |
| Retrieved | 2026-10-16 |
The normals describe the airport station, not your yard. They are averages of a 30-year record and say nothing about this year's weather. Watch the local forecast around the dates shown, and use soil temperature for warm-season crops, which the Colorado State guide treats as the better signal.
Nearby calendars
- Washington, D.C. (Reagan National) — last spring frost Mar 28
- Raleigh, North Carolina — last spring frost Apr 3
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania — last spring frost Apr 2
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania — last spring frost Apr 24
Read the method behind these dates: last frost date vs hardiness zone.