When to plant in Fredericksburg, PA
Planting dates worked out from Fredericksburg's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
May 10
1 year in 10 has a later frost
Average last frost
Apr 24
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Oct 21
1 year in 10 by Oct 6
Frost-free days
176
median, 1991–2020
Station used: Lebanon 2 W · 12.2 km away · station 137 m, town 145 m. How we match towns to stations
This season
Plan your garden.
Planting dates for common crops
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant out or sow | Harvest from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Mar 15 – Mar 29 | May 10 – May 24 | Jul 4 |
| Sweet pepper | Mar 1 – Mar 15 | May 10 – May 24 | Jul 9 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Feb 20 – Feb 27 | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | May 6 |
| Peas | — | Mar 26 – Apr 23 | May 20 |
| Bush beans | — | May 3 – May 24 | Jun 22 |
| Carrot | — | Apr 4 – May 16 | Jun 3 |
| Beet | — | Apr 4 – May 16 | May 24 |
| Potato | — | Apr 4 – Apr 25 | Jun 13 |
| Kale | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | Apr 2 – Apr 16 | May 15 |
| Broccoli | Feb 13 – Feb 27 | Mar 27 – Apr 17 | May 26 |
| Cucumber | Apr 12 – Apr 19 | May 10 – May 24 | Jun 29 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | Apr 12 – Apr 19 | May 10 – May 24 | Jun 24 |
| Winter squash | Apr 12 – Apr 19 | May 10 – May 24 | Jul 29 |
| Sweet corn | — | May 3 – May 24 | Jul 2 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Mar 27 – Apr 17 | Jun 25 |
| Garlic | — | Oct 7 – Nov 4 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Mar 26 – Apr 23 | May 3 |
| Basil | Mar 29 – Apr 12 | May 10 – May 24 | Jul 6 |
Fredericksburg's weather over time
How the growing season has shifted here, year by year, from the station's own records.
Each year's last spring frostLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Last spring frost |
|---|---|
| 1966 | May 11 |
| 1967 | May 13 |
| 1968 | May 7 |
| 1969 | May 1 |
| 1970 | Apr 13 |
| 1971 | May 1 |
| 1972 | Apr 28 |
| 1974 | May 8 |
| 1978 | May 5 |
| 1979 | Apr 30 |
| 1981 | Apr 21 |
| 1982 | Apr 15 |
| 1983 | May 17 |
| 1984 | May 1 |
| 1985 | May 4 |
| 1986 | May 4 |
| 1987 | Apr 2 |
| 1988 | Apr 26 |
| 1989 | Apr 24 |
| 1990 | Apr 19 |
| 1991 | Apr 23 |
| 1992 | Apr 13 |
| 1993 | Apr 28 |
| 1994 | Apr 23 |
| 1995 | Apr 17 |
| 1996 | May 15 |
| 1997 | May 8 |
| 1998 | Apr 28 |
| 1999 | Apr 26 |
| 2000 | Apr 14 |
| 2001 | Apr 29 |
| 2002 | May 22 |
| 2003 | Apr 14 |
| 2004 | Apr 16 |
| 2005 | May 5 |
| 2006 | Apr 26 |
| 2007 | Apr 14 |
| 2008 | Apr 16 |
| 2009 | Apr 17 |
| 2010 | Apr 14 |
| 2011 | Apr 6 |
| 2012 | Apr 29 |
| 2013 | May 14 |
| 2014 | Apr 17 |
| 2015 | Apr 25 |
| 2016 | Apr 14 |
| 2017 | Apr 9 |
| 2018 | Apr 21 |
| 2019 | Apr 12 |
| 2020 | May 10 |
| 2021 | Apr 23 |
| 2022 | Apr 30 |
| 2023 | Apr 25 |
| 2024 | Apr 22 |
| 2025 | Apr 9 |
| 2026 | Apr 21 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1966 | 159 |
| 1967 | 162 |
| 1968 | 151 |
| 1969 | 174 |
| 1970 | 217 |
| 1971 | 187 |
| 1978 | 155 |
| 1979 | 162 |
| 1981 | 174 |
| 1982 | 185 |
| 1983 | 158 |
| 1984 | 185 |
| 1985 | 177 |
| 1986 | 167 |
| 1987 | 189 |
| 1988 | 165 |
| 1989 | 167 |
| 1990 | 183 |
| 1991 | 173 |
| 1992 | 175 |
| 1993 | 155 |
| 1994 | 171 |
| 1995 | 195 |
| 1996 | 141 |
| 1997 | 165 |
| 1998 | 184 |
| 1999 | 164 |
| 2000 | 176 |
| 2001 | 161 |
| 2002 | 152 |
| 2003 | 171 |
| 2004 | 189 |
| 2005 | 178 |
| 2006 | 169 |
| 2007 | 197 |
| 2008 | 185 |
| 2009 | 184 |
| 2010 | 191 |
| 2011 | 205 |
| 2012 | 166 |
| 2013 | 163 |
| 2014 | 204 |
| 2015 | 175 |
| 2016 | 194 |
| 2017 | 212 |
| 2018 | 202 |
| 2019 | 203 |
| 2020 | 173 |
| 2021 | 193 |
| 2022 | 173 |
| 2023 | 189 |
| 2024 | 177 |
| 2025 | 198 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1966 | 18.4 °C |
| 1967 | 17.7 °C |
| 1968 | 18.9 °C |
| 1969 | 19.1 °C |
| 1970 | 19.3 °C |
| 1971 | 18.4 °C |
| 1974 | 18.2 °C |
| 1977 | 18.9 °C |
| 1978 | 18.1 °C |
| 1979 | 17.5 °C |
| 1981 | 19.5 °C |
| 1985 | 19.1 °C |
| 1986 | 19.2 °C |
| 1987 | 19.1 °C |
| 1988 | 18.1 °C |
| 1989 | 17.3 °C |
| 1990 | 17.5 °C |
| 1991 | 19.0 °C |
| 1992 | 16.7 °C |
| 1993 | 18.1 °C |
| 1994 | 17.9 °C |
| 1995 | 17.9 °C |
| 1996 | 17.4 °C |
| 1997 | 17.1 °C |
| 1998 | 18.6 °C |
| 1999 | 18.6 °C |
| 2000 | 17.5 °C |
| 2001 | 18.1 °C |
| 2002 | 19.0 °C |
| 2003 | 17.7 °C |
| 2004 | 18.6 °C |
| 2005 | 18.9 °C |
| 2006 | 18.6 °C |
| 2007 | 18.4 °C |
| 2008 | 18.2 °C |
| 2009 | 17.9 °C |
| 2010 | 19.9 °C |
| 2011 | 19.6 °C |
| 2012 | 19.7 °C |
| 2013 | 18.9 °C |
| 2014 | 18.3 °C |
| 2015 | 19.5 °C |
| 2016 | 19.5 °C |
| 2017 | 19.0 °C |
| 2018 | 19.4 °C |
| 2019 | 19.7 °C |
| 2020 | 18.8 °C |
| 2021 | 19.3 °C |
| 2022 | 19.3 °C |
| 2023 | 18.8 °C |
| 2024 | 19.5 °C |
| 2025 | 18.8 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1966, Fredericksburg's last spring frost has come about 2 days earlier per decade, on average. The frost-free season has grown by about 4 days per decade. Year-to-year swings are large, so keep using the safe date rather than the trend.
Source: daily records from Lebanon 2 W (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.