When to plant in Loch Lomond, VA
Planting dates worked out from Loch Lomond's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
May 9
1 year in 10 has a later frost
Average last frost
Apr 19
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Oct 20
1 year in 10 by Oct 3
Frost-free days
185
median, 1991–2020
Station used: Washington Dulles Intl Ap · 16.7 km away · station 90 m, town 58 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 14 – Mar 28 | May 9 – May 23 | Jul 3 |
| Sweet pepper | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | May 9 – May 23 | Jul 8 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Feb 15 – Feb 22 | Mar 22 – Apr 5 | May 1 |
| Peas | — | Mar 13 – Apr 10 | May 7 |
| Bush beans | — | May 2 – May 23 | Jun 21 |
| Carrot | — | Mar 29 – May 10 | May 28 |
| Beet | — | Mar 22 – May 3 | May 11 |
| Potato | — | Mar 29 – Apr 19 | Jun 7 |
| Kale | Feb 8 – Feb 22 | Mar 22 – Apr 5 | May 4 |
| Broccoli | Feb 8 – Feb 22 | Mar 22 – Apr 12 | May 21 |
| Cucumber | Apr 11 – Apr 18 | May 9 – May 23 | Jun 28 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | Apr 11 – Apr 18 | May 9 – May 23 | Jun 23 |
| Winter squash | Apr 11 – Apr 18 | May 9 – May 23 | Jul 28 |
| Sweet corn | — | May 2 – May 23 | Jul 1 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Mar 22 – Apr 12 | Jun 20 |
| Garlic | — | Oct 6 – Nov 3 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Mar 13 – Apr 10 | Apr 20 |
| Basil | Mar 28 – Apr 11 | May 9 – May 23 | Jul 5 |
Loch Lomond'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 |
|---|---|
| 1962 | Apr 17 |
| 1963 | May 3 |
| 1964 | Apr 16 |
| 1965 | Apr 5 |
| 1966 | May 11 |
| 1967 | May 4 |
| 1968 | May 7 |
| 1969 | Apr 25 |
| 1970 | May 7 |
| 1971 | Apr 16 |
| 1972 | Apr 28 |
| 1973 | Apr 15 |
| 1974 | May 8 |
| 1975 | Apr 23 |
| 1976 | May 13 |
| 1977 | Apr 30 |
| 1978 | Apr 23 |
| 1979 | Apr 20 |
| 1980 | Apr 17 |
| 1981 | Apr 22 |
| 1982 | Apr 12 |
| 1983 | May 11 |
| 1984 | May 17 |
| 1985 | Apr 12 |
| 1986 | Mar 25 |
| 1987 | Apr 29 |
| 1988 | Apr 26 |
| 1989 | Apr 24 |
| 1990 | Apr 19 |
| 1991 | Apr 3 |
| 1992 | Apr 6 |
| 1993 | Apr 28 |
| 1994 | Apr 8 |
| 1995 | Apr 15 |
| 1996 | May 14 |
| 1997 | May 8 |
| 1998 | Apr 13 |
| 1999 | Apr 25 |
| 2000 | Apr 14 |
| 2001 | Apr 26 |
| 2002 | May 22 |
| 2003 | Apr 1 |
| 2004 | Apr 16 |
| 2005 | May 3 |
| 2006 | Apr 10 |
| 2007 | Apr 11 |
| 2008 | Apr 16 |
| 2009 | Apr 13 |
| 2010 | Apr 18 |
| 2011 | Apr 6 |
| 2012 | Apr 25 |
| 2013 | May 14 |
| 2014 | Apr 21 |
| 2015 | Apr 12 |
| 2016 | Apr 14 |
| 2017 | Apr 9 |
| 2018 | Apr 30 |
| 2019 | Apr 3 |
| 2020 | Apr 19 |
| 2021 | Apr 23 |
| 2022 | Apr 20 |
| 2023 | Apr 9 |
| 2024 | Mar 30 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1963 | 163 |
| 1964 | 174 |
| 1965 | 183 |
| 1966 | 148 |
| 1967 | 168 |
| 1968 | 151 |
| 1969 | 174 |
| 1970 | 150 |
| 1971 | 201 |
| 1972 | 164 |
| 1973 | 186 |
| 1974 | 138 |
| 1975 | 189 |
| 1976 | 151 |
| 1977 | 170 |
| 1978 | 168 |
| 1979 | 172 |
| 1980 | 178 |
| 1981 | 164 |
| 1982 | 187 |
| 1983 | 135 |
| 1984 | 169 |
| 1985 | 196 |
| 1986 | 195 |
| 1987 | 162 |
| 1988 | 162 |
| 1989 | 181 |
| 1990 | 183 |
| 1991 | 187 |
| 1992 | 183 |
| 1993 | 155 |
| 1994 | 185 |
| 1995 | 184 |
| 1996 | 150 |
| 1997 | 146 |
| 1998 | 171 |
| 1999 | 185 |
| 2000 | 176 |
| 2001 | 164 |
| 2002 | 148 |
| 2003 | 184 |
| 2004 | 184 |
| 2005 | 191 |
| 2006 | 185 |
| 2007 | 200 |
| 2008 | 186 |
| 2009 | 204 |
| 2010 | 196 |
| 2011 | 206 |
| 2012 | 170 |
| 2013 | 163 |
| 2014 | 200 |
| 2015 | 188 |
| 2016 | 194 |
| 2017 | 214 |
| 2018 | 174 |
| 2019 | 212 |
| 2020 | 194 |
| 2021 | 193 |
| 2022 | 183 |
| 2023 | 205 |
| 2024 | 211 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1962 | 19.0 °C |
| 1963 | 19.3 °C |
| 1964 | 19.6 °C |
| 1965 | 20.1 °C |
| 1966 | 18.8 °C |
| 1967 | 18.6 °C |
| 1968 | 19.2 °C |
| 1969 | 20.0 °C |
| 1970 | 19.3 °C |
| 1971 | 19.4 °C |
| 1972 | 19.1 °C |
| 1973 | 20.1 °C |
| 1974 | 19.0 °C |
| 1975 | 19.2 °C |
| 1976 | 18.4 °C |
| 1977 | 20.3 °C |
| 1978 | 20.2 °C |
| 1979 | 19.2 °C |
| 1980 | 20.8 °C |
| 1981 | 19.7 °C |
| 1982 | 19.8 °C |
| 1983 | 18.9 °C |
| 1984 | 18.4 °C |
| 1985 | 20.0 °C |
| 1986 | 20.3 °C |
| 1987 | 20.5 °C |
| 1988 | 20.2 °C |
| 1989 | 19.8 °C |
| 1990 | 19.7 °C |
| 1991 | 21.1 °C |
| 1992 | 18.7 °C |
| 1993 | 20.7 °C |
| 1994 | 20.8 °C |
| 1995 | 20.2 °C |
| 1996 | 19.2 °C |
| 1997 | 18.6 °C |
| 1998 | 20.7 °C |
| 1999 | 20.0 °C |
| 2000 | 19.2 °C |
| 2001 | 19.7 °C |
| 2002 | 20.7 °C |
| 2003 | 19.4 °C |
| 2004 | 20.6 °C |
| 2005 | 20.8 °C |
| 2006 | 20.7 °C |
| 2007 | 21.1 °C |
| 2008 | 20.3 °C |
| 2009 | 20.7 °C |
| 2010 | 22.1 °C |
| 2011 | 21.6 °C |
| 2012 | 21.2 °C |
| 2013 | 20.4 °C |
| 2014 | 19.5 °C |
| 2015 | 21.0 °C |
| 2016 | 21.2 °C |
| 2017 | 20.8 °C |
| 2018 | 21.1 °C |
| 2019 | 21.9 °C |
| 2020 | 20.5 °C |
| 2021 | 21.1 °C |
| 2022 | 20.9 °C |
| 2023 | 21.2 °C |
| 2024 | 22.1 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1962, Loch Lomond's last spring frost has come about 2 days earlier per decade, on average. The frost-free season has grown by about 5 days per decade. Year-to-year swings are large, so keep using the safe date rather than the trend.
Source: daily records from Washington Dulles Intl Ap (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.