When to plant in Merrimac, VA
Planting dates worked out from Merrimac's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
May 15
1 year in 10 has a later frost
Average last frost
Apr 27
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Oct 19
1 year in 10 by Oct 6
Frost-free days
170
median, 1991–2020
Station used: Blacksburg Nwso · 1.9 km away · station 641 m, town 605 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 20 – Apr 3 | May 15 – May 29 | Jul 9 |
| Sweet pepper | Mar 6 – Mar 20 | May 15 – May 29 | Jul 14 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Feb 23 – Mar 2 | Mar 30 – Apr 13 | May 9 |
| Peas | — | Mar 20 – Apr 17 | May 14 |
| Bush beans | — | May 8 – May 29 | Jun 27 |
| Carrot | — | Apr 6 – May 18 | Jun 5 |
| Beet | — | Mar 30 – May 11 | May 19 |
| Potato | — | Apr 6 – Apr 27 | Jun 15 |
| Kale | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Mar 30 – Apr 13 | May 12 |
| Broccoli | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Mar 30 – Apr 20 | May 29 |
| Cucumber | Apr 17 – Apr 24 | May 15 – May 29 | Jul 4 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | Apr 17 – Apr 24 | May 15 – May 29 | Jun 29 |
| Winter squash | Apr 17 – Apr 24 | May 15 – May 29 | Aug 3 |
| Sweet corn | — | May 8 – May 29 | Jul 7 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Mar 30 – Apr 20 | Jun 28 |
| Garlic | — | Oct 5 – Nov 2 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Mar 20 – Apr 17 | Apr 27 |
| Basil | Apr 3 – Apr 17 | May 15 – May 29 | Jul 11 |
Merrimac'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 |
|---|---|
| 1953 | Apr 22 |
| 1954 | May 6 |
| 1955 | Apr 9 |
| 1956 | Apr 25 |
| 1957 | Apr 16 |
| 1958 | Apr 14 |
| 1959 | Apr 14 |
| 1960 | May 13 |
| 1961 | May 3 |
| 1962 | Apr 21 |
| 1963 | May 3 |
| 1964 | Apr 16 |
| 1966 | May 11 |
| 1967 | May 24 |
| 1968 | May 22 |
| 1969 | May 13 |
| 1970 | May 7 |
| 1971 | May 5 |
| 1972 | Jun 11 |
| 1973 | May 18 |
| 1974 | May 14 |
| 1975 | Apr 27 |
| 1976 | May 10 |
| 1977 | May 12 |
| 1978 | May 3 |
| 1979 | Apr 30 |
| 1980 | May 10 |
| 1981 | May 13 |
| 1982 | Apr 24 |
| 1983 | May 27 |
| 1984 | Apr 23 |
| 1985 | Apr 11 |
| 1986 | May 4 |
| 1987 | Apr 26 |
| 1988 | Apr 20 |
| 1989 | May 10 |
| 1990 | Apr 19 |
| 1991 | Apr 23 |
| 1992 | Apr 29 |
| 1993 | Apr 23 |
| 1994 | Apr 8 |
| 1996 | May 15 |
| 1997 | May 15 |
| 1998 | Apr 29 |
| 1999 | May 4 |
| 2000 | Apr 28 |
| 2001 | May 15 |
| 2002 | May 23 |
| 2003 | Apr 24 |
| 2004 | Apr 16 |
| 2005 | May 3 |
| 2006 | Apr 10 |
| 2007 | May 8 |
| 2008 | Apr 30 |
| 2009 | Apr 18 |
| 2010 | May 10 |
| 2011 | Apr 7 |
| 2012 | Apr 13 |
| 2013 | May 15 |
| 2014 | Apr 18 |
| 2015 | Apr 6 |
| 2016 | Apr 17 |
| 2017 | Apr 10 |
| 2018 | May 1 |
| 2019 | Apr 16 |
| 2020 | May 11 |
| 2021 | Apr 24 |
| 2022 | May 10 |
| 2023 | Apr 25 |
| 2024 | Apr 23 |
| 2025 | Apr 18 |
| 2026 | May 4 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1953 | 168 |
| 1954 | 154 |
| 1955 | 190 |
| 1956 | 148 |
| 1957 | 179 |
| 1958 | 175 |
| 1959 | 202 |
| 1960 | 160 |
| 1961 | 154 |
| 1962 | 152 |
| 1963 | 143 |
| 1964 | 172 |
| 1966 | 143 |
| 1967 | 123 |
| 1968 | 135 |
| 1969 | 157 |
| 1970 | 144 |
| 1971 | 155 |
| 1972 | 111 |
| 1973 | 152 |
| 1974 | 132 |
| 1975 | 139 |
| 1976 | 153 |
| 1977 | 151 |
| 1978 | 158 |
| 1979 | 158 |
| 1980 | 148 |
| 1981 | 143 |
| 1982 | 133 |
| 1983 | 118 |
| 1984 | 162 |
| 1985 | 155 |
| 1986 | 164 |
| 1987 | 158 |
| 1988 | 168 |
| 1990 | 183 |
| 1991 | 166 |
| 1992 | 159 |
| 1993 | 160 |
| 1996 | 142 |
| 1997 | 153 |
| 1998 | 176 |
| 1999 | 169 |
| 2000 | 163 |
| 2001 | 145 |
| 2002 | 147 |
| 2003 | 161 |
| 2004 | 206 |
| 2005 | 174 |
| 2006 | 185 |
| 2007 | 173 |
| 2008 | 171 |
| 2009 | 183 |
| 2010 | 165 |
| 2011 | 197 |
| 2012 | 199 |
| 2013 | 158 |
| 2014 | 195 |
| 2015 | 194 |
| 2016 | 201 |
| 2017 | 199 |
| 2018 | 170 |
| 2019 | 190 |
| 2020 | 158 |
| 2021 | 192 |
| 2022 | 151 |
| 2023 | 189 |
| 2024 | 176 |
| 2025 | 185 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1953 | 19.5 °C |
| 1954 | 18.7 °C |
| 1955 | 18.9 °C |
| 1956 | 17.8 °C |
| 1957 | 18.8 °C |
| 1958 | 17.9 °C |
| 1959 | 19.0 °C |
| 1960 | 18.0 °C |
| 1961 | 17.1 °C |
| 1962 | 17.4 °C |
| 1963 | 17.4 °C |
| 1964 | 18.0 °C |
| 1965 | 18.2 °C |
| 1966 | 17.1 °C |
| 1967 | 15.8 °C |
| 1968 | 16.8 °C |
| 1969 | 17.4 °C |
| 1970 | 17.6 °C |
| 1971 | 16.8 °C |
| 1972 | 16.4 °C |
| 1973 | 17.2 °C |
| 1974 | 16.0 °C |
| 1975 | 17.6 °C |
| 1976 | 16.9 °C |
| 1977 | 18.4 °C |
| 1978 | 18.1 °C |
| 1979 | 16.9 °C |
| 1980 | 17.9 °C |
| 1981 | 17.6 °C |
| 1982 | 17.6 °C |
| 1983 | 17.1 °C |
| 1984 | 17.4 °C |
| 1985 | 17.8 °C |
| 1986 | 18.3 °C |
| 1987 | 18.5 °C |
| 1988 | 17.8 °C |
| 1990 | 17.8 °C |
| 1991 | 18.9 °C |
| 1992 | 17.4 °C |
| 1993 | 18.7 °C |
| 1994 | 18.4 °C |
| 1996 | 17.2 °C |
| 1997 | 16.2 °C |
| 1998 | 18.4 °C |
| 1999 | 17.7 °C |
| 2000 | 17.4 °C |
| 2001 | 17.6 °C |
| 2002 | 18.5 °C |
| 2003 | 17.5 °C |
| 2004 | 18.1 °C |
| 2005 | 18.1 °C |
| 2006 | 17.9 °C |
| 2007 | 18.6 °C |
| 2008 | 17.5 °C |
| 2009 | 17.9 °C |
| 2010 | 19.3 °C |
| 2011 | 19.1 °C |
| 2012 | 18.4 °C |
| 2013 | 17.5 °C |
| 2014 | 18.1 °C |
| 2015 | 18.9 °C |
| 2016 | 19.0 °C |
| 2017 | 18.2 °C |
| 2018 | 18.8 °C |
| 2019 | 19.7 °C |
| 2020 | 17.8 °C |
| 2021 | 18.3 °C |
| 2022 | 18.6 °C |
| 2023 | 18.2 °C |
| 2024 | 19.5 °C |
| 2025 | 18.6 °C |
| 2026 | 19.2 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1953, Merrimac's last spring frost has come about 1 day 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 Blacksburg Nwso (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.