When to plant in Newport News, VA
Planting dates worked out from Newport News's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
Mar 28
1 year in 10 has a later frost
Average last frost
Mar 13
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Nov 30
1 year in 10 by Nov 13
Frost-free days
262
median, 1991–2020
Station used: Norfolk Nas · 13.4 km away · station 5 m, town 6 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 | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | Mar 28 – Apr 11 | May 22 |
| Sweet pepper | Jan 17 – Jan 31 | Mar 28 – Apr 11 | May 27 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Jan 9 – Jan 16 | Feb 13 – Feb 27 | Mar 25 |
| Peas | — | Feb 6 – Mar 6 | Apr 2 |
| Bush beans | — | Mar 21 – Apr 11 | May 10 |
| Carrot | — | Feb 24 – Apr 7 | Apr 25 |
| Beet | — | Feb 24 – Apr 7 | Apr 15 |
| Potato | — | Feb 24 – Mar 17 | May 5 |
| Kale | Jan 2 – Jan 16 | Feb 13 – Feb 27 | Mar 28 |
| Broccoli | Jan 2 – Jan 16 | Feb 13 – Mar 6 | Apr 14 |
| Cucumber | Feb 28 – Mar 7 | Mar 28 – Apr 11 | May 17 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | Feb 28 – Mar 7 | Mar 28 – Apr 11 | May 12 |
| Winter squash | Feb 28 – Mar 7 | Mar 28 – Apr 11 | Jun 16 |
| Sweet corn | — | Mar 21 – Apr 11 | May 20 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Feb 13 – Mar 6 | May 14 |
| Garlic | — | Nov 16 – Dec 14 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Feb 6 – Mar 6 | Mar 16 |
| Basil | Feb 14 – Feb 28 | Mar 28 – Apr 11 | May 24 |
Newport News'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 |
|---|---|
| 1945 | Feb 20 |
| 1946 | Feb 25 |
| 1947 | Mar 27 |
| 1948 | Mar 14 |
| 1949 | Mar 19 |
| 1950 | Apr 14 |
| 1951 | Mar 26 |
| 1952 | Mar 15 |
| 1953 | Mar 9 |
| 1954 | Mar 16 |
| 1955 | Mar 28 |
| 1956 | Mar 25 |
| 1957 | Feb 20 |
| 1958 | Feb 23 |
| 1959 | Mar 19 |
| 1960 | Mar 27 |
| 1961 | Mar 11 |
| 1962 | Mar 19 |
| 1963 | Mar 3 |
| 1964 | Apr 2 |
| 1965 | Mar 21 |
| 1966 | Mar 17 |
| 1967 | Mar 20 |
| 1968 | Mar 15 |
| 1969 | Mar 16 |
| 1970 | Mar 17 |
| 1971 | Mar 25 |
| 1972 | Feb 23 |
| 1973 | Mar 1 |
| 1974 | Apr 7 |
| 1975 | Mar 10 |
| 1976 | Mar 18 |
| 1977 | Feb 22 |
| 1978 | Mar 18 |
| 1979 | Mar 16 |
| 1980 | Mar 4 |
| 1981 | Mar 20 |
| 1982 | Apr 7 |
| 1983 | Feb 21 |
| 1984 | Mar 10 |
| 1985 | Mar 7 |
| 1986 | Mar 23 |
| 1987 | Mar 11 |
| 1988 | Mar 22 |
| 1989 | Mar 20 |
| 1990 | Mar 8 |
| 1991 | Feb 27 |
| 1992 | Mar 17 |
| 1993 | Mar 19 |
| 1994 | Mar 17 |
| 1995 | Mar 11 |
| 1996 | Mar 11 |
| 1997 | Feb 18 |
| 1998 | Mar 13 |
| 2001 | Mar 27 |
| 2002 | Mar 23 |
| 2003 | Mar 11 |
| 2004 | Mar 23 |
| 2005 | Mar 10 |
| 2007 | Mar 19 |
| 2008 | Mar 1 |
| 2009 | Mar 5 |
| 2010 | Feb 21 |
| 2011 | Mar 29 |
| 2012 | Feb 21 |
| 2013 | Feb 21 |
| 2014 | Mar 25 |
| 2015 | Mar 29 |
| 2016 | Apr 6 |
| 2017 | Mar 17 |
| 2018 | Mar 17 |
| 2019 | Mar 13 |
| 2020 | Mar 1 |
| 2021 | Mar 8 |
| 2023 | Mar 21 |
| 2024 | Feb 22 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1945 | 276 |
| 1946 | 279 |
| 1947 | 246 |
| 1948 | 285 |
| 1949 | 248 |
| 1950 | 224 |
| 1951 | 237 |
| 1952 | 258 |
| 1953 | 282 |
| 1954 | 264 |
| 1955 | 245 |
| 1956 | 243 |
| 1957 | 287 |
| 1958 | 279 |
| 1959 | 243 |
| 1960 | 250 |
| 1961 | 278 |
| 1962 | 232 |
| 1963 | 266 |
| 1964 | 233 |
| 1965 | 255 |
| 1966 | 258 |
| 1967 | 232 |
| 1968 | 267 |
| 1969 | 243 |
| 1970 | 250 |
| 1971 | 268 |
| 1972 | 274 |
| 1973 | 276 |
| 1974 | 223 |
| 1975 | 282 |
| 1976 | 235 |
| 1977 | 276 |
| 1978 | 266 |
| 1979 | 258 |
| 1980 | 261 |
| 1981 | 246 |
| 1982 | 248 |
| 1984 | 264 |
| 1985 | 270 |
| 1986 | 234 |
| 1987 | 254 |
| 1988 | 262 |
| 1989 | 247 |
| 1990 | 266 |
| 1991 | 272 |
| 1992 | 243 |
| 1993 | 266 |
| 1994 | 288 |
| 1995 | 256 |
| 1996 | 261 |
| 1997 | 273 |
| 1998 | 284 |
| 2001 | 270 |
| 2002 | 249 |
| 2003 | 267 |
| 2004 | 282 |
| 2005 | 253 |
| 2007 | 261 |
| 2008 | 262 |
| 2009 | 281 |
| 2010 | 287 |
| 2011 | 198 |
| 2012 | 312 |
| 2013 | 264 |
| 2014 | 237 |
| 2015 | 239 |
| 2016 | 220 |
| 2017 | 251 |
| 2018 | 249 |
| 2019 | 244 |
| 2020 | 276 |
| 2021 | 265 |
| 2023 | 252 |
| 2024 | 284 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1945 | 22.8 °C |
| 1946 | 21.8 °C |
| 1947 | 22.3 °C |
| 1948 | 22.4 °C |
| 1949 | 22.7 °C |
| 1950 | 21.4 °C |
| 1951 | 22.2 °C |
| 1952 | 23.2 °C |
| 1953 | 23.2 °C |
| 1954 | 22.8 °C |
| 1955 | 23.0 °C |
| 1956 | 22.0 °C |
| 1957 | 23.2 °C |
| 1958 | 22.2 °C |
| 1959 | 24.3 °C |
| 1960 | 22.7 °C |
| 1961 | 22.1 °C |
| 1962 | 21.9 °C |
| 1963 | 21.1 °C |
| 1964 | 21.3 °C |
| 1965 | 22.3 °C |
| 1966 | 21.1 °C |
| 1967 | 20.7 °C |
| 1968 | 22.2 °C |
| 1969 | 22.4 °C |
| 1970 | 22.5 °C |
| 1971 | 22.0 °C |
| 1972 | 21.9 °C |
| 1973 | 22.5 °C |
| 1974 | 21.4 °C |
| 1975 | 22.7 °C |
| 1976 | 22.1 °C |
| 1977 | 23.2 °C |
| 1978 | 21.8 °C |
| 1979 | 22.0 °C |
| 1980 | 23.2 °C |
| 1981 | 22.6 °C |
| 1982 | 21.9 °C |
| 1985 | 22.6 °C |
| 1986 | 22.6 °C |
| 1987 | 22.7 °C |
| 1988 | 21.5 °C |
| 1989 | 22.2 °C |
| 1990 | 22.8 °C |
| 1991 | 23.8 °C |
| 1992 | 21.9 °C |
| 1993 | 23.5 °C |
| 1994 | 23.5 °C |
| 1995 | 23.4 °C |
| 1996 | 21.9 °C |
| 1997 | 21.4 °C |
| 1998 | 22.6 °C |
| 2001 | 22.2 °C |
| 2002 | 23.2 °C |
| 2003 | 22.4 °C |
| 2005 | 22.8 °C |
| 2007 | 23.4 °C |
| 2008 | 23.6 °C |
| 2009 | 23.9 °C |
| 2010 | 25.0 °C |
| 2011 | 24.8 °C |
| 2012 | 23.7 °C |
| 2013 | 22.7 °C |
| 2014 | 23.0 °C |
| 2015 | 23.8 °C |
| 2016 | 23.1 °C |
| 2017 | 23.7 °C |
| 2018 | 23.4 °C |
| 2019 | 23.9 °C |
| 2020 | 23.0 °C |
| 2021 | 22.9 °C |
| 2023 | 22.9 °C |
| 2024 | 23.4 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1945, Newport News's last spring frost has stayed at about the same time of year. Year-to-year swings are large, so keep using the safe date rather than the trend.
Source: daily records from Norfolk Nas (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.