When to plant in Pulaski, VA
Planting dates worked out from Pulaski'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 29
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: Pulaski 2 E · 1.0 km away · station 634 m, town 580 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 25 – Mar 4 | Apr 1 – Apr 15 | May 11 |
| Peas | — | Mar 18 – Apr 15 | May 12 |
| Bush beans | — | May 8 – May 29 | Jun 27 |
| Carrot | — | Apr 8 – May 20 | Jun 7 |
| Beet | — | Apr 1 – May 13 | May 21 |
| Potato | — | Apr 8 – Apr 29 | Jun 17 |
| Kale | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Apr 1 – Apr 15 | May 14 |
| Broccoli | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Apr 1 – Apr 22 | May 31 |
| 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) | — | Apr 1 – Apr 22 | Jun 30 |
| Garlic | — | Oct 5 – Nov 2 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Mar 18 – Apr 15 | Apr 25 |
| Basil | Apr 3 – Apr 17 | May 15 – May 29 | Jul 11 |
Pulaski'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 |
|---|---|
| 1921 | Apr 20 |
| 1922 | May 1 |
| 1923 | May 11 |
| 1961 | May 3 |
| 1962 | Apr 21 |
| 1963 | May 3 |
| 1964 | Apr 16 |
| 1965 | Apr 3 |
| 1966 | May 11 |
| 1967 | Apr 29 |
| 1968 | May 7 |
| 1969 | May 13 |
| 1970 | May 7 |
| 1971 | May 5 |
| 1972 | Jun 11 |
| 1973 | May 18 |
| 1974 | May 8 |
| 1975 | Apr 27 |
| 1976 | May 9 |
| 1977 | May 12 |
| 1978 | May 3 |
| 1979 | May 17 |
| 1980 | May 10 |
| 1981 | May 13 |
| 1982 | May 1 |
| 1983 | May 17 |
| 1984 | May 17 |
| 1985 | May 4 |
| 1986 | Apr 25 |
| 1987 | Apr 13 |
| 1988 | May 1 |
| 1989 | May 13 |
| 1990 | Apr 19 |
| 1991 | Apr 22 |
| 1992 | Apr 29 |
| 1993 | Apr 28 |
| 1994 | May 28 |
| 1995 | Apr 30 |
| 1996 | May 15 |
| 1997 | Apr 26 |
| 1998 | Apr 13 |
| 1999 | May 1 |
| 2000 | Apr 27 |
| 2001 | May 14 |
| 2002 | May 23 |
| 2003 | Apr 25 |
| 2004 | Apr 16 |
| 2005 | May 4 |
| 2006 | Apr 11 |
| 2007 | May 8 |
| 2008 | May 1 |
| 2009 | May 19 |
| 2010 | May 11 |
| 2011 | Apr 7 |
| 2012 | Apr 14 |
| 2013 | Apr 22 |
| 2014 | Apr 24 |
| 2015 | Apr 30 |
| 2016 | Apr 17 |
| 2017 | Apr 10 |
| 2018 | Apr 30 |
| 2019 | Apr 17 |
| 2020 | May 11 |
| 2021 | May 13 |
| 2022 | Apr 21 |
| 2023 | May 5 |
| 2024 | Apr 23 |
| 2025 | Apr 17 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1921 | 171 |
| 1922 | 164 |
| 1923 | 150 |
| 1961 | 154 |
| 1962 | 185 |
| 1963 | 180 |
| 1964 | 172 |
| 1965 | 184 |
| 1966 | 148 |
| 1967 | 149 |
| 1968 | 150 |
| 1969 | 138 |
| 1970 | 150 |
| 1971 | 155 |
| 1972 | 111 |
| 1973 | 151 |
| 1974 | 147 |
| 1975 | 157 |
| 1976 | 136 |
| 1977 | 145 |
| 1978 | 158 |
| 1979 | 141 |
| 1980 | 148 |
| 1981 | 133 |
| 1982 | 169 |
| 1983 | 128 |
| 1984 | 125 |
| 1985 | 133 |
| 1986 | 164 |
| 1987 | 173 |
| 1988 | 156 |
| 1989 | 136 |
| 1990 | 182 |
| 1991 | 168 |
| 1992 | 159 |
| 1993 | 155 |
| 1994 | 135 |
| 1995 | 169 |
| 1996 | 142 |
| 1997 | 172 |
| 1998 | 192 |
| 1999 | 172 |
| 2000 | 164 |
| 2001 | 146 |
| 2002 | 162 |
| 2003 | 160 |
| 2004 | 206 |
| 2005 | 175 |
| 2006 | 184 |
| 2007 | 173 |
| 2008 | 170 |
| 2009 | 152 |
| 2010 | 164 |
| 2011 | 197 |
| 2012 | 204 |
| 2013 | 181 |
| 2014 | 189 |
| 2015 | 170 |
| 2016 | 191 |
| 2017 | 189 |
| 2018 | 171 |
| 2019 | 184 |
| 2020 | 158 |
| 2021 | 173 |
| 2022 | 170 |
| 2023 | 170 |
| 2024 | 177 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1921 | 19.4 °C |
| 1922 | 18.6 °C |
| 1923 | 18.4 °C |
| 1961 | 17.7 °C |
| 1962 | 18.1 °C |
| 1963 | 18.0 °C |
| 1964 | 18.7 °C |
| 1965 | 19.0 °C |
| 1966 | 17.8 °C |
| 1968 | 17.8 °C |
| 1969 | 18.8 °C |
| 1970 | 19.1 °C |
| 1971 | 18.0 °C |
| 1972 | 17.8 °C |
| 1973 | 18.8 °C |
| 1974 | 17.8 °C |
| 1975 | 18.3 °C |
| 1976 | 17.3 °C |
| 1977 | 18.8 °C |
| 1978 | 18.6 °C |
| 1979 | 17.8 °C |
| 1980 | 18.9 °C |
| 1981 | 19.1 °C |
| 1982 | 18.2 °C |
| 1983 | 18.8 °C |
| 1984 | 17.9 °C |
| 1985 | 18.7 °C |
| 1986 | 19.6 °C |
| 1987 | 18.7 °C |
| 1988 | 17.4 °C |
| 1989 | 17.3 °C |
| 1990 | 17.9 °C |
| 1991 | 18.9 °C |
| 1992 | 16.8 °C |
| 1993 | 18.3 °C |
| 1994 | 17.7 °C |
| 1995 | 17.9 °C |
| 1996 | 17.4 °C |
| 1997 | 16.7 °C |
| 1998 | 18.9 °C |
| 1999 | 18.3 °C |
| 2000 | 17.9 °C |
| 2001 | 17.8 °C |
| 2002 | 18.5 °C |
| 2003 | 17.6 °C |
| 2004 | 18.1 °C |
| 2005 | 18.0 °C |
| 2006 | 18.0 °C |
| 2007 | 19.0 °C |
| 2008 | 18.1 °C |
| 2009 | 18.1 °C |
| 2010 | 19.9 °C |
| 2011 | 19.6 °C |
| 2012 | 19.2 °C |
| 2013 | 18.4 °C |
| 2014 | 18.5 °C |
| 2015 | 18.7 °C |
| 2016 | 19.1 °C |
| 2017 | 18.6 °C |
| 2018 | 19.4 °C |
| 2019 | 19.6 °C |
| 2020 | 18.0 °C |
| 2021 | 18.2 °C |
| 2022 | 18.4 °C |
| 2023 | 17.7 °C |
| 2024 | 19.2 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1921, Pulaski's last spring frost has come about 1 day earlier per decade, on average. The frost-free season has grown by about 3 days per decade. Year-to-year swings are large, so keep using the safe date rather than the trend.
Source: daily records from Pulaski 2 E (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.