When to plant in Stanley, VA
Planting dates worked out from Stanley's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
May 14
1 year in 10 has a later frost
Average last frost
Apr 28
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Oct 20
1 year in 10 by Oct 7
Frost-free days
171
median, 1991–2020
Station used: Luray 5 E · 15.1 km away · station 427 m, town 333 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 19 – Apr 2 | May 14 – May 28 | Jul 8 |
| Sweet pepper | Mar 5 – Mar 19 | May 14 – May 28 | Jul 13 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Feb 24 – Mar 3 | Mar 31 – Apr 14 | May 10 |
| Peas | — | Mar 17 – Apr 14 | May 11 |
| Bush beans | — | May 7 – May 28 | Jun 26 |
| Carrot | — | Apr 7 – May 19 | Jun 6 |
| Beet | — | Mar 31 – May 12 | May 20 |
| Potato | — | Apr 7 – Apr 28 | Jun 16 |
| Kale | Feb 17 – Mar 3 | Mar 31 – Apr 14 | May 13 |
| Broccoli | Feb 17 – Mar 3 | Mar 31 – Apr 21 | May 30 |
| Cucumber | Apr 16 – Apr 23 | May 14 – May 28 | Jul 3 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | Apr 16 – Apr 23 | May 14 – May 28 | Jun 28 |
| Winter squash | Apr 16 – Apr 23 | May 14 – May 28 | Aug 2 |
| Sweet corn | — | May 7 – May 28 | Jul 6 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Mar 31 – Apr 21 | Jun 29 |
| Garlic | — | Oct 6 – Nov 3 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Mar 17 – Apr 14 | Apr 24 |
| Basil | Apr 2 – Apr 16 | May 14 – May 28 | Jul 10 |
Stanley'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 |
|---|---|
| 1941 | May 11 |
| 1942 | Apr 19 |
| 1943 | May 2 |
| 1944 | Apr 29 |
| 1945 | Jun 6 |
| 1946 | May 9 |
| 1947 | May 11 |
| 1948 | May 20 |
| 1949 | May 27 |
| 1950 | May 21 |
| 1952 | Apr 17 |
| 1953 | Apr 22 |
| 1954 | May 11 |
| 1955 | May 18 |
| 1956 | May 25 |
| 1957 | May 5 |
| 1958 | Apr 26 |
| 1959 | Apr 24 |
| 1960 | May 14 |
| 1961 | May 4 |
| 1962 | Apr 24 |
| 1963 | May 24 |
| 1964 | Apr 16 |
| 1965 | Apr 17 |
| 1966 | Jun 1 |
| 1967 | May 25 |
| 1968 | May 8 |
| 1969 | May 12 |
| 1971 | May 4 |
| 1972 | May 11 |
| 1973 | May 18 |
| 1974 | May 8 |
| 1975 | Apr 27 |
| 1977 | Jun 8 |
| 1978 | May 3 |
| 1979 | May 1 |
| 1980 | May 10 |
| 1981 | May 13 |
| 1983 | May 10 |
| 1984 | May 16 |
| 1985 | May 4 |
| 1986 | May 3 |
| 1987 | May 3 |
| 1988 | Apr 26 |
| 1989 | May 7 |
| 1990 | Apr 19 |
| 1991 | Apr 25 |
| 1995 | Apr 15 |
| 1996 | May 14 |
| 1997 | May 11 |
| 1998 | Apr 28 |
| 1999 | Apr 25 |
| 2000 | Apr 14 |
| 2001 | Apr 26 |
| 2002 | May 22 |
| 2003 | Apr 24 |
| 2008 | Apr 30 |
| 2010 | May 10 |
| 2011 | Apr 6 |
| 2012 | Apr 24 |
| 2013 | May 14 |
| 2014 | Apr 24 |
| 2015 | Apr 5 |
| 2016 | Apr 15 |
| 2017 | May 9 |
| 2018 | Apr 30 |
| 2019 | Apr 16 |
| 2020 | May 13 |
| 2021 | Apr 23 |
| 2022 | Apr 29 |
| 2023 | Apr 25 |
| 2024 | Apr 23 |
| 2025 | Apr 17 |
| 2026 | Apr 21 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1941 | 167 |
| 1942 | 162 |
| 1943 | 168 |
| 1944 | 169 |
| 1945 | 119 |
| 1946 | 156 |
| 1947 | 134 |
| 1948 | 151 |
| 1949 | 152 |
| 1950 | 125 |
| 1952 | 169 |
| 1953 | 168 |
| 1954 | 149 |
| 1955 | 151 |
| 1956 | 118 |
| 1957 | 145 |
| 1958 | 162 |
| 1959 | 187 |
| 1960 | 159 |
| 1961 | 153 |
| 1962 | 149 |
| 1963 | 122 |
| 1964 | 172 |
| 1965 | 171 |
| 1966 | 122 |
| 1967 | 147 |
| 1969 | 155 |
| 1971 | 183 |
| 1972 | 151 |
| 1973 | 140 |
| 1974 | 138 |
| 1975 | 158 |
| 1977 | 131 |
| 1978 | 158 |
| 1979 | 161 |
| 1980 | 148 |
| 1981 | 142 |
| 1983 | 135 |
| 1984 | 139 |
| 1985 | 155 |
| 1986 | 156 |
| 1987 | 154 |
| 1988 | 162 |
| 1989 | 153 |
| 1990 | 183 |
| 1995 | 184 |
| 1997 | 143 |
| 1998 | 169 |
| 1999 | 172 |
| 2001 | 163 |
| 2002 | 148 |
| 2003 | 161 |
| 2008 | 171 |
| 2010 | 165 |
| 2011 | 205 |
| 2012 | 171 |
| 2013 | 163 |
| 2014 | 189 |
| 2015 | 195 |
| 2016 | 193 |
| 2017 | 170 |
| 2018 | 171 |
| 2019 | 199 |
| 2020 | 170 |
| 2021 | 193 |
| 2022 | 162 |
| 2023 | 180 |
| 2024 | 175 |
| 2025 | 189 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1941 | 19.7 °C |
| 1943 | 19.6 °C |
| 1944 | 19.8 °C |
| 1945 | 19.6 °C |
| 1946 | 17.4 °C |
| 1947 | 19.4 °C |
| 1948 | 18.8 °C |
| 1949 | 19.1 °C |
| 1950 | 18.2 °C |
| 1951 | 19.6 °C |
| 1952 | 19.8 °C |
| 1953 | 20.4 °C |
| 1954 | 20.1 °C |
| 1955 | 20.4 °C |
| 1956 | 19.0 °C |
| 1957 | 20.0 °C |
| 1958 | 18.9 °C |
| 1959 | 20.3 °C |
| 1960 | 19.6 °C |
| 1961 | 18.7 °C |
| 1962 | 18.9 °C |
| 1963 | 18.8 °C |
| 1964 | 19.2 °C |
| 1965 | 19.3 °C |
| 1966 | 17.6 °C |
| 1967 | 17.1 °C |
| 1969 | 19.0 °C |
| 1971 | 18.1 °C |
| 1972 | 17.9 °C |
| 1973 | 18.3 °C |
| 1974 | 17.4 °C |
| 1975 | 18.0 °C |
| 1976 | 18.0 °C |
| 1977 | 19.4 °C |
| 1979 | 17.8 °C |
| 1980 | 18.9 °C |
| 1981 | 17.9 °C |
| 1982 | 17.9 °C |
| 1983 | 17.9 °C |
| 1984 | 18.6 °C |
| 1985 | 19.2 °C |
| 1986 | 19.2 °C |
| 1987 | 18.9 °C |
| 1988 | 19.3 °C |
| 1989 | 18.4 °C |
| 1990 | 18.6 °C |
| 1995 | 19.7 °C |
| 1996 | 19.0 °C |
| 1997 | 18.1 °C |
| 1998 | 20.2 °C |
| 1999 | 19.4 °C |
| 2001 | 19.2 °C |
| 2002 | 20.4 °C |
| 2008 | 18.7 °C |
| 2010 | 20.7 °C |
| 2011 | 20.0 °C |
| 2012 | 19.6 °C |
| 2013 | 18.7 °C |
| 2014 | 18.8 °C |
| 2015 | 19.6 °C |
| 2016 | 19.7 °C |
| 2017 | 19.3 °C |
| 2018 | 19.7 °C |
| 2019 | 20.4 °C |
| 2020 | 18.6 °C |
| 2021 | 19.7 °C |
| 2022 | 19.3 °C |
| 2023 | 19.2 °C |
| 2024 | 20.4 °C |
| 2025 | 19.9 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1941, Stanley'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 Luray 5 E (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.