USDA zone 7a in Virginia
USDA plant hardiness zone 7a covers 62 locations across Virginia (average annual extreme minimum 0 to 5 °F): Ashburn, VA, Atkins, VA, Barboursville, VA, Blacksburg, VA, Bland, VA, Bristol, VA, and 56 more. Average last spring frost across this group ranges March 28 (Independent Hill) to May 9 (Atkins), and growing seasons run 150–226 days (Atkins to Independent Hill) — even within one state, because hardiness sets winter survival, not planting dates. The table below gives every Virginia location's own frost dates; the printable planting calendar uses Dooms, this group's median-season location.
- USDA zone
- 7a0 to 5 °F
- Last frost range
- Mar 28–May 9avg, 32°F
- First frost range
- Oct 6–Nov 8avg, 32°F
- Growing season range
- 150–226days
Locations in this group
Every location below shares this zone and a nearby weather station, but keeps its own frost dates — find your town for its own numbers, or use the ZIP planner on the home page for an instant personalized answer.
| Location | Also covers | Nearest station | Last frost | First frost | Season (days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashburn | Brambleton, Moorefield, Waterford, Aldie | Wfo Sterling | Apr 13 | Oct 26 | 195 |
| Atkins | Abbs Valley | Burkes Garden | May 9 | Oct 6 | 150 |
| Barboursville | — | Charlottesville Ap | Apr 3 | Nov 1 | 211 |
| Blacksburg | — | Blacksburg Nwso | Apr 24 | Oct 19 | 175 |
| Bland | — | Bland | May 6 | Oct 10 | 157 |
| Bristol | Abingdon, Mendota | Abingdon 3s | Apr 21 | Oct 20 | 182 |
| Brookneal | — | Lynchburg Rgnl Ap | Apr 15 | Oct 24 | 191 |
| Buena Vista | Lexington, Goshen, Glasgow, Fairfield | Lexington | Apr 23 | Oct 23 | 181 |
| Bull Run | Gainesville, South Riding, Stone Ridge, Yorkshire, Bull Run Mountain Estates | Washington Dc Dulles Ap | Apr 15 | Oct 24 | 194 |
| Castlewood | Lebanon, Honaker, Cleveland | Lebanon | Apr 25 | Oct 16 | 173 |
| Christiansburg | Radford, Shawsville, Riner, Meadows of Dan, New River | Christiansburg | Apr 19 | Oct 23 | 186 |
| Covington | Low Moor, Selma, Iron Gate | Covington Fltr Plt | Apr 27 | Oct 18 | 172 |
| Culpeper | Brandy Station, Washington | Boston 4 Se | Apr 21 | Oct 22 | 184 |
| Culpeper | Brightwood, Lake of the Woods, Orange, Barboursville, Unionville, Rhoadesville, +3 more | Piedmont Rsch Stn | Apr 7 | Oct 30 | 204 |
| Dante | — | Nora 4 Sse | Apr 14 | Nov 1 | 200 |
| Dooms * | Crimora | Waynesboro Wtp | Apr 21 | Oct 23 | 184 |
| Dryden | Keokee, Gate, Cumberland, Stonega, Duffield, East Stone Gap, +3 more | Big Stone Gap | Apr 20 | Oct 23 | 186 |
| Fancy Gap | — | Mt Airy 2 W | Apr 19 | Oct 23 | 186 |
| Farmville | Cumberland | Farmville 2 N | Apr 12 | Oct 29 | 199 |
| Floyd | — | Floyd 2 Ne | Apr 30 | Oct 10 | 159 |
| Glenvar | Elliston | Roanoke Rgnl Ap | Apr 3 | Nov 1 | 210 |
| Goochland | Powhatan | Crozier | Apr 17 | Oct 27 | 191 |
| Harrisonburg | Massanutten, Weyers Cave, Elkton, Bridgewater, Port Republic, Shenandoah, +7 more | Dale Enterprise | Apr 21 | Oct 23 | 182 |
| Hillsville | Pulaski, Hiwassee, Allisonia, Draper | Pulaski 2 E | Apr 25 | Oct 17 | 175 |
| Independence | — | Elk Creek 4ssw | Apr 16 | Oct 27 | 193 |
| Independent Hill | Camp Barrett, Montclair | Quantico Mcas | Mar 28 | Nov 8 | 226 |
| Lake Holiday | Little Orleans, Capon Bridge, Pecktonville, Paw Paw, Bath (Berkeley Springs) | Cacapon St Pk #2 | Apr 23 | Oct 21 | 180 |
| Lake Land'Or | Wyndham | Ashland | Apr 10 | Oct 29 | 201 |
| Lake Monticello | Keswick | Monticello | Apr 5 | Nov 4 | 213 |
| Lebanon Church | — | Wardensville R M Farm | May 6 | Oct 12 | 159 |
| Louisa | Mineral | Louisa | Apr 26 | Oct 20 | 175 |
| Luray | Strasburg, Woodstock, Toms Brook | Woodstock 2 Ne | Apr 24 | Oct 20 | 177 |
| Luray | Sperryville | Luray 5 E | Apr 23 | Oct 22 | 179 |
| Manassas | Nokesville, Manassas Park, Innovation | Manassas | Apr 12 | Oct 27 | 197 |
| Meadows of Dan | — | Stuart | Apr 19 | Oct 27 | 190 |
| Millboro | Cliftondale Park | Hot Springs | Apr 26 | Oct 19 | 173 |
| New Baltimore | Bealeton, Calverton, Warrenton, Midland, Opal, Remington | Warrenton 3 Se | Apr 9 | Nov 1 | 205 |
| New Castle | — | Roanoke 8 N | Apr 11 | Oct 28 | 198 |
| New Castle | — | White Sulphur Springs | May 2 | Oct 13 | 165 |
| New Market | Columbia Furnace, Mount Clifton, Forestville | Edinburg | Apr 25 | Oct 19 | 174 |
| Norton | Wise, Pound, Coeburn, St. Paul, Dungannon, Dunbar | Wise 1se | Apr 25 | Oct 18 | 175 |
| Parrott | Pearisburg, Dublin, Narrows, Pembroke, Belspring, Eggleston, +4 more | Pearisburg 4 Sse | Apr 27 | Oct 17 | 171 |
| Pennington Gap | — | Pennington Gap | Apr 22 | Oct 20 | 179 |
| Purcellville | Lovettsville, Waterford, Hamilton | Purcellville | Apr 16 | Oct 25 | 189 |
| Raven | Richlands, Claypool Hill, Pounding Mill, Raysal, War, Cucumber, +3 more | Richlands | Apr 27 | Oct 18 | 173 |
| Richmond | — | Richmond Intl Ap | Apr 3 | Nov 4 | 215 |
| Ruckersville | Stanardsville | Somerset | Apr 17 | Oct 22 | 188 |
| Saltville | Marion, Emory, Chilhowie, Glade Spring | Saltville 1n | Apr 23 | Oct 20 | 178 |
| Scottsville | Palmyra, Columbia | Palmyra 3s | Apr 23 | Oct 21 | 180 |
| Scottsville | Columbia | Bremo Bluff | Apr 28 | Oct 17 | 172 |
| Shawsville | — | Copper Hill | Apr 21 | Oct 25 | 186 |
| Shenandoah Farms | Front Royal, Marshall, Skyland Estates, Chester Gap, Flint Hill, Middletown, +1 more | Front Royal | Apr 13 | Oct 28 | 196 |
| Sperryville | — | Sperryville | Apr 16 | Oct 27 | 192 |
| Spotsylvania Courthouse | Fredericksburg, Lake of the Woods, Lake Land'Or, Midland, Southern Gateway, Lake Wilderness, +1 more | Fredericksburg Sewage | Apr 6 | Nov 1 | 207 |
| Stanley | — | Big Meadows | May 1 | Oct 19 | 169 |
| Stuarts Draft | Staunton, Fishersville, Wintergreen, Verona, Middlebrook, New Hope, +5 more | Staunton Wtp | Apr 15 | Oct 27 | 191 |
| Troutdale | West Jefferson, Jefferson, Lansing | Jefferson 2 E | May 7 | Oct 8 | 154 |
| Winchester | Shawneeland, Lake Holiday, Stephens, Gore | Winchester | Apr 11 | Oct 29 | 200 |
| Wintergreen | Fairfield | Montebello Fish Cultural Stn | May 2 | Oct 13 | 162 |
| Woodlawn | Hillsville, Galax, Ivanhoe, Sparta, Lowgap, Stevens Creek, +1 more | Galax Radio Wbrf | Apr 26 | Oct 14 | 171 |
| Wytheville | Fort Chiswell, Sugar Grove, Rural Retreat, Stevens Creek | Wytheville | Apr 25 | Oct 18 | 174 |
| Yogaville | Lovingston | Tye Rvr 1 Se | Apr 15 | Oct 25 | 193 |
* Dooms is this group's median-season location — the calendar below is computed from its data.
Data: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (public domain) and USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023. Planting windows synthesized from U.S. Cooperative Extension guides.
Planting calendar (Dooms, representative)
Computed from Dooms's average frost dates — the median-season location in this Virginiazone 7a group. hatched = start seeds indoors, solid green = plant out, teal = a fall sowing, and the terracotta dot marks the estimated first harvest. Ranges are extension-guide planning guidance, not guarantees — your own location's dates may run a week or two earlier or later (see the table above).
- Start indoors
- Plant out
- Fall sowing
- First harvest
| Crop | Frost tolerance | Start indoors | Plant out | First harvest | Fall planting | Season fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Tender | Feb 24 – Mar 10 | Apr 28 – May 5 | Jun 27 – Jul 17 | — | matures comfortably |
| Pepper | Very tender | Feb 10 – Feb 24 | May 5 – May 12 | Jul 4 – Aug 3 | — | matures comfortably |
| Cucumber | Tender | Mar 24 – Mar 31 | Apr 28 – May 5 | Jun 17 – Jul 7 | — | matures comfortably |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Tender | — | Apr 28 – May 5 | Jun 12 – Jun 27 | — | matures comfortably |
| Bush bean | Tender | — | Apr 28 – May 5 | Jun 17 – Jun 27 | Aug 24 – Sep 3 | matures comfortably |
| Sweet corn | Tender | — | Apr 21 – May 5 | Jun 20 – Jul 20 | — | matures comfortably |
| Basil | Very tender | Mar 10 – Mar 24 | Apr 28 – May 5 | May 28 – Jun 12 | — | matures comfortably |
| Lettuce | Half-hardy | Mar 10 – Mar 24 | Mar 24 – Apr 7 | May 8 – May 23 | Aug 10 – Aug 25 | matures comfortably |
| Pea | Hardy | — | Mar 10 – Mar 24 | May 4 – May 19 | Jul 31 – Aug 15 | matures comfortably |
| Spinach | Hardy | — | Mar 10 – Mar 24 | Apr 19 – Apr 29 | Aug 20 – Aug 30 | matures comfortably |
| Carrot | Half-hardy | — | Mar 31 – Apr 7 | May 30 – Jun 19 | Jul 21 – Aug 10 | matures comfortably |
| Broccoli | Half-hardy | Feb 24 – Mar 10 | Mar 24 – Apr 7 | May 18 – Jun 7 | Jul 26 – Aug 15 | matures comfortably |
Which crops fit this growing season
Using Dooms's own 184-day growing season (32°F, NOAA 1991–2020 median) against each crop's real days-to-maturity range: 12 of 12 crops mature here with comfortable margin. A different location in the table above with a longer or shorter season will get a different mix — the ZIP planner on the home page gives your own.
Frost & freeze dates (Dooms)
From NOAA's 1991–2020 Climate Normals at station USC00448941. The median (p50) is the average date; the 90%-safe column is the date the freeze has passed in about 9 years out of 10 — the conservative date to plant after or harvest before.
| Threshold | Last spring — avg | Last spring — 90%-safe | First fall — avg | First fall — 90%-safe | Season (days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | May 2 | May 21 | Oct 13 | Oct 27 | 162 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Apr 21 | May 10 | Oct 23 | Nov 4 | 184 |
| 28°F | Apr 5 | Apr 22 | Nov 1 | Nov 15 | 207 |
| 24°F | Mar 26 | Apr 9 | Nov 11 | Dec 1 | 230 |
Growing degree days
Growing degree days (GDD) accumulate warmth above a base temperature over the year — a better predictor of crop development than the calendar alone. This group's median GDD (base 50°F) across all 62 locations is 3,453; Dooms's own reading is shown below.
| Model | °F·days | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Base 50°F (warm-season) | 3,419 | standard warm-season base (tomato, corn, beans) |
| Base 40°F (cool-season) | 5,886 | cool-season crops (brassicas, greens) |
Hardiness zone 7a in Virginia
Zone 7a means an average annual extreme minimum winter temperature of about 0 to 5 °F on the USDA's 2023 map — the number that tells you which perennials, shrubs, and trees reliably survive an average winter here. It does not set your planting dates, which come from the frost calendar above. Virginia spans 6 hardiness zones in this dataset — see all Virginia locations for the full range, including zones6a, 6b, 7b, 8a, 8b.
Explore zone 7a in other states at zone 7a, or see all USDA hardiness zones.
Frequently asked questions
- What does USDA hardiness zone 7a mean in Virginia?
- Zone 7a means an average annual extreme minimum winter temperature of 0 to 5 °F — the standard USDA measure of which perennials survive winter. 62 locations in Virginia fall in this zone. It does not set planting dates; see the frost calendar below for that.
- Where in Virginia's zone 7a is the growing season longest?
- Independent Hill runs the longest season on this page at about 226 days; Atkins is shortest at about 150 days — they share the same hardiness zone, but they sit at different weather stations, so their frost calendars differ.
- When should I plant tomatoes in Virginia's zone 7a?
- Using Dooms's frost dates (this page's median-season location): start seeds indoors about Feb 24 – Mar 10, then transplant outside about Apr 28 – May 5. Your own location in the table above may differ by a week or two — use the ZIP planner on the home page for your exact station's dates.
- Does every location in Virginia's zone 7a have the same frost dates?
- No — they do not all share a weather station, so frost dates vary by a week or more across the 62 locations listed (see the table above for each location's own dates).
Sources & method
Frost, freeze, growing-season, and growing-degree-day figures are NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, one reading per location's own nearest station (see the table above). The hardiness zone is the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023, matched to each location's ZIP. Planting windows are computed by counting from the average last and first frost using per-crop offsets synthesized from U.S. Cooperative Extension guides — the full method and citations are on the methodology page.