USDA zone 7b in Virginia
USDA plant hardiness zone 7b covers 50 locations across Virginia (average annual extreme minimum 5 to 10 °F): Afton, VA, Amelia Court House, VA, Arrington, VA, Bedford, VA, Big Island, VA, Bowling Green, VA, and 44 more. Average last spring frost across this group ranges March 31 (Chester) to April 27 (Eagle Rock), and growing seasons run 172–225 days (Eagle Rock to Williamsburg) — 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 Bedford, this group's median-season location.
- USDA zone
- 7b5 to 10 °F
- Last frost range
- Mar 31–Apr 27avg, 32°F
- First frost range
- Oct 18–Nov 10avg, 32°F
- Growing season range
- 172–225days
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Afton | — | Waynesboro Wtp | Apr 21 | Oct 23 | 184 |
| Amelia Court House | Woodlake | Amelia Courthouse | Apr 7 | Nov 2 | 209 |
| Arrington | Wintergreen, Yogaville, Amherst, Lovingston, Shipman, Schuyler, +1 more | Tye Rvr 1 Se | Apr 15 | Oct 25 | 193 |
| Bedford * | — | Bedford | Apr 7 | Oct 31 | 204 |
| Big Island | — | Lexington | Apr 23 | Oct 23 | 181 |
| Bowling Green | Port Royal | Corbin | Apr 14 | Oct 27 | 195 |
| Boykins | — | Murfreesboro | Apr 6 | Nov 1 | 208 |
| Brookneal | — | Brookneal | Apr 17 | Oct 24 | 188 |
| Buchanan | — | Buchanan | Apr 8 | Oct 31 | 205 |
| Central Garage | King William, New Kent, King and Queen Court House | Walkerton 2 Nw | Apr 7 | Nov 1 | 209 |
| Charlotte Court House | — | Charlotte Court House | Apr 10 | Oct 30 | 201 |
| Charlottesville | Crozet, Esmont, North Garden, Ivy | Charlottesville 2w | Apr 2 | Nov 10 | 222 |
| Chester | Hopewell, Colonial Heights, Prince George, Fort Lee, Enon, Disputanta, +1 more | Hopewell | Mar 31 | Nov 6 | 222 |
| Clarksville | — | Clarksville | Mar 31 | Nov 5 | 220 |
| Clover | Drakes Branch, Clarksville, Chase, Lunenburg, Fairview, Thynedale | Chase City | Apr 6 | Nov 1 | 209 |
| Concord | Appomattox, Phenix, Pamplin | Appomattox | Apr 7 | Nov 1 | 206 |
| Danville | Yanceyville, Ruffin, Milton | Danville 2 Se | Apr 8 | Nov 1 | 205 |
| Dendron | Claremont, Wakefield, Ivor | Norfolk Rich | Apr 6 | Nov 1 | 210 |
| Dinwiddie | Matoaca, Woodlake | Petersburg | Apr 3 | Nov 3 | 216 |
| Dinwiddie | Blackstone, Kenbridge, Warfield, Lunenburg, Alberta, Crewe, +2 more | Ft Pickett | Apr 11 | Oct 30 | 200 |
| Dinwiddie | Sussex, Templeton, Stony Creek | Stony Creek 2 N | Apr 9 | Oct 29 | 203 |
| Eagle Rock | — | Covington Fltr Plt | Apr 27 | Oct 18 | 172 |
| Elliston | — | Blacksburg Nwso | Apr 24 | Oct 19 | 175 |
| Emporia | Jarratt, Lawrenceville, Capron | Emporia 1 Wnw | Mar 31 | Nov 6 | 221 |
| Esmont | — | Monticello | Apr 5 | Nov 4 | 213 |
| Farmville | Hampden-Sydney, Keysville, Burkeville, Dillwyn | Farmville 2 N | Apr 12 | Oct 29 | 199 |
| Gasburg | Ebony | Roanoke Rapids | Mar 31 | Nov 9 | 222 |
| Great Falls | Reston, Chantilly, Union Mill, Fair Oaks, Franklin Farm, Herndon, +1 more | Washington Dc Dulles Ap | Apr 15 | Oct 24 | 194 |
| Heathsville | Warsaw, Tappahannock, Colonial Beach, Piney Point, Montross, Port Royal | Warsaw 2 Nw | Apr 8 | Oct 30 | 204 |
| Hollins | Daleville, Cloverdale, Montvale, Fincastle, New Castle | Roanoke 8 N | Apr 11 | Oct 28 | 198 |
| Hollymead | Earlysville, Ruckersville, Free Union, Twin Lakes, Stanardsville | Charlottesville Ap | Apr 3 | Nov 1 | 211 |
| Keysville | — | Keysville 2 S | Apr 8 | Nov 1 | 206 |
| King George | Fredericksburg, Falmouth | Fredericksburg Sewage | Apr 6 | Nov 1 | 207 |
| Leesburg | Sterling, Poolesville, Cascades | Wfo Sterling | Apr 13 | Oct 26 | 195 |
| Lynchburg | Madison Heights, Forest, Rustburg, Timberlake, Bedford, Concord, +5 more | Lynchburg Rgnl Ap | Apr 15 | Oct 24 | 191 |
| Martinsville | Collinsville, Oak Level, Bassett, Stanleytown, Fieldale, Laurel Park, +1 more | Martinsville Fltr Plt | Apr 24 | Oct 21 | 179 |
| Patrick Springs | Horse Pasture, Stuart, Floyd | Stuart | Apr 19 | Oct 27 | 190 |
| Penhook | Mount Hermon, Motley, Hurt, Blairs, Chatham, Gretna | Chatham | Apr 22 | Oct 23 | 183 |
| Richmond | Mechanicsville, Tuckahoe, Midlothian, Laurel, Chamberlayne, Hanover | Ashland Hanover Co Muni Ap | Apr 10 | Oct 31 | 202 |
| Richmond | Mechanicsville, Sandston, East Highland Park, Midlothian, Bon Air, Meadowbrook, +5 more | Richmond Intl Ap | Apr 3 | Nov 4 | 215 |
| Roanoke | Cave Spring, Moneta, Vinton, Cloverdale, Stewartsville, Glenvar, +1 more | Roanoke Rgnl Ap | Apr 3 | Nov 1 | 210 |
| Sedley | Waverly, Disputanta, Courtland | Wakefield 1nw | Apr 12 | Oct 30 | 200 |
| Short Pump | Ashland, Wyndham, Lake Caroline | Ashland | Apr 10 | Oct 29 | 201 |
| Short Pump | — | Crozier | Apr 17 | Oct 27 | 191 |
| South Boston | Mountain Road, Cluster Springs, Clover, Halifax, Nathalie, Scottsburg, +1 more | S Boston | Apr 10 | Oct 30 | 202 |
| South Hill | Baskerville, La Crosse, Norlina, Boydton, Middleburg, Brodnax | John H Kerr Dam | Apr 5 | Nov 1 | 210 |
| Union Hall | Westlake Corner, Ferrum, Henry Fork | Rocky Mt | Apr 20 | Oct 25 | 188 |
| West Point | New Kent, Saluda, King and Queen Court House, Urbanna | W Pt 2 Nw | Apr 6 | Nov 1 | 208 |
| Williamsburg | — | Williamsburg 2 N | Mar 31 | Nov 10 | 225 |
| Wolf Trap | Oakton, Burke, Braddock, Vienna, Newington Forest, Kings Park West, +2 more | Vienna | Apr 14 | Oct 29 | 198 |
* Bedford 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 (Bedford, representative)
Computed from Bedford's average frost dates — the median-season location in this Virginiazone 7b 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 10 – Feb 24 | Apr 14 – Apr 21 | Jun 13 – Jul 3 | — | matures comfortably |
| Pepper | Very tender | Jan 27 – Feb 10 | Apr 21 – Apr 28 | Jun 20 – Jul 20 | — | matures comfortably |
| Cucumber | Tender | Mar 10 – Mar 17 | Apr 14 – Apr 21 | Jun 3 – Jun 23 | — | matures comfortably |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Tender | — | Apr 14 – Apr 21 | May 29 – Jun 13 | — | matures comfortably |
| Bush bean | Tender | — | Apr 14 – Apr 21 | Jun 3 – Jun 13 | Sep 1 – Sep 11 | matures comfortably |
| Sweet corn | Tender | — | Apr 7 – Apr 21 | Jun 6 – Jul 6 | — | matures comfortably |
| Basil | Very tender | Feb 24 – Mar 10 | Apr 14 – Apr 21 | May 14 – May 29 | — | matures comfortably |
| Lettuce | Half-hardy | Feb 24 – Mar 10 | Mar 10 – Mar 24 | Apr 24 – May 9 | Aug 18 – Sep 2 | matures comfortably |
| Pea | Hardy | — | Feb 24 – Mar 10 | Apr 20 – May 5 | Aug 8 – Aug 23 | matures comfortably |
| Spinach | Hardy | — | Feb 24 – Mar 10 | Apr 5 – Apr 15 | Aug 28 – Sep 7 | matures comfortably |
| Carrot | Half-hardy | — | Mar 17 – Mar 24 | May 16 – Jun 5 | Jul 29 – Aug 18 | matures comfortably |
| Broccoli | Half-hardy | Feb 10 – Feb 24 | Mar 10 – Mar 24 | May 4 – May 24 | Aug 3 – Aug 23 | matures comfortably |
Which crops fit this growing season
Using Bedford's own 204-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 (Bedford)
From NOAA's 1991–2020 Climate Normals at station USC00440551. 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 | Apr 20 | May 7 | Oct 22 | Nov 1 | 182 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Apr 7 | Apr 24 | Oct 31 | Nov 12 | 204 |
| 28°F | Mar 29 | Apr 13 | Nov 9 | Nov 25 | 225 |
| 24°F | Mar 16 | Apr 2 | Nov 25 | Dec 17 | 252 |
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 50 locations is 4,162; Bedford's own reading is shown below.
| Model | °F·days | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Base 50°F (warm-season) | 3,955 | standard warm-season base (tomato, corn, beans) |
| Base 40°F (cool-season) | 6,651 | cool-season crops (brassicas, greens) |
Hardiness zone 7b in Virginia
Zone 7b means an average annual extreme minimum winter temperature of about 5 to 10 °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, 7a, 8a, 8b.
Explore zone 7b in other states at zone 7b, or see all USDA hardiness zones.
Frequently asked questions
- What does USDA hardiness zone 7b mean in Virginia?
- Zone 7b means an average annual extreme minimum winter temperature of 5 to 10 °F — the standard USDA measure of which perennials survive winter. 50 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 7b is the growing season longest?
- Williamsburg runs the longest season on this page at about 225 days; Eagle Rock is shortest at about 172 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 7b?
- Using Bedford's frost dates (this page's median-season location): start seeds indoors about Feb 10 – Feb 24, then transplant outside about Apr 14 – Apr 21. 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 7b 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 50 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.