USDA zone 6b in West Virginia
USDA plant hardiness zone 6b covers 56 locations across West Virginia (average annual extreme minimum −5 to 0 °F): Alderson, WV, Apple Grove, WV, Arthurdale, WV, Athens, WV, Belva, WV, Boaz, WV, and 50 more. Average last spring frost across this group ranges April 7 (Belva) to May 11 (Marlinton), and growing seasons run 148–209 days (Marlinton to Belva) — even within one state, because hardiness sets winter survival, not planting dates. The table below gives every West Virginia location's own frost dates; the printable planting calendar uses Moundsville, this group's median-season location.
- USDA zone
- 6b−5 to 0 °F
- Last frost range
- Apr 7–May 11avg, 32°F
- First frost range
- Oct 6–Nov 4avg, 32°F
- Growing season range
- 148–209days
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alderson | Union, Meadow Bridge | Alderson | Apr 26 | Oct 17 | 173 |
| Apple Grove | Leon | Hogsett Rc Byrd Dam | Apr 18 | Oct 29 | 192 |
| Arthurdale | Bobtown, Point Marion, Masontown | Morgantown Hart Fld | Apr 23 | Oct 24 | 182 |
| Athens | — | Athens | Apr 30 | Oct 10 | 161 |
| Belva | — | London Locks | Apr 7 | Nov 4 | 209 |
| Boaz | Waverly, Kanawha | Parkersburg Wood Co Ap | Apr 23 | Oct 22 | 180 |
| Bolivar | — | Martinsburg E Wv Rgnl Ap | Apr 20 | Oct 22 | 183 |
| Bolt | Lester, Corinne, Rhodell, Matoaka, Helen | Mullens 3 E | Apr 24 | Oct 20 | 178 |
| Bridgeport | — | Clarksburg Benedum Ap | Apr 18 | Oct 24 | 188 |
| Buckhannon | Hinkleville, Century | Buckhannon | Apr 29 | Oct 20 | 173 |
| Burlington | Romney, Capon Bridge | Romney 1 Sw | Apr 26 | Oct 18 | 172 |
| Burnsville | Glenville, Auburn, Sand Fork, Pullman | Glenville | Apr 25 | Oct 24 | 180 |
| Burnsville | Sutton, Flatwoods, Tioga, Birch River | Sutton Lake | Apr 22 | Oct 28 | 187 |
| Cairo | Grantsville | Grantsville 1ese | Apr 26 | Oct 20 | 175 |
| Charleston | — | Charleston Yeager Ap | Apr 16 | Oct 26 | 192 |
| Clarksburg | Reynoldsville, Anmoore, Lost Creek, Hepzibah, Gypsy, West Milford, +2 more | Clarksburg 1 | Apr 22 | Oct 23 | 181 |
| Clay | — | Clendenin | Apr 21 | Oct 28 | 187 |
| Clendenin | Spencer, Clay, Elizabeth, Grantsville, Reedy | Spencer | Apr 30 | Oct 17 | 169 |
| Coal | Bolt, Bradley, MacArthur, Prosperity, Crab Orchard, Ghent, +8 more | Beckley Va Hospital | May 6 | Oct 10 | 156 |
| Craigsville | Hico, Summersville, Nettie, Dixie, Tioga, Clay | Summersville Lake | Apr 27 | Oct 19 | 173 |
| Elk Garden | — | Keyser 2 Ssw | Apr 30 | Oct 15 | 167 |
| Enterprise | Jacksonburg, Wallace, Mannington, Carolina, Brave, Pine Grove, +3 more | Mannington 8 Wnw | May 3 | Oct 10 | 159 |
| Fairmont | Enterprise, Shinnston, Idamay, Carolina, Barrackville, Worthington, +3 more | Fairmont | Apr 18 | Oct 28 | 192 |
| Franklin | Brandywine | Franklin 2 Ne | Apr 30 | Oct 11 | 162 |
| Gassaway | Clay, Birch River | Gassaway | Apr 20 | Oct 25 | 185 |
| Glen Fork | — | Pineville | Apr 16 | Oct 28 | 193 |
| Grafton | Philippi, Galloway, Flemington | Tygart Dam | Apr 26 | Oct 22 | 178 |
| Grantsville | — | Rosedale 3 Nnw | Apr 29 | Oct 19 | 171 |
| Harrisville | — | Harrisville | Apr 26 | Oct 17 | 173 |
| Hico | Ansted, Garten | Anstead Hawks Nest Sp | Apr 22 | Oct 22 | 181 |
| Hinton | Ghent | Bluestone Lake | Apr 10 | Oct 30 | 200 |
| Kingwood | Albright | Terra Alta #1 | May 7 | Oct 11 | 156 |
| Lewisburg | Ronceverte, Alderson, Falling Spring | Lewisburg 3 N | May 3 | Oct 9 | 158 |
| Lubeck | Washington, Vienna, Belpre, Tuppers Plains, Mineralwells, Coolville, +5 more | Parkersburg | Apr 14 | Oct 30 | 197 |
| Marlinton | Hillsboro | Buckeye | May 3 | Oct 14 | 161 |
| Marlinton | — | Marlinton | May 11 | Oct 6 | 148 |
| Moorefield | Orkney Springs | Moorefield 1 Sse | Apr 29 | Oct 15 | 167 |
| Morgantown | Arthurdale, Granville, Pentress, Osage | Morgantown L&d | Apr 26 | Oct 23 | 180 |
| Moundsville * | Powhatan Point, Glencoe, Shadyside, Cameron, Glen Dale, Beallsville | Moundsville | Apr 26 | Oct 21 | 177 |
| Oak Hill | Fayetteville, Kincaid, Hilltop, Glen Jean, Cunard, Thurmond | Oak Hill | Apr 21 | Oct 19 | 179 |
| Pennsboro | Salem, West Union, Pullman | W Union 2 | Apr 28 | Oct 21 | 176 |
| Petersburg | — | Petersburg | Apr 23 | Oct 20 | 179 |
| Rainelle | Rupert, Meadow Bridge, Quinwood, Cunard | Rupert 4 N | May 2 | Oct 11 | 160 |
| Ravenswood | Mineralwells, Elizabeth | Sandyville 9 Ne | May 1 | Oct 14 | 165 |
| Reader | Sistersville, Middlebourne, West Union, Friendly | Middlebourne 3 Ese | May 1 | Oct 15 | 167 |
| Richwood | Camden-on-Gauley, Fenwick | Richwood 1sse | Apr 30 | Oct 18 | 171 |
| Ripley | Ravenswood, Tuppers Plains, Racine, Leon, Reedy, Cottageville | Ripley | Apr 23 | Oct 21 | 178 |
| Rock Cave | Weston, Helvetia, Adrian | Rock Cave 2 Ne | Apr 26 | Oct 21 | 175 |
| Rock Cave | Pickens, Flatwoods, Cowen, Addison (Webster Springs) | Hacker Valley | May 7 | Oct 10 | 155 |
| Ronceverte | Union | White Sulphur Springs | May 2 | Oct 13 | 165 |
| Rowlesburg | Newburg, Tunnelton | Rowlesburg 1 | Apr 28 | Oct 23 | 179 |
| Shady Spring | Daniels, Bradley, Stanaford, Prince, Ghent, Meadow Bridge, +1 more | Beckley Raleigh Co Ap | Apr 22 | Oct 21 | 180 |
| Union | — | Union 3 Sse | Apr 30 | Oct 12 | 165 |
| Weirton | Wintersville, Follansbee, Hopedale, Langeloth, Pottery Addition, Atlasburg, +9 more | Steubenville | Apr 29 | Oct 20 | 175 |
| Weston | Jane Lew | Weston | Apr 23 | Oct 26 | 185 |
| Wheeling | Neffs, Wind Ridge, St. Clairsville, Benwood, Glencoe, Holloway, +8 more | Wheeling | Apr 20 | Oct 29 | 192 |
* Moundsville 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 (Moundsville, representative)
Computed from Moundsville's average frost dates — the median-season location in this West Virginiazone 6b 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 | Mar 1 – Mar 15 | May 3 – May 10 | Jul 2 – Jul 22 | — | matures comfortably |
| Pepper | Very tender | Feb 15 – Mar 1 | May 10 – May 17 | Jul 9 – Aug 8 | — | matures comfortably |
| Cucumber | Tender | Mar 29 – Apr 5 | May 3 – May 10 | Jun 22 – Jul 12 | — | matures comfortably |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Tender | — | May 3 – May 10 | Jun 17 – Jul 2 | — | matures comfortably |
| Bush bean | Tender | — | May 3 – May 10 | Jun 22 – Jul 2 | Aug 22 – Sep 1 | matures comfortably |
| Sweet corn | Tender | — | Apr 26 – May 10 | Jun 25 – Jul 25 | — | matures comfortably |
| Basil | Very tender | Mar 15 – Mar 29 | May 3 – May 10 | Jun 2 – Jun 17 | — | matures comfortably |
| Lettuce | Half-hardy | Mar 15 – Mar 29 | Mar 29 – Apr 12 | May 13 – May 28 | Aug 8 – Aug 23 | matures comfortably |
| Pea | Hardy | — | Mar 15 – Mar 29 | May 9 – May 24 | Jul 29 – Aug 13 | matures comfortably |
| Spinach | Hardy | — | Mar 15 – Mar 29 | Apr 24 – May 4 | Aug 18 – Aug 28 | matures comfortably |
| Carrot | Half-hardy | — | Apr 5 – Apr 12 | Jun 4 – Jun 24 | Jul 19 – Aug 8 | matures comfortably |
| Broccoli | Half-hardy | Mar 1 – Mar 15 | Mar 29 – Apr 12 | May 23 – Jun 12 | Jul 24 – Aug 13 | matures comfortably |
Which crops fit this growing season
Using Moundsville's own 177-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 (Moundsville)
From NOAA's 1991–2020 Climate Normals at station USC00466248. 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 6 | May 22 | Oct 12 | Oct 23 | 157 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Apr 26 | May 12 | Oct 21 | Nov 2 | 177 |
| 28°F | Apr 15 | May 1 | Nov 1 | Nov 12 | 200 |
| 24°F | Apr 2 | Apr 15 | Nov 11 | Nov 26 | 224 |
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 56 locations is 3,269; Moundsville's own reading is shown below.
| Model | °F·days | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Base 50°F (warm-season) | 3,280 | standard warm-season base (tomato, corn, beans) |
| Base 40°F (cool-season) | 5,600 | cool-season crops (brassicas, greens) |
Hardiness zone 6b in West Virginia
Zone 6b means an average annual extreme minimum winter temperature of about −5 to 0 °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. West Virginia spans 4 hardiness zones in this dataset — see all West Virginia locations for the full range, including zones5b, 6a, 7a.
Explore zone 6b in other states at zone 6b, or see all USDA hardiness zones.
Frequently asked questions
- What does USDA hardiness zone 6b mean in West Virginia?
- Zone 6b means an average annual extreme minimum winter temperature of −5 to 0 °F — the standard USDA measure of which perennials survive winter. 56 locations in West Virginia fall in this zone. It does not set planting dates; see the frost calendar below for that.
- Where in West Virginia's zone 6b is the growing season longest?
- Belva runs the longest season on this page at about 209 days; Marlinton is shortest at about 148 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 West Virginia's zone 6b?
- Using Moundsville's frost dates (this page's median-season location): start seeds indoors about Mar 1 – Mar 15, then transplant outside about May 3 – May 10. 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 West Virginia's zone 6b 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 56 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.