Suffolk, Virginia: planting zone & frost dates
Suffolk is in USDA plant hardiness zone 8a, where the average coldest winter night reaches 10 to 15°F (-12.2 to -9.4°C). The typical last spring frost is around Apr 1 and the first fall frost around Nov 9.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Apr 9 | Nov 2 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 1 | Nov 9 |
| Median (50%) | Mar 27 | Nov 15 |
How to read this: after the spring "10% risk" date, a 32°F frost happens in only about 1 year in 10. In fall, the "10% risk" date is the early end — a frost before it happens about 1 year in 10.
Frost data comes from NOAA station SUFFOLK LAKE KILBY, VA (USC00448192), 2.9 mi (4.7 km) from the city center and 46 ft lower than the city center (-14 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 30 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Suffolk
Suffolk spans more than one half-zone. Share of the city's land area by zone (via its 7 ZIP codes): 8a (99%), 8b (1%). The headline zone is the one covering the most land. Look up your ZIP for your exact zone.
Vegetable planting calendar for Suffolk
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 1, first frost Nov 9). Shift a week later in cold spots or low-lying ground.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant out | Direct sow | Fall crop sow/plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Feb 4 – Feb 18 | Apr 8 – Apr 22 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Apr 15 – Apr 29 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Mar 18 – Apr 8 | Mar 4 – Apr 15 | Aug 31 – Sep 28 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 8 – May 13 | Aug 17 – Aug 31 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 8 – May 6 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 4 – Mar 11 | Apr 8 – Apr 22 | Apr 8 – Apr 29 | Aug 17 – Aug 31 |
| Cucumber | Mar 4 – Mar 11 | Apr 15 – Apr 22 | Apr 8 – Apr 29 | Aug 17 – Aug 31 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 11 – Apr 15 | Aug 17 – Aug 31 |
| Onion | Jan 7 – Jan 21 | Mar 4 – Mar 18 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 4 – Mar 25 | — | — |
| Basil | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Apr 15 – Apr 29 | Apr 15 – May 6 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Feb 18 – Mar 18 | Sep 14 – Oct 12 |
| Kale | Feb 4 – Feb 18 | Mar 4 – Mar 25 | Mar 4 – Mar 25 | Aug 31 – Sep 28 |
| Broccoli | Feb 4 – Feb 18 | Mar 18 – Apr 8 | — | Aug 17 – Aug 31 |
| Peas | — | — | Feb 18 – Mar 11 | Aug 31 – Sep 14 |
| Eggplant | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Apr 15 – Apr 29 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 4 – Feb 18 | Mar 4 – Mar 18 | — | Aug 17 – Aug 31 |
| Radish | — | — | Feb 25 – Apr 15 | Sep 28 – Oct 26 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 4 – Mar 25 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 11 – Apr 22 | Aug 31 – Sep 14 |
Nearby cities in Virginia
- Portsmouth — zone 8b, last frost Mar 30, first frost Nov 11
- Chesapeake — zone 8a, last frost Mar 29, first frost Nov 12
- Newport News — zone 8a, last frost Apr 7, first frost Nov 4
- Norfolk — zone 8b, last frost Mar 23, first frost Nov 18
- Hampton — zone 8b, last frost Mar 30, first frost Nov 10
- Virginia Beach — zone 8b, last frost Apr 3, first frost Nov 7
More: all Virginia cities · other zone 8a cities: Charlotte, NC, Memphis, TN, Atlanta, GA, Raleigh, NC, Greensboro, NC, Durham, NC, Winston-Salem, NC, Chesapeake, VA
Suffolk gardening questions
When is the last frost in Suffolk, VA?
Plan around Apr 1. At NOAA's Suffolk Lake Kilby, VA station, 2.9 mi from the city center, there is a 30% chance of a 32°F frost after that date. Half of springs have their last frost by Mar 27, and after Apr 9 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 15. The 90% and 10% dates are 30 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Suffolk, VA?
Start seeds indoors Feb 4 – Feb 18 and set transplants outside Apr 8 – Apr 22, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 222 days between the 30% frost dates, enough for most varieties including 80–85-day slicers. More: tomato planting dates by zone.
How long is the growing season in Suffolk?
About 233 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 214 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 255 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Nov 2 and a 30% chance by Nov 9. That ranks 6th longest of 11 Virginia cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Suffolk?
Count back from the first fall frost (Nov 9): transplant broccoli Aug 17 – Aug 31; sow kale Aug 31 – Sep 28; sow lettuce Aug 31 – Sep 28; sow radishes Sep 28 – Oct 26. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Dec 1. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Suffolk's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
No. Going by the zone that covers most of the city's land, Suffolk is zone 8a on both the 2012 and the 2023 USDA maps (PRISM/OSU ZIP listings). About 42% of U.S. ZIP codes kept their half-zone in 2023. Why the 2023 map is warmer.
Is all of Suffolk in zone 8a?
No. Zone 8a covers about 99% of the city's land; the rest is in 8b (1%), measured across the city's 7 ZIP codes. Check your own ZIP code in the table above or with the ZIP lookup.