When to plant lettuce in Virginia

Plant out in Virginia Beach

Mar 15–Apr 5

Across Virginia the window opens between March 2 and April 10. Find your city below; the dates follow each town's own average last frost.

Start indoors, Virginia Beach: Feb 1–Feb 15
Plant out, Virginia Beach: Mar 15–Apr 5
Sow outdoors, Virginia Beach: Mar 1–Apr 5
Fall planting, Virginia Beach: Sep 17–Oct 1
Last frost, Virginia Beach: Mar 29

Start seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before the last frost; plant out from 2 weeks before to 1 weeks after the last frost; sow outdoors from 4 weeks before to 1 weeks after the last frost; sow again for fall 6–8 weeks before the first frost. Lettuce bolts in heat. Sow small batches every two weeks in spring and again in late summer.

Lettuce planting dates by city

Start indoorsPlant outSow outdoorsFall plantingAverage last and first frost

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Virginia BeachMar 15–Apr 5

RichmondMar 20–Apr 10

ArlingtonMar 10–Mar 31

NorfolkMar 2–Mar 23

Newport NewsMar 18–Apr 8

AlexandriaMar 10–Mar 31

HamptonMar 10–Mar 31

SuffolkMar 13–Apr 3

RoanokeMar 20–Apr 10

PortsmouthMar 9–Mar 30

LynchburgApr 3–Apr 24

Dale CityMar 29–Apr 19

CentrevilleApr 1–Apr 22

RestonMar 31–Apr 21

HarrisonburgApr 7–Apr 28

McLeanMar 26–Apr 16

LeesburgApr 2–Apr 23

TuckahoeMar 27–Apr 17

AshburnMar 30–Apr 20

BlacksburgApr 10–May 1

Lake RidgeMar 29–Apr 19

CharlottesvilleMar 19–Apr 9

ManassasMar 29–Apr 19

WoodbridgeMar 14–Apr 4

BurkeMar 31–Apr 21

Linton HallMar 29–Apr 19

AnnandaleMar 31–Apr 21

DanvilleMar 25–Apr 15

MechanicsvilleMar 27–Apr 17

OaktonMar 31–Apr 21

All 64 cities

City	Start indoors	Plant out	Sow outdoors	Fall planting	Last frost
Virginia Beach	Feb 1 to Feb 15	Mar 15 to Apr 5	Mar 1 to Apr 5	Sep 17 to Oct 1	Mar 29
Richmond	Feb 6 to Feb 20	Mar 20 to Apr 10	Mar 6 to Apr 10	Sep 9 to Sep 23	Apr 3
Arlington	Jan 27 to Feb 10	Mar 10 to Mar 31	Feb 24 to Mar 31	Sep 23 to Oct 7	Mar 24
Norfolk	Jan 19 to Feb 2	Mar 2 to Mar 23	Feb 16 to Mar 23	Oct 1 to Oct 15	Mar 16
Newport News	Feb 4 to Feb 18	Mar 18 to Apr 8	Mar 4 to Apr 8	Sep 14 to Sep 28	Apr 1
Alexandria	Jan 27 to Feb 10	Mar 10 to Mar 31	Feb 24 to Mar 31	Sep 23 to Oct 7	Mar 24
Hampton	Jan 27 to Feb 10	Mar 10 to Mar 31	Feb 24 to Mar 31	Sep 20 to Oct 4	Mar 24
Suffolk	Jan 30 to Feb 13	Mar 13 to Apr 3	Feb 27 to Apr 3	Sep 20 to Oct 4	Mar 27
Roanoke	Feb 6 to Feb 20	Mar 20 to Apr 10	Mar 6 to Apr 10	Sep 6 to Sep 20	Apr 3
Portsmouth	Jan 26 to Feb 9	Mar 9 to Mar 30	Feb 23 to Mar 30	Sep 21 to Oct 5	Mar 23
Lynchburg	Feb 20 to Mar 6	Apr 3 to Apr 24	Mar 20 to Apr 24	Aug 30 to Sep 13	Apr 17
Dale City	Feb 15 to Mar 1	Mar 29 to Apr 19	Mar 15 to Apr 19	Sep 1 to Sep 15	Apr 12
Centreville	Feb 18 to Mar 4	Apr 1 to Apr 22	Mar 18 to Apr 22	Aug 29 to Sep 12	Apr 15
Reston	Feb 17 to Mar 3	Mar 31 to Apr 21	Mar 17 to Apr 21	Sep 3 to Sep 17	Apr 14
Harrisonburg	Feb 24 to Mar 10	Apr 7 to Apr 28	Mar 24 to Apr 28	Aug 28 to Sep 11	Apr 21
McLean	Feb 12 to Feb 26	Mar 26 to Apr 16	Mar 12 to Apr 16	Sep 5 to Sep 19	Apr 9
Leesburg	Feb 19 to Mar 5	Apr 2 to Apr 23	Mar 19 to Apr 23	Aug 30 to Sep 13	Apr 16
Tuckahoe	Feb 13 to Feb 27	Mar 27 to Apr 17	Mar 13 to Apr 17	Sep 5 to Sep 19	Apr 10
Ashburn	Feb 16 to Mar 2	Mar 30 to Apr 20	Mar 16 to Apr 20	Aug 31 to Sep 14	Apr 13
Blacksburg	Feb 27 to Mar 13	Apr 10 to May 1	Mar 27 to May 1	Aug 24 to Sep 7	Apr 24
Lake Ridge	Feb 15 to Mar 1	Mar 29 to Apr 19	Mar 15 to Apr 19	Sep 1 to Sep 15	Apr 12
Charlottesville	Feb 5 to Feb 19	Mar 19 to Apr 9	Mar 5 to Apr 9	Sep 15 to Sep 29	Apr 2
Manassas	Feb 15 to Mar 1	Mar 29 to Apr 19	Mar 15 to Apr 19	Sep 1 to Sep 15	Apr 12
Woodbridge	Jan 31 to Feb 14	Mar 14 to Apr 4	Feb 28 to Apr 4	Sep 13 to Sep 27	Mar 28
Burke	Feb 17 to Mar 3	Mar 31 to Apr 21	Mar 17 to Apr 21	Sep 3 to Sep 17	Apr 14
Linton Hall	Feb 15 to Mar 1	Mar 29 to Apr 19	Mar 15 to Apr 19	Sep 1 to Sep 15	Apr 12
Annandale	Feb 17 to Mar 3	Mar 31 to Apr 21	Mar 17 to Apr 21	Sep 3 to Sep 17	Apr 14
Danville	Feb 11 to Feb 25	Mar 25 to Apr 15	Mar 11 to Apr 15	Sep 6 to Sep 20	Apr 8
Mechanicsville	Feb 13 to Feb 27	Mar 27 to Apr 17	Mar 13 to Apr 17	Sep 5 to Sep 19	Apr 10
Oakton	Feb 17 to Mar 3	Mar 31 to Apr 21	Mar 17 to Apr 21	Sep 3 to Sep 17	Apr 14
Fair Oaks	Feb 17 to Mar 3	Mar 31 to Apr 21	Mar 17 to Apr 21	Sep 3 to Sep 17	Apr 14
South Riding	Feb 18 to Mar 4	Apr 1 to Apr 22	Mar 18 to Apr 22	Aug 29 to Sep 12	Apr 15
Petersburg	Feb 6 to Feb 20	Mar 20 to Apr 10	Mar 6 to Apr 10	Sep 8 to Sep 22	Apr 3
Sterling	Feb 16 to Mar 2	Mar 30 to Apr 20	Mar 16 to Apr 20	Aug 31 to Sep 14	Apr 13
Springfield	Jan 27 to Feb 10	Mar 10 to Mar 31	Feb 24 to Mar 31	Sep 23 to Oct 7	Mar 24
West Falls Church	Feb 17 to Mar 3	Mar 31 to Apr 21	Mar 17 to Apr 21	Sep 3 to Sep 17	Apr 14
Fredericksburg	Feb 9 to Feb 23	Mar 23 to Apr 13	Mar 9 to Apr 13	Sep 6 to Sep 20	Apr 6
Winchester	Feb 14 to Feb 28	Mar 28 to Apr 18	Mar 14 to Apr 18	Sep 3 to Sep 17	Apr 11
Short Pump	Feb 13 to Feb 27	Mar 27 to Apr 17	Mar 13 to Apr 17	Sep 3 to Sep 17	Apr 10
Tysons	Feb 17 to Mar 3	Mar 31 to Apr 21	Mar 17 to Apr 21	Sep 3 to Sep 17	Apr 14
Staunton	Feb 18 to Mar 4	Apr 1 to Apr 22	Mar 18 to Apr 22	Sep 1 to Sep 15	Apr 15
Fairfax	Feb 17 to Mar 3	Mar 31 to Apr 21	Mar 17 to Apr 21	Sep 3 to Sep 17	Apr 14
Cave Spring	Feb 6 to Feb 20	Mar 20 to Apr 10	Mar 6 to Apr 10	Sep 6 to Sep 20	Apr 3
Salem	Feb 6 to Feb 20	Mar 20 to Apr 10	Mar 6 to Apr 10	Sep 6 to Sep 20	Apr 3
Herndon	Feb 18 to Mar 4	Apr 1 to Apr 22	Mar 18 to Apr 22	Aug 29 to Sep 12	Apr 15
Bailey's Crossroads	Jan 27 to Feb 10	Mar 10 to Mar 31	Feb 24 to Mar 31	Sep 23 to Oct 7	Mar 24
Brambleton	Feb 16 to Mar 2	Mar 30 to Apr 20	Mar 16 to Apr 20	Aug 31 to Sep 14	Apr 13
Waynesboro	Feb 24 to Mar 10	Apr 7 to Apr 28	Mar 24 to Apr 28	Aug 28 to Sep 11	Apr 21
Chantilly	Feb 18 to Mar 4	Apr 1 to Apr 22	Mar 18 to Apr 22	Aug 29 to Sep 12	Apr 15
Chester	Feb 6 to Feb 20	Mar 20 to Apr 10	Mar 6 to Apr 10	Sep 8 to Sep 22	Apr 3
Cherry Hill	Jan 31 to Feb 14	Mar 14 to Apr 4	Feb 28 to Apr 4	Sep 13 to Sep 27	Mar 28
Hopewell	Feb 3 to Feb 17	Mar 17 to Apr 7	Mar 3 to Apr 7	Sep 11 to Sep 25	Mar 31
West Springfield	Feb 17 to Mar 3	Mar 31 to Apr 21	Mar 17 to Apr 21	Sep 3 to Sep 17	Apr 14
Leesylvania	Jan 31 to Feb 14	Mar 14 to Apr 4	Feb 28 to Apr 4	Sep 13 to Sep 27	Mar 28
McNair	Feb 18 to Mar 4	Apr 1 to Apr 22	Mar 18 to Apr 22	Aug 29 to Sep 12	Apr 15
Christiansburg	Feb 22 to Mar 8	Apr 5 to Apr 26	Mar 22 to Apr 26	Aug 28 to Sep 11	Apr 19
Montclair	Jan 31 to Feb 14	Mar 14 to Apr 4	Feb 28 to Apr 4	Sep 13 to Sep 27	Mar 28
Culpeper	Feb 24 to Mar 10	Apr 7 to Apr 28	Mar 24 to Apr 28	Aug 27 to Sep 10	Apr 21
Lorton	Feb 6 to Feb 20	Mar 20 to Apr 10	Mar 6 to Apr 10	Sep 13 to Sep 27	Apr 3
Woodlawn	Feb 6 to Feb 20	Mar 20 to Apr 10	Mar 6 to Apr 10	Sep 13 to Sep 27	Apr 3
Rose Hill	Jan 27 to Feb 10	Mar 10 to Mar 31	Feb 24 to Mar 31	Sep 23 to Oct 7	Mar 24
Merrifield	Feb 17 to Mar 3	Mar 31 to Apr 21	Mar 17 to Apr 21	Sep 3 to Sep 17	Apr 14
Buckhall	Feb 15 to Mar 1	Mar 29 to Apr 19	Mar 15 to Apr 19	Sep 1 to Sep 15	Apr 12
Meadowbrook	Feb 6 to Feb 20	Mar 20 to Apr 10	Mar 6 to Apr 10	Sep 9 to Sep 23	Apr 3

Questions

When should I plant lettuce in Virginia?

In Virginia Beach, plant out from March 15 to April 5. Across Virginia the window opens between March 2 and April 10, depending on the local last frost.

How is this date worked out?

Start seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before the last frost; plant out from 2 weeks before to 1 weeks after the last frost; sow outdoors from 4 weeks before to 1 weeks after the last frost; sow again for fall 6–8 weeks before the first frost. Frost dates are NOAA 1991–2020 averages for the weather station nearest each city.

More for Virginia

Lettuce in other states

Frost dates for every city in Virginia