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When to plant in Rockville, MD

USDA Zone 7b

Here are the average frost dates, USDA hardiness zone, and a month-by-month planting calendar for Rockville, Maryland — all computed from Rockville's nearest NOAA weather station.

Zone 7b means many perennials and even some tender shrubs overwinter in Rockville, while your frost dates still decide when annuals go out.

Station · ROCKVILLE 1 NE · 2.0 km
Last spring frost
April 1
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
November 6
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
219 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for RockvilleA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Rockville: last spring frost around April 1, first fall frost around November 6, about 219 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

Frost probability

ROCKVILLE 1 NE · 1991–2020

The date the last spring and first fall frost occur, by threshold and probability. A 90% date is later in spring — and earlier in fall — than a 10% date; the 50% · 32°F row is what most gardeners plan around. These are Rockville’s own odds, recorded at ROCKVILLE 1 NE.

Frost-probability curves for RockvilleProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around April 1 and the first fall frost around November 6, giving about 219 frost-free days.
Last spring frostFirst fall frostbold = 32°F · thin = 28°F / 36°F · dot = 50% date · band = 10–90% window
ThresholdSPRING 10%SPRING 50%SPRING 90%FALL 10%FALL 50%FALL 90%
36°FMay 5Apr 16Mar 31Oct 12Oct 25Nov 7
32°FApr 15Apr 1Mar 19Oct 24Nov 6Nov 21
28°FApr 4Mar 22Mar 5Nov 5Nov 19Dec 6

Download this table as CSV ↓ — every threshold and probability, plus this city’s planting-window dates.

What to plant now

TODAY · JULY 19
Fall sowopen now
Brussels Sprouts
July 17July 31
Fall sowin 12 days
Rutabaga
July 31August 14
Fall sowin 26 days
Broccoli
August 14August 28
Fall sowin 26 days
Cabbage
August 14August 28
Fall sowin 26 days
Carrot
August 14August 28
Fall sowin 26 days
Cauliflower
August 14August 28
Fall sowin 26 days
Napa Cabbage
August 14September 11

Add these crops to your calendar (.ics) ↓

Full-year planting calendar

Start indoorsTransplantDirect sowFall sow

Each bar is the exact window to take a planting action in Rockville, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.

Nearby weather stations

3 within 20 km · complete 32°F normals

When stations disagree by more than a few days, that spread is real microclimate variation — elevation, water, urban heat. Judge which station best matches your own yard.

ROCKVILLE 1 NE
Primary
2 km · 134 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 1
FALL
Nov 6
DALECARLIA RSVR
17 km · 46 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 9
FALL
Oct 31
BELTSVILLE
20 km · 44 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 10
FALL
Nov 1

Rockville planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Rockville, MD?

Plan for the last spring frost in Rockville around April 1 (the date it has a 50% chance of a 32°F freeze). Anything frost-sensitive should go out after it.

When is the first fall frost in Rockville, MD?

In Rockville, the first 32°F freeze of fall lands around November 6 on average. Time your last harvests and any season-extension cover before it.

What hardiness zone is Rockville in?

Rockville is in USDA hardiness zone 7b. In zone 7b, winters are moderate — most common vegetables grow well in season.

How long is the growing season in Rockville?

There are roughly 219 frost-free days in Rockville (a long growing season), running from the average last frost around April 1 to the first fall frost near November 6.

When should I plant tomatoes in Rockville?

In Rockville, start tomato seeds indoors around February 4–February 18, then transplant seedlings outdoors around April 8 once the danger of frost has passed.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Rockville

An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to Rockville’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at ROCKVILLE 1 NE, 2 km from the city center · 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals · zone from the USDA/PRISM 2023 map. How we compute this.

Cite this page
BlissGarden. "When to Plant in Rockville, MD — Frost Dates & Zone 7b." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00187705. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/maryland/rockville.
When to Plant in Rockville, MD — Frost Dates & Zone 7b — BlissGarden