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When to plant in Great Falls, VA

USDA Zone 7b

Great Falls, Virginia frost dates, USDA zone, and a full-year planting calendar, drawn from the nearest NOAA station and tuned to the local season.

In zone 7b, Great Falls supports a wide range of perennials year-round; the frost dates above are what set your annual vegetable timing.

Station · VIENNA · 13.4 km
Last spring frost
April 14
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
October 29
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
198 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for Great FallsA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Great Falls: last spring frost around April 14, first fall frost around October 29, about 198 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

Frost probability

VIENNA · 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 Great Falls’s own odds, recorded at VIENNA.

Frost-probability curves for Great FallsProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around April 14 and the first fall frost around October 29, giving about 198 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 10Apr 25Apr 11Oct 7Oct 19Nov 1
32°FApr 28Apr 14Mar 30Oct 17Oct 29Nov 11
28°FApr 16Apr 2Mar 18Oct 26Nov 8Nov 23

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 9July 23
Fall sowin 4 days
Rutabaga
July 23August 6
Fall sowin 18 days
Broccoli
August 6August 20
Fall sowin 18 days
Cabbage
August 6August 20
Fall sowin 18 days
Carrot
August 6August 20
Fall sowin 18 days
Cauliflower
August 6August 20
Fall sowin 18 days
Napa Cabbage
August 6September 3

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 Great Falls, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.

Nearby weather stations

3 within 16 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.

VIENNA
Primary
13 km · 127 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 14
FALL
Oct 29
WASHINGTON DC DULLES AP
16 km · 88 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 15
FALL
Oct 24
WFO STERLING
16 km · 88 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 13
FALL
Oct 26

Great Falls planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Great Falls, VA?

On average, the last spring frost in Great Falls is around April 14 (50% probability at 32°F, from 1991–2020 NOAA normals). Wait until after this date to set out tender plants like tomatoes and peppers.

When is the first fall frost in Great Falls, VA?

The first fall frost in Great Falls typically arrives around October 29 (50% probability at 32°F). Harvest or protect frost-sensitive crops before then.

What hardiness zone is Great Falls in?

Great Falls 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 Great Falls?

Great Falls has about 198 frost-free days — a moderate growing season — between the average last spring frost (April 14) and first fall frost (October 29).

When should I plant tomatoes in Great Falls?

For Great Falls, sow tomatoes indoors about February 17–March 3 and move the seedlings out around April 21, after the last spring frost.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Great Falls

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

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at VIENNA, 13 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 Great Falls, VA — Frost Dates & Zone 7b." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00448737. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/virginia/great-falls.
When to Plant in Great Falls, VA — Frost Dates & Zone 7b — BlissGarden