Data: 2023 USDA zones (PRISM/OSU) · NOAA 1991–2020 normals · updated

Planting zone for 22545 — Ruby, VA

ZIP code 22545 (Ruby, Stafford County) is in USDA zone 7a: the coldest winter night averages 0 to 5 °F. The median last spring frost is March 28 and the first fall frost November 8.

Where ZIP 22545 is

tap the map for the zone at any spot · scroll or pinch to zoom

Not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Zones come from the 2023 USDA hardiness-zone data by the PRISM Group, Oregon State University; we re-mapped and recolored them. The official map is at planthardiness.ars.usda.gov.

Zone7a0 to 5 °F
Coldest night−17.8 to −15 °C
Last frostMar 28
First frostNov 8
2012 zone7a

Same zone as on the 2012 map. The zone is the one at the center of the ZIP code; hilly ZIPs can span two zones. What zone 7a means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Ruby, VA…

Forecast data: National Weather Service (api.weather.gov), public domain. This is not a warning service — for official frost and freeze warnings see weather.gov.

Frost dates in Ruby, VA

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostMarch 28median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsApril 8only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostNovember 8median — 10% chance by Oct 28
Growing season226 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around March 17 and returns around November 22.

From the NOAA station Quantico Mcas, VA — 13 miles away, elevation 10 ft. NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, 32 °F threshold. Low spots and valleys can freeze later in spring than the station.

When to plant vegetables in 22545

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Feb 14 – Feb 28
SpinachSow outdoors · Feb 14 – Mar 7
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Jan 17 – Jan 31
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Mar 7 – Mar 21
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Feb 28 – Mar 14
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Mar 7 – Mar 21
LettuceSow outdoors · Feb 28 – Mar 14
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Mar 7 – Mar 21
TomatoesStart indoors · Jan 31 – Feb 14
TomatoesTransplant · Apr 4 – Apr 18
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Jan 17 – Jan 31
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · Apr 11 – Apr 25
BeansSow outdoors · Apr 4 – Apr 18
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Apr 4 – Apr 18
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Apr 4 – Apr 18
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Sep 13 – Sep 27
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 25 – Nov 29
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Mar 28) and first fall frost (Nov 8) with the rules of thumb U.S. extension services publish. Cool-season crops take a light frost; warm-season crops do best once the soil is above about 60 °F.

When spring arrived in 2026

In 2026, spring leaf-out near 22545 came on Mar 9 — about the same time as the 1991–2020 average (Mar 10).

JanFebMarAprMayJun

The Spring Index marks the day when accumulated warmth is enough for lilac and honeysuckle to leaf out — a widely used signal that the growing season has started. Source: USA National Phenology Network, www.usanpn.org — Spring Indices, first leaf, 2026 (data as of 2026-09-08) and 30-year average 1991–2020 (CC BY 4.0).

Soil in Ruby, VA

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 22545 is Nason — silt loam, well drained.

TextureSilt loama good balance for most vegetables
pH5.5moderately acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter2%moderate
Hydrologic groupBwater soaks in moderately
Farmland classFarmland of statewide importanceUSDA classification

Map unit: Nason silt loam, 6 to 15 percent slopes, eroded.

Soil Survey Staff, Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA. Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) Database, via Soil Data Access, accessed 2026-10-29. The soil at the center point of ZIP 22545; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Ruby, VA

Summer high88 °Faverage high, July
Winter low28 °Faverage low, January
Hot days30days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights76nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days4,379base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 51 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 28 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growIntermediateday-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully
Precipitation46 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32 °FJanuary: average high 45 °F, low 28 °F 45°28° JanFebruary: average high 48 °F, low 30 °F 48°30° FebMarch: average high 56 °F, low 37 °F 56°37° MarApril: average high 68 °F, low 47 °F 68°47° AprMay: average high 76 °F, low 57 °F 76°57° MayJune: average high 84 °F, low 66 °F 84°66° JunJuly: average high 88 °F, low 71 °F 88°71° JulAugust: average high 86 °F, low 69 °F 86°69° AugSeptember: average high 80 °F, low 62 °F 80°62° SepOctober: average high 69 °F, low 50 °F 69°50° OctNovember: average high 58 °F, low 39 °F 58°39° NovDecember: average high 49 °F, low 32 °F 49°32° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″4″5″January: 3.12 in precipitation 3.1 JanFebruary: 2.75 in precipitation 2.8 FebMarch: 3.76 in precipitation 3.8 MarApril: 3.48 in precipitation 3.5 AprMay: 4.45 in precipitation 4.5 MayJune: 4.51 in precipitation 4.5 JunJuly: 4.89 in precipitation 4.9 JulAugust: 4.03 in precipitation 4.0 AugSeptember: 4.56 in precipitation 4.6 SepOctober: 3.78 in precipitation 3.8 OctNovember: 3.22 in precipitation 3.2 NovDecember: 3.49 in precipitation 3.5 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Quantico Mcas, VA (13 mi away); precipitation: Nokesville 4.0 S, VA (9 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 7a.

225567a
Stafford, VA · 2 mi
227397a
Somerville, VA · 3 mi
224637a
Garrisonville, VA · 5 mi
227207a
Goldvein, VA · 6 mi
224067a
Fredericksburg, VA · 8 mi
221347a
Quantico, VA · 8 mi
224037a
Fredericksburg, VA · 8 mi
224717a
Hartwood, VA · 8 mi

Virginia planting zones →

Questions about 22545

What planting zone is ZIP code 22545?

ZIP code 22545 (Ruby, VA) is in USDA hardiness zone 7a on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches 0 to 5 °F (−17.8 to −15 °C).

When is the last frost in Ruby, VA?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 22545 is March 28; after April 8 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Quantico Mcas station.

When is the first frost in Ruby, VA?

The median first fall frost near 22545 is November 8, giving a median frost-free growing season of 226 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 22545?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Jan 31 – Feb 14 and set transplants outside around Apr 4 – Apr 18, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 22545 get?

About 46 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Nokesville 4.0 S station).

How hot do summers get in Ruby, VA?

The average high peaks at 88 °F in July, with about 30 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 22545 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Nason at the center of ZIP 22545: silt loam, well drained, pH about 5.5 (moderately acidic).

Did spring come early in Ruby, VA in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 22545 came on Mar 9 in 2026, about the same as the 1991–2020 average (Mar 10), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Ruby, VA?

Intermediate onions: the longest day near 22545 is 14 h 51 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.