What Grows in Accomac, Virginia

USDA Zones 7a-8b · 261 acres

Accomac, Virginia, sits in USDA hardiness zones 7a-8b — a zone band wide enough that plant choice, not possibility, is the interesting question.

Growers here do well with tomato, grape, peanut, and dogwood — with the usual caveat that any single yard's soil, sun, and drainage cast the deciding vote.

Score your parcel · free

Even in Accomac, no two yards are alike.

A low spot, a south-facing slope, or a stand of trees moves the frost date and sun across a single Accomac lot. Enter your address and we'll score 1,112 plants against your land's actual soil, sun, and frost.

We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.

No card required · your full report in seconds

Quick Facts

USDA Zones

7a-8b

Last Hard Freeze (28°F)

Feb 18

Town normal — light frosts run a few weeks later

First Frost (state avg.)

Oct 1 - Nov 10

Town Area

261 acres

Hardiness Zone Range

7a
8b
3a (Cold)13b (Hot)

Growing Season (statewide frost window)

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Last frost: Mar 20 - May 10First frost: Oct 1 - Nov 10

Zone maps are averages across Accomac. Your yard's slope, trees, and frost pockets shift what actually grows — see your land's exact reading.

Soil varies lot by lot — soil types explained.

Growing Challenges in Virginia

What an experienced grower plans around here — each one has a move.

Heavy Piedmont red clay requires amendment

Red clay turns from obstacle to asset with compost and time — and a raised bed lets you harvest while it happens.

Humidity and heat in summer promote disease

Space for airflow, water mornings at the base, and plant resistant varieties — your extension's humid-summer playbook.

Deer pressure is heavy in suburban and rural areas

A proper fence settles it; outside the fence, genuinely deer-resistant plants are the next best defense.

For cultivar selection, pest pressure, and planting-time guidance specific to Virginia, the Virginia Cooperative Extension is the authoritative local source.

Environmental Intelligence

Understanding what's nearby helps you make informed decisions about where and how to grow.

Total Sites

174

within ~10 miles of Accomac

Risk Level

Moderate

Highest-severity

2 Toxics Release Inventory facilities

Severity Distribution

within ~10 miles of Accomac

High0Moderate52Low122

Highest-Severity Sites

64K 25
Nitrate Monitoring · Well
64K 26
Nitrate Monitoring · Well
64K 27
Nitrate Monitoring · Well
64K 28
Nitrate Monitoring · Well
64K 30
Nitrate Monitoring · Well

A note from Gnorman

What an experienced grower watches for around here

In and around Accomac, Underground Storage Tanks runs higher than the national average — 130 sites nearby. Knowing it is half the work — and it's nothing a thoughtful grower can't plan for.

Underground Storage Tanks: Underground storage tanks are the single most common source of soil contamination near homes and gardens.

Use raised beds with imported soil — this eliminates the primary soil-contact pathway.

Free Report

Check your specific parcel in Accomac

Get exact proximity distances to contamination sources for your specific parcel — plus soil, sun, drainage, and 1,112 plant recommendations.

Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:

Your soil pHYour frost-free daysYour sun & shade

We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.

25+ data sources analyzed in seconds

Your Specific Parcel Matters

Accomac Average

  • USDA Zones 7a-8b
  • Generic soil type for the area
  • State-average frost dates

YOUR Parcel

  • Your exact hardiness zone
  • Your SSURGO soil type & pH
  • Your sun exposure, cast in 3D

See MY Growing Report

Free Report

Read your specific parcel in Accomac

Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Accomac, Virginia — soil, sun, drainage, frost risk, and scored plant recommendations.

Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:

Your soil pHYour frost-free daysYour sun & shade

We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.

25+ data sources analyzed in seconds

Key Growing Facts for Accomac, Virginia

  • USDA Hardiness Zones: 7a-8b (USDA PHZM 2023)
  • Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Feb 18 (town normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can follow for a few weeks)
  • First Fall Frost (state avg.): Oct 1 - Nov 10 (NOAA 30-Year Climate Normals)
  • Land Area: 261 acres (US Census TIGER 2025)

Zone data: USDA ARS Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023. Climate data: NOAA NCEI. Boundaries: US Census TIGER/Line 2025.

Frequently Asked Questions

What hardiness zone is Accomac, Virginia?

Accomac sits in USDA hardiness zones 7a-8b, per the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023. Zones reflect average annual extreme minimum temperatures from 1991–2020 weather data.

When does frost risk typically end in Accomac?

The last hard freeze (28°F) in Accomac typically lands around Feb 18, per NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals — an earlier marker than the light-frost dates many planting charts quote. That marks the hard freeze, not the last light frost — light frosts can still bite for a few more weeks, so tender transplants usually wait another 2–3 weeks.

What vegetables grow in Accomac?

Accomac's zones 7a-8b support a wide range — strong performers include Tomato, Grape, Peanut, Dogwood, and Apple. What actually takes on any one site comes down to its soil, sun, and drainage, and we score each plant against the real conditions at your address.

Which hardiness zone is Accomac, really?

Officially, Accomac sits in USDA zones 7a-8b (USDA PHZM 2023) — but a zone is a 30-year average of winter's coldest night across an area, and it can't see any one yard. A south-facing slope, a tree line, or a low frost pocket can shift a single site by half a zone either way, which is why neighboring gardeners often quote different numbers. We read the conditions at your exact address — soil, sun, slope, and frost — and score 1,112 plants against what's actually there.

Is the soil safe to grow vegetables in Accomac?

The federal record around Accomac shows 174 documented sites — a typical footprint for a growing area, and proximity to a documented site is information, not a diagnosis of any one yard. It's worth seeing which recorded sites sit closest to where you grow, and testing the soil before new food beds near any of them.

How do I protect my plants from frost in Accomac?

As the season closes around Virginia's first fall frost near Oct 1 - Nov 10 (NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020)), a few moves buy time: cover tender plants with floating row cover or an old sheet on still, clear nights, water the soil the afternoon before a freeze so it holds warmth overnight, and harvest frost-tender crops like tomatoes, peppers, and basil before the first hard night. Hardy greens and root crops shrug off light frost and often sweeten after it, so leave them in.

Everything on this page is a Accomac average. Your yard writes its own version — we read soil, sun, drainage, and frost at your exact address. Try it for 14 days — no card required.