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Zone 6B — October

What to Plant in October in Zone 6B

October in Zone 6B: 1 crop to start indoors, 1 to plant or direct sow outside, and 103 entering harvest window. Last frost averages April 23. Reference city: Richmond, VA.
Updated May 13, 2026 · Frost data from NOAA 1991-2020 Climate Normals
1 Start Indoors
1 Plant Outside
103 Harvest
Frost risk: Cleared

Frost season has cleared in Zone 6B. The last spring frost typically passed by April 23, and the very latest 10% chance closed by May 10. Tender crops are safe to plant out.

See full Zone 6B frost outlook →

Start Indoors in October

Plant Type Start Indoors Transplant Outside Harvest Window
Garlic root vegetable Oct 18 Oct 25 Jun 22 – Jul 22

Plant Outside in October

Plant Type Action Target Date Harvest Window
Garlic root vegetable Transplant Oct 25 Jun 22 – Jul 22

Harvest in October

Plant Type Planted / Sown Harvest Window
Winter rye cover crop stands cover crop Apr 23 Oct 20 – Nov 29
Nantes Carrot (fall planting) root vegetable Jul 28 Oct 11
Adirondack Blue Potato (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 1 Oct 27
All Season Cabbage (fall planting) brassica Aug 1 Oct 20
All Year Round Cauliflower (fall planting) brassica Aug 1 Oct 5
All Year Round Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Aug 1 Oct 13
Amarillo Yellow Carrots (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 1 Oct 15
Angelica (fall planting) herb Aug 1 Oct 30
Autumn King Carrots (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 1 Oct 20
Baby Blue Eyes Flowers (fall planting) flower Aug 1 Oct 30
Bachelor's button edible flowers (fall planting) flower Aug 1 Oct 20
Barletta, Pearly White Onions (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 1 Oct 20
Bouquet Dill (fall planting) herb Aug 1 Oct 5
Broad Windsor Fava Bean (fall planting) legume Aug 1 Oct 25
Broadleaf Full Heart Batavian Endive (fall planting) lettuce Aug 1 Oct 30
Broccolini (fall planting) brassica Aug 1 Oct 10
Brunswick Cabbage (fall planting) brassica Aug 1 Oct 30
Butterhead Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Aug 1 Oct 5
Calabrese Broccoli (fall planting) brassica Aug 1 Oct 5
California Bluebell (fall planting) flower Aug 1 Oct 5
Cascadia Sugar Snap Pea (fall planting) legume Aug 1 Oct 7
Chantenay Carrots (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 1 Oct 10
Charleston Wakefield Cabbage (fall planting) brassica Aug 1 Oct 15
Chinese Forget-Me-Not Flowers (fall planting) flower Aug 1 Oct 25
Chioggia Beet (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 1 Oct 5
Copenhagen Cabbage (fall planting) brassica Aug 1 Oct 5
Cosmic Purple Carrot (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 1 Oct 15
Crimson Clover (fall planting) cover crop Aug 1 Oct 30
Crisphead Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Aug 1 Oct 15
Curly Kale (fall planting) lettuce Aug 1 Oct 5
Curly Parsley (fall planting) herb Aug 1 Oct 20
Danvers Carrot (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 1 Oct 20
Dark Green Italian Giant Parsley (fall planting) herb Aug 1 Oct 15
Dark Green Romaine Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Aug 1 Oct 10
Di Cicco Broccoli (fall planting) brassica Aug 1 Oct 5
Early Jersey Wakefield Cabbage (fall planting) brassica Aug 1 Oct 15
Early Purple Broccoli (fall planting) brassica Aug 1 Oct 5
Endive / Escarole (fall planting) lettuce Aug 1 Oct 5
Evergreen Parsley (fall planting) herb Aug 1 Oct 25
Flat-Leaf Parsley (fall planting) herb Aug 1 Oct 30
Georgia Southern Collard Greens (fall planting) lettuce Aug 1 Oct 20
German Chamomile (fall planting) herb Aug 1 Oct 5
Globe Gilia Flowers (fall planting) flower Aug 1 Oct 20
Glory of Enkhuizen Cabbage (fall planting) brassica Aug 1 Oct 30
Golden Acre Cabbage (fall planting) brassica Aug 1 Oct 5
Golden Beet (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 1 Oct 5
Green Arrow Pea (fall planting) legume Aug 1 Oct 10
Hairy vetch cover crop stands (fall planting) cover crop Aug 1 Oct 30
Harris Model Parsnips (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 1 Oct 30
Heritage Rainbow Blend Carrots (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 1 Oct 15
Iceberg Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Aug 1 Oct 15
Igloo Cauliflower (fall planting) brassica Aug 1 Oct 10
King Richard Leek (fall planting) allium Aug 1 Oct 15
Kuroda Carrots (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 1 Oct 10
Lacinato Kale (fall planting) lettuce Aug 1 Oct 5
Lacy Phacelia Flowers (fall planting) flower Aug 1 Oct 15
Little Marvel Pea (fall planting) legume Aug 1 Oct 3
Love-in-a-Mist Flowers (fall planting) flower Aug 1 Oct 25
Lunar White Carrots (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 1 Oct 20
Mammoth Dill (fall planting) herb Aug 1 Oct 5
Mammoth Melting Sugar Snow Pea (fall planting) legume Aug 1 Oct 14
Medium Red Clover Cover Crop (fall planting) cover crop Aug 1 Oct 15
Michihili Cabbage (fall planting) brassica Aug 1 Oct 10
Morris Heading Collard (fall planting) lettuce Aug 1 Oct 20
Mâche (Corn Salad) (fall planting) lettuce Aug 1 Oct 24
Napa Cabbage (fall planting) brassica Aug 1 Oct 30
Nodding Catchfly Flowers (fall planting) flower Aug 1 Oct 30
Nutri-Red Carrots (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 1 Oct 15
Oregon Giant Snow Pea (fall planting) legume Aug 1 Oct 14
Oregon Sugar Pod Snow Pea (fall planting) legume Aug 1 Oct 8
Orion Florence Fennel (fall planting) vegetable Aug 1 Oct 30
Par-Cel Cutting Celery (fall planting) vegetable Aug 1 Oct 25
Progress No. 9 Shelling Pea (fall planting) legume Aug 1 Oct 2
Purple Carrots (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 1 Oct 15
Purple Haze Carrots (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 1 Oct 13
Radicchio (fall planting) lettuce Aug 1 Oct 25
Rapeseed Cover Crop (fall planting) cover crop Aug 1 Oct 10
Rapini Broccoli Raab (fall planting) brassica Aug 1 Oct 5
Red Acre Cabbage (fall planting) brassica Aug 1 Oct 20
Red Romaine Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Aug 1 Oct 10
Romaine Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Aug 1 Oct 15
Scarlet Flax Flowers (fall planting) flower Aug 1 Oct 10
Shelling Pea (fall planting) legume Aug 1 Oct 10
Snow Pea (fall planting) legume Aug 1 Oct 10
Snow White Carrots (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 1 Oct 15
Snowball Self-Blanche Cauliflower (fall planting) brassica Aug 1 Oct 5
Solar Yellow Carrots (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 1 Oct 15
St. Valery Carrots (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 1 Oct 10
Sugar Snap Pea (fall planting) legume Aug 11 Oct 20
Sweet Marjoram (fall planting) herb Aug 1 Oct 30
Tendersweet Carrots (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 1 Oct 10
Tom Thumb Lettuce (fall planting) lettuce Aug 1 Oct 10
Tuscany Black Kale (fall planting) lettuce Aug 1 Oct 15
Vates Collard (fall planting) lettuce Aug 1 Oct 15
Vienna Purple Kohlrabi (fall planting) brassica Aug 1 Oct 5
Vienna White Kohlrabi (fall planting) brassica Aug 1 Oct 5
Viola and pansy edible flowers (fall planting) flower Aug 1 Oct 10
Violetta Purple Cauliflower (fall planting) brassica Aug 1 Oct 5
Waltham 29 Broccoli (fall planting) brassica Aug 1 Oct 30
Wando Pea (fall planting) legume Aug 1 Oct 8
Watermelon Radishes (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 1 Oct 5
White Lisbon Bunching Onions (fall planting) root vegetable Aug 1 Oct 5
Yellow Sweet Blossom Clover Cover Crop (fall planting) cover crop Aug 1 Oct 30

Key Tasks for October in Zone 6B

  1. 1 Start 1 variety indoors this month under grow lights or in a sunny south-facing window. Use a seed-starting mix and bottom heat (70–75°F) for best germination rates.
  2. 2 Harden off transplants before moving outdoors — set them outside in a sheltered spot for increasing hours over 7–10 days before planting in the ground.
  3. 3 Check soil moisture before watering — stick a finger 2 inches into the soil. Water only when the soil is dry at that depth. Consistent moisture is more important than frequency.
Back to full Zone 6B planting calendar
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