Virginia Seasonal Fruits and Vegetables

Virginia's tourist office may have us all believe that it's a state for lovers, but locals know it's for farmers and eaters, too. Virginia farms grow a wonderfully wide variety of fruits and vegetables. Depending on your area in the state, growing seasons and crop availability will vary, as it will year-to-year. You can also look up produce by seasons: spring produce guide, summer produce guide, fall produce guide, winter produce guide.

• Apples, August through February (cold storage until spring)
• Arugula, available year-round, but best in spring and fall when its peppery flavor is at its best but not overly pungent, which can happen in the heat
• Asparagus, spring—look for firm spears, whether thick or thin
• Basil, May through November
• Beets, year-round—look for bunch sold with the green still attached starting in late spring
• Blueberries, May into July
• Broccoli, May and again in October and November
• Broccoli Raab, October into December—broccoli's leafier, more bitter associate, try blanching it before cooking to tame its bitter edge
• Brussels Sprouts, October through December—if your market sells them on the stalk, that's great, but know they will store best if removed from the stalk, in a loose bag in the fridge
• Butter Beans, July and August
• Cabbage, May through December
• Cantaloupes, July and August
• Carrots, year-round
• Cauliflower, October through December
• Celeriac/Celery Root, October through January—look for firm bulbs with no soft spots
• Celery, September through November
• Cilantro, year-round
• Chard, March into December
• Cherries, late spring and summer
• Chicories, October through December
• Chiles, August and September
• Collard Greens, March into December
• Corn, June through August
• Cucumbers, June through November
• Eggplant, June through August
• Escarole, September through December
• Fennel, fall through spring
• Garlic, July and August (stored year-round)
• Garlic Scapes/Green Garlic, March and April
• Grapes, August into October
• Green Beans, June through September
• Greens, March into December
• Green Onions, March through November
• Herbs, various year-round
• Kale, March into December
• Kohlrabi, October through March
• Leeks, year-round
• Lettuce, year-round
• Melons, June through August
• Mint, year-round
• Morels, spring
• Mushrooms (cultivated), year-round
• Mushrooms (wild), spring through fall
• Nectarines, June through September
• Nettles, March and April
• New Potatoes, March and April
• Okra, August and September—look for firm pods with a little brown at the stem end as possible
• Onions, year-round
• Oregano, year-round
• Parsley, year-round
• Parsnips, October into December
• Peaches, June through September
• Pea Greens, March and April
• Peas & Pea Pods, June through August
• Peppers (sweet), June through August
• Potatoes, July (available from storage year-round)
• Pumpkins, September and October—if you want to cook it, ​make sure it's a baking pumpkin, not a field pumpkin
• Radicchio, September through December
• Radishes, March into November
• Sage, year-round
• Scallions, March through November
• Shallots, summer and fall (from storage through winter)
• Shelling Beans, August and September
• Snap Peas/Snow Peas/Pea Pods, June and July
• Sorrel, year-round
• Spinach, year-round
• Strawberries, April through June
• Summer Squash, May through September—zucchini, crookneck, and more!
• Sweet Potatoes, year-round—look for sweet potato leaves/greens too
• Thyme, year-round
• Tomatoes, July into October
• Turnips, September into March
• Watermelons, June through August
• Winter Squash, September into January
• Zucchini, May through September
• Zucchini Blossoms, May through July