When to plant green onions
Plant green onions out 4 to 6 weeks before the last frost and sow seed outdoors from 6 weeks before to 4 weeks after the last frost.
Your dates for green onions
Set your ZIP code at the top of the page and we will work out when to plant green onions where you live, from the frost records of the nearest NOAA weather station. Your ZIP code is remembered on this device only.
Green Onions planting dates by zone
| Zone | Plant out | Sow outdoors |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 2a | May 21 to Jun 4 | May 21 to Jul 30 |
| Zone 3a | May 15 to 29 | May 15 to Jul 24 |
| Zone 3b | May 11 to 25 | May 11 to Jul 20 |
| Zone 4a | May 7 to 21 | May 7 to Jul 16 |
| Zone 4b | May 2 to 16 | May 2 to Jul 11 |
| Zone 5a | Apr 28 to May 12 | Apr 28 to Jul 7 |
| Zone 5b | Apr 26 to May 10 | Apr 26 to Jul 5 |
| Zone 6a | Apr 20 to May 4 | Apr 20 to Jun 29 |
| Zone 6b | Apr 13 to 27 | Apr 13 to Jun 22 |
| Zone 7a | Apr 4 to 18 | Apr 4 to Jun 13 |
| Zone 7b | Mar 25 to Apr 8 | Mar 25 to Jun 3 |
| Zone 8a | Mar 7 to 21 | Mar 7 to May 16 |
| Zone 8b | Feb 18 to Mar 4 | Feb 18 to Apr 29 |
| Zone 9a | Jan 19 to Feb 2 | Jan 19 to Mar 30 |
| Zone 9b | Dec 20 to Jan 3 | Dec 20 to Feb 28 |
Spring dates before the last frost assume the soil has thawed and is dry enough to work. After a late or wet spring, wait for that even if the date has passed.
Where frost is rare
In mild-winter areas green onions grow from late summer or fall through early spring, so they can be sown many times over the cool season. Planting stops in the hottest months.
| Zone | Planting months in Extension guides |
|---|---|
| Zone 9 | Sep-Mar (North Florida); Aug-Dec and Jan-mid Apr (Phoenix area) |
| Zone 10 | Aug-Mar (Central Florida) |
| Zone 11 | Sep-Mar (South Florida) |
Based on UF/IFAS Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide (VH021), bunching onions, North/Central/South (North ~ zone 8b-9a, Central ~ 9b-10a, South ~ 10b-11); University of Arizona AZ1005 Maricopa County calendar (low desert, ~ zone 9b-10a). Warm-winter areas are matched to zones approximately, so use the months for your region.
How to grow green onionsYour full planting calendar
Sources
- Onions (Bunching) · Oregon State University Extension Service
- Growing Onions in a Home Garden · University of Maryland Extension
- Onion, Leek, Shallot, & Garlic (HGIC) · Clemson Cooperative Extension Home & Garden Information Center
- How to Grow Onions in Your Garden · Utah State University Extension
- Planting the Garden · University of Vermont Extension
- Rhode Island Planting Calendar for Fruits and Vegetables · University of Rhode Island Cooperative Extension
- Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination · Oregon State University Extension Service
- SP 103/VH021: Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide · University of Florida IFAS Extension
- Vegetable Planting Calendar for Maricopa County (AZ1005) · University of Arizona Cooperative Extension