When to plant onions in zone 7b
In zone 7b, where the last spring frost typically comes around April 5, start onions indoors December 14 to January 25 and plant out March 8 to 22.
The zone 7b schedule for onions
- Start seeds indoors
- December 14 to January 25
- Plant out
- March 8 to 22
- Sow outdoors
- February 22 to March 8
From the median frost dates of the NOAA stations assigned to the 3,025 ZIP codes in zone 7b, and the timing recommended by Cooperative Extension guides for onions.
Dates before the last frost assume the soil has thawed and is dry enough to work: a squeezed handful crumbles instead of sticking. After a late or wet spring, wait for that even if the date has passed.
Frost risk in zone 7b
Zones are based on winter cold, not on frost dates, so the last spring frost varies a lot within a zone. Across zone 7b, the typical last frost ranges from about March 30 in the earliest tenth of ZIP codes to April 17 in the latest tenth, and the first fall frost from October 24 to November 18. For a typical place in the zone:
- March 20Risky: a later frost happens in 9 years out of 10
- April 5Typical: frost after this date in half of years
- April 21Safe: a later frost only 1 year in 10
Your dates for onions
Set your ZIP code at the top of the page and we will work out when to plant onions where you live, from the frost records of the nearest NOAA weather station. Your ZIP code is remembered on this device only.
Onions in zone 7b cities
| City | Typical last frost | Start indoors | Plant out |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | Mar 30 | Dec 8 to Jan 19 | Mar 2 to 16 |
| Philadelphia, PA | Mar 30 | Dec 8 to Jan 19 | Mar 2 to 16 |
| Nashville-Davidson, TN | Mar 31 | Dec 9 to Jan 20 | Mar 3 to 17 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | Apr 4 | Dec 13 to Jan 24 | Mar 7 to 21 |
| Albuquerque, NM | Apr 6 | Dec 15 to Jan 26 | Mar 9 to 23 |
| Tulsa, OK | Mar 31 | Dec 9 to Jan 20 | Mar 3 to 17 |
| Newark, NJ | Apr 2 | Dec 11 to Jan 22 | Mar 5 to 19 |
| Jersey City, NJ | Apr 2 | Dec 11 to Jan 22 | Mar 5 to 19 |
| Reno, NV | Apr 20 | Dec 29 to Feb 9 | Mar 23 to Apr 6 |
| Lubbock, TX | Apr 4 | Dec 13 to Jan 24 | Mar 7 to 21 |
| Richmond, VA | Apr 3 | Dec 12 to Jan 23 | Mar 6 to 20 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | Apr 8 | Dec 17 to Jan 28 | Mar 11 to 25 |
How to grow onionsAll zonesOnions in zone 7aOnions in zone 8aAbout zone 7b
Sources
- How to Grow Onions in Your Garden · Utah State University Extension
- Growing Onions in a Home Garden · University of Maryland Extension
- How to Start Onions and Leeks from Seeds · University of Maryland Extension (Maryland Grows)
- Growing Onions - Sets, Plants or Seeds? · Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County
- How to Grow Onions · University of Vermont Extension
- Onions (food fact sheet) · Montana 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
- Onion, Leek, Shallot, & Garlic (HGIC) · Clemson Cooperative Extension Home & Garden Information Center
- Allium cepa (Plant Toolbox) · NC State Extension
- SP 103/VH021: Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide · University of Florida IFAS Extension
- Onions and Shallots · University of Florida IFAS Gardening Solutions
- Onions (Easy Gardening) · Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
- Vegetable Planting Calendar for Maricopa County (AZ1005) · University of Arizona Cooperative Extension