When to Plant Onion in Oregon
Onions are a fundamental kitchen staple available in yellow, white, and red varieties. Choose long-day, short-day, or intermediate types based on your latitude.
Oregon spans USDA hardiness zones 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 8a, 8b, 9a (with planting data available), so planting dates vary by your location within the state. Click your zone below for the most accurate dates.
Find Your County
Click your county for exact Onion planting dates based on your local frost dates.
Hover over a county to see details. Click to view planting guide.
Onion Planting Calendar for Oregon
▸ Zone 5a ~166 day growing season · Full guide →
Last frost: April 25 · First frost: October 8 · 166 day season
| Activity | When | Date Range |
|---|---|---|
| Start Indoors | March 21 | Mar 21 – Apr 4 |
| Transplant Outdoors | April 25 | Apr 25 – May 9 |
| Direct Sow | April 11 | Apr 11 – May 2 |
| Fall Sowing | July 30 | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Harvest | July 25 | Jul 25 – Sep 12 |
▸ Zone 5b ~178 day growing season · Full guide →
Last frost: April 18 · First frost: October 13 · 178 day season
| Activity | When | Date Range |
|---|---|---|
| Start Indoors | March 14 | Mar 14 – Mar 28 |
| Transplant Outdoors | April 18 | Apr 18 – May 2 |
| Direct Sow | April 4 | Apr 4 – Apr 25 |
| Fall Sowing | August 4 | Aug 4 – Aug 18 |
| Harvest | July 18 | Jul 18 – Sep 5 |
▸ Zone 6a ~193 day growing season · Full guide →
Last frost: April 10 · First frost: October 20 · 193 day season
| Activity | When | Date Range |
|---|---|---|
| Start Indoors | March 6 | Mar 6 – Mar 20 |
| Transplant Outdoors | April 10 | Apr 10 – Apr 24 |
| Direct Sow | March 27 | Mar 27 – Apr 17 |
| Fall Sowing | August 11 | Aug 11 – Aug 25 |
| Harvest | July 10 | Jul 10 – Aug 28 |
▸ Zone 6b ~205 day growing season · Full guide →
Last frost: April 3 · First frost: October 25 · 205 day season
| Activity | When | Date Range |
|---|---|---|
| Start Indoors | February 27 | Feb 27 – Mar 13 |
| Transplant Outdoors | April 3 | Apr 3 – Apr 17 |
| Direct Sow | March 20 | Mar 20 – Apr 10 |
| Fall Sowing | August 16 | Aug 16 – Aug 30 |
| Harvest | July 3 | Jul 3 – Aug 21 |
▸ Zone 7a ~221 day growing season · Full guide →
Last frost: March 25 · First frost: November 1 · 221 day season
| Activity | When | Date Range |
|---|---|---|
| Start Indoors | February 18 | Feb 18 – Mar 4 |
| Transplant Outdoors | March 25 | Mar 25 – Apr 8 |
| Direct Sow | March 11 | Mar 11 – Apr 1 |
| Fall Sowing | August 23 | Aug 23 – Sep 6 |
| Harvest | June 24 | Jun 24 – Aug 12 |
▸ Zone 8a ~255 day growing season · Full guide →
Last frost: March 8 · First frost: November 18 · 255 day season
| Activity | When | Date Range |
|---|---|---|
| Start Indoors | February 1 | Feb 1 – Feb 15 |
| Transplant Outdoors | March 8 | Mar 8 – Mar 22 |
| Direct Sow | February 22 | Feb 22 – Mar 15 |
| Fall Sowing | September 9 | Sep 9 – Sep 23 |
| Harvest | June 7 | Jun 7 – Jul 26 |
▸ Zone 8b ~276 day growing season · Full guide →
Last frost: February 25 · First frost: November 28 · 276 day season
| Activity | When | Date Range |
|---|---|---|
| Start Indoors | January 21 | Jan 21 – Feb 4 |
| Transplant Outdoors | February 25 | Feb 25 – Mar 11 |
| Direct Sow | February 11 | Feb 11 – Mar 4 |
| Fall Sowing | September 19 | Sep 19 – Oct 3 |
| Harvest | May 27 | May 27 – Jul 15 |
▸ Zone 9a ~303 day growing season · Full guide →
Last frost: February 10 · First frost: December 10 · 303 day season
| Activity | When | Date Range |
|---|---|---|
| Start Indoors | January 13 | Jan 13 – Jan 27 |
| Transplant Outdoors | February 10 | Feb 10 – Feb 24 |
| Direct Sow | January 20 | Jan 20 – Feb 10 |
| Fall Sowing | October 15 | Oct 15 – Oct 29 |
| Harvest | May 12 | May 12 – Jun 30 |
Growing Tips for Oregon
Start seeds indoors 8-10 weeks before transplanting. Match day-length type to your latitude. Stop watering when tops begin to fall over and cure bulbs for 2-3 weeks before storage.
Onion in Other States
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Alberta
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- British Columbia
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Manitoba
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Brunswick
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- Newfoundland and Labrador
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Northwest Territories
- Nova Scotia
- Nunavut
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Ontario
- Pennsylvania
- Prince Edward Island
- Quebec
- Rhode Island
- Saskatchewan
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
- Yukon
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I plant Onion in Oregon?
Planting dates for Onion in Oregon depend on your USDA zone. Oregon spans zones 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 8a, 8b, 9a. Check the planting calendar above for your specific zone's frost dates and planting windows.
What zone is Oregon for planting?
Oregon contains USDA hardiness zones 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 8a, 8b, 9a. Your specific zone depends on your location within the state — northern and higher-elevation areas are in colder zones, while southern and coastal areas are warmer.