When to plant onions in Alabama

Onions
Plant out in Huntsville
Feb 10–Mar 3

Across Alabama the window opens between January 10 and February 21. Find your city below; the dates follow each town's own average last frost.

Start indoors, Huntsville
Dec 30–Jan 27
Plant out, Huntsville
Feb 10–Mar 3
Last frost, Huntsville
Mar 24

Start seeds indoors 8–12 weeks before the last frost; plant out 3–6 weeks before the last frost. Northern gardens need long-day varieties and southern gardens need short-day ones. A wrong pick gives small bulbs.

Onions planting dates by city

Start indoorsPlant outSow outdoorsFall plantingAverage last and first frost
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
HuntsvilleFeb 10–Mar 3
MobileJan 10–Jan 31
BirminghamFeb 7–Feb 28
MontgomeryJan 21–Feb 11
TuscaloosaFeb 4–Feb 25
HooverFeb 5–Feb 26
AuburnJan 30–Feb 20
DothanJan 18–Feb 8
MadisonFeb 10–Mar 3
DecaturFeb 12–Mar 5
FlorenceFeb 13–Mar 6
PrattvilleJan 30–Feb 20
Phenix CityJan 22–Feb 12
Vestavia HillsFeb 7–Feb 28
OpelikaFeb 15–Mar 8
AlabasterJan 29–Feb 19
AthensFeb 6–Feb 27
GadsdenFeb 5–Feb 26
NorthportFeb 4–Feb 25
DaphneFeb 1–Feb 22
EnterpriseJan 26–Feb 16
FoleyJan 22–Feb 12
HomewoodFeb 7–Feb 28
TrussvilleFeb 21–Mar 14
FairhopeJan 27–Feb 17
PelhamFeb 5–Feb 26
BessemerFeb 9–Mar 2
AlbertvilleFeb 3–Feb 24
HelenaFeb 5–Feb 26
OxfordFeb 9–Mar 2
All 33 cities
CityStart indoorsPlant outLast frost
HuntsvilleDec 30 to Jan 27Feb 10 to Mar 3Mar 24
MobileNov 29 to Dec 27Jan 10 to Jan 31Feb 21
BirminghamDec 27 to Jan 24Feb 7 to Feb 28Mar 21
MontgomeryDec 10 to Jan 7Jan 21 to Feb 11Mar 4
TuscaloosaDec 24 to Jan 21Feb 4 to Feb 25Mar 18
HooverDec 25 to Jan 22Feb 5 to Feb 26Mar 19
AuburnDec 19 to Jan 16Jan 30 to Feb 20Mar 13
DothanDec 7 to Jan 4Jan 18 to Feb 8Mar 1
MadisonDec 30 to Jan 27Feb 10 to Mar 3Mar 24
DecaturJan 1 to Jan 29Feb 12 to Mar 5Mar 26
FlorenceJan 2 to Jan 30Feb 13 to Mar 6Mar 27
PrattvilleDec 19 to Jan 16Jan 30 to Feb 20Mar 13
Phenix CityDec 11 to Jan 8Jan 22 to Feb 12Mar 5
Vestavia HillsDec 27 to Jan 24Feb 7 to Feb 28Mar 21
OpelikaJan 4 to Feb 1Feb 15 to Mar 8Mar 29
AlabasterDec 18 to Jan 15Jan 29 to Feb 19Mar 12
AthensDec 26 to Jan 23Feb 6 to Feb 27Mar 20
GadsdenDec 25 to Jan 22Feb 5 to Feb 26Mar 19
NorthportDec 24 to Jan 21Feb 4 to Feb 25Mar 18
DaphneDec 21 to Jan 18Feb 1 to Feb 22Mar 15
EnterpriseDec 15 to Jan 12Jan 26 to Feb 16Mar 9
FoleyDec 11 to Jan 8Jan 22 to Feb 12Mar 5
HomewoodDec 27 to Jan 24Feb 7 to Feb 28Mar 21
TrussvilleJan 10 to Feb 7Feb 21 to Mar 14Apr 4
FairhopeDec 16 to Jan 13Jan 27 to Feb 17Mar 10
PelhamDec 25 to Jan 22Feb 5 to Feb 26Mar 19
BessemerDec 29 to Jan 26Feb 9 to Mar 2Mar 23
AlbertvilleDec 23 to Jan 20Feb 3 to Feb 24Mar 17
HelenaDec 25 to Jan 22Feb 5 to Feb 26Mar 19
OxfordDec 29 to Jan 26Feb 9 to Mar 2Mar 23
Mountain BrookDec 27 to Jan 24Feb 7 to Feb 28Mar 21
AnnistonDec 29 to Jan 26Feb 9 to Mar 2Mar 23
CullmanJan 6 to Feb 3Feb 17 to Mar 10Mar 31

Questions

When should I plant onions in Alabama?

In Huntsville, plant out from February 10 to March 3. Across Alabama the window opens between January 10 and February 21, depending on the local last frost.

How is this date worked out?

Start seeds indoors 8–12 weeks before the last frost; plant out 3–6 weeks before the last frost. Frost dates are NOAA 1991–2020 averages for the weather station nearest each city.

More for Alabama

Onions in other states

Frost dates for every city in Alabama