When to plant onions in Maryland

Plant out in Baltimore

Feb 10–Mar 3

Across Maryland the window opens between February 10 and March 13. Find your city below; the dates follow each town's own average last frost.

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

BaltimoreFeb 10–Mar 3

ColumbiaFeb 22–Mar 15

FrederickFeb 19–Mar 12

GermantownMar 3–Mar 24

WaldorfMar 6–Mar 27

Silver SpringFeb 27–Mar 20

Ellicott CityFeb 19–Mar 12

Glen BurnieFeb 27–Mar 20

GaithersburgFeb 18–Mar 11

RockvilleFeb 18–Mar 11

BethesdaFeb 26–Mar 19

DundalkFeb 10–Mar 3

BowieMar 11–Apr 1

SevernFeb 27–Mar 20

Bel Air SouthFeb 27–Mar 20

TowsonFeb 19–Mar 12

Aspen HillFeb 18–Mar 11

WheatonFeb 18–Mar 11

North BethesdaFeb 18–Mar 11

PotomacFeb 18–Mar 11

OdentonFeb 27–Mar 20

HagerstownFeb 28–Mar 21

CatonsvilleFeb 10–Mar 3

EssexFeb 10–Mar 3

AnnapolisFeb 13–Mar 6

Severna ParkFeb 13–Mar 6

ClintonFeb 20–Mar 13

OlneyFeb 18–Mar 11

RandallstownFeb 19–Mar 12

Owings MillsFeb 19–Mar 12

All 68 cities

City	Start indoors	Plant out	Last frost
Baltimore	Dec 30 to Jan 27	Feb 10 to Mar 3	Mar 24
Columbia	Jan 11 to Feb 8	Feb 22 to Mar 15	Apr 5
Frederick	Jan 8 to Feb 5	Feb 19 to Mar 12	Apr 2
Germantown	Jan 20 to Feb 17	Mar 3 to Mar 24	Apr 14
Waldorf	Jan 23 to Feb 20	Mar 6 to Mar 27	Apr 17
Silver Spring	Jan 16 to Feb 13	Feb 27 to Mar 20	Apr 10
Ellicott City	Jan 8 to Feb 5	Feb 19 to Mar 12	Apr 2
Glen Burnie	Jan 16 to Feb 13	Feb 27 to Mar 20	Apr 10
Gaithersburg	Jan 7 to Feb 4	Feb 18 to Mar 11	Apr 1
Rockville	Jan 7 to Feb 4	Feb 18 to Mar 11	Apr 1
Bethesda	Jan 15 to Feb 12	Feb 26 to Mar 19	Apr 9
Dundalk	Dec 30 to Jan 27	Feb 10 to Mar 3	Mar 24
Bowie	Jan 28 to Feb 25	Mar 11 to Apr 1	Apr 22
Severn	Jan 16 to Feb 13	Feb 27 to Mar 20	Apr 10
Bel Air South	Jan 16 to Feb 13	Feb 27 to Mar 20	Apr 10
Towson	Jan 8 to Feb 5	Feb 19 to Mar 12	Apr 2
Aspen Hill	Jan 7 to Feb 4	Feb 18 to Mar 11	Apr 1
Wheaton	Jan 7 to Feb 4	Feb 18 to Mar 11	Apr 1
North Bethesda	Jan 7 to Feb 4	Feb 18 to Mar 11	Apr 1
Potomac	Jan 7 to Feb 4	Feb 18 to Mar 11	Apr 1
Odenton	Jan 16 to Feb 13	Feb 27 to Mar 20	Apr 10
Hagerstown	Jan 17 to Feb 14	Feb 28 to Mar 21	Apr 11
Catonsville	Dec 30 to Jan 27	Feb 10 to Mar 3	Mar 24
Essex	Dec 30 to Jan 27	Feb 10 to Mar 3	Mar 24
Annapolis	Jan 2 to Jan 30	Feb 13 to Mar 6	Mar 27
Severna Park	Jan 2 to Jan 30	Feb 13 to Mar 6	Mar 27
Clinton	Jan 9 to Feb 6	Feb 20 to Mar 13	Apr 3
Olney	Jan 7 to Feb 4	Feb 18 to Mar 11	Apr 1
Randallstown	Jan 8 to Feb 5	Feb 19 to Mar 12	Apr 2
Owings Mills	Jan 8 to Feb 5	Feb 19 to Mar 12	Apr 2
College Park	Jan 16 to Feb 13	Feb 27 to Mar 20	Apr 10
Chillum	Jan 4 to Feb 1	Feb 15 to Mar 8	Mar 29
Pikesville	Jan 8 to Feb 5	Feb 19 to Mar 12	Apr 2
Montgomery Village	Jan 20 to Feb 17	Mar 3 to Mar 24	Apr 14
Salisbury	Jan 9 to Feb 6	Feb 20 to Mar 13	Apr 3
Pasadena	Jan 16 to Feb 13	Feb 27 to Mar 20	Apr 10
Milford Mill	Jan 8 to Feb 5	Feb 19 to Mar 12	Apr 2
Middle River	Dec 30 to Jan 27	Feb 10 to Mar 3	Mar 24
Bel Air North	Jan 16 to Feb 13	Feb 27 to Mar 20	Apr 10
Eldersburg	Jan 8 to Feb 5	Feb 19 to Mar 12	Apr 2
Parkville	Jan 8 to Feb 5	Feb 19 to Mar 12	Apr 2
Laurel	Jan 11 to Feb 8	Feb 22 to Mar 15	Apr 5
Crofton	Jan 28 to Feb 25	Mar 11 to Apr 1	Apr 22
Clarksburg	Jan 20 to Feb 17	Mar 3 to Mar 24	Apr 14
Perry Hall	Jan 8 to Feb 5	Feb 19 to Mar 12	Apr 2
Carney	Jan 8 to Feb 5	Feb 19 to Mar 12	Apr 2
Reisterstown	Jan 8 to Feb 5	Feb 19 to Mar 12	Apr 2
South Laurel	Jan 11 to Feb 8	Feb 22 to Mar 15	Apr 5
Lochearn	Jan 8 to Feb 5	Feb 19 to Mar 12	Apr 2
Ilchester	Jan 16 to Feb 13	Feb 27 to Mar 20	Apr 10
Fairland	Jan 11 to Feb 8	Feb 22 to Mar 15	Apr 5
Elkridge	Jan 16 to Feb 13	Feb 27 to Mar 20	Apr 10
Ballenger Creek	Jan 8 to Feb 5	Feb 19 to Mar 12	Apr 2
Fort Washington	Jan 9 to Feb 6	Feb 20 to Mar 13	Apr 3
North Laurel	Jan 11 to Feb 8	Feb 22 to Mar 15	Apr 5
Edgewood	Jan 16 to Feb 13	Feb 27 to Mar 20	Apr 10
Greenbelt	Jan 16 to Feb 13	Feb 27 to Mar 20	Apr 10
Suitland	Jan 4 to Feb 1	Feb 15 to Mar 8	Mar 29
Landover	Jan 4 to Feb 1	Feb 15 to Mar 8	Mar 29
North Potomac	Jan 7 to Feb 4	Feb 18 to Mar 11	Apr 1
Arnold	Jan 2 to Jan 30	Feb 13 to Mar 6	Mar 27
Cockeysville	Jan 8 to Feb 5	Feb 19 to Mar 12	Apr 2
Camp Springs	Jan 9 to Feb 6	Feb 20 to Mar 13	Apr 3
Langley Park	Jan 16 to Feb 13	Feb 27 to Mar 20	Apr 10
Hyattsville	Jan 4 to Feb 1	Feb 15 to Mar 8	Mar 29
Arbutus	Dec 30 to Jan 27	Feb 10 to Mar 3	Mar 24
Rosedale	Dec 30 to Jan 27	Feb 10 to Mar 3	Mar 24
Westminster	Jan 30 to Feb 27	Mar 13 to Apr 3	Apr 24

Questions

When should I plant onions in Maryland?

In Baltimore, plant out from February 10 to March 3. Across Maryland the window opens between February 10 and March 13, 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 Maryland

Onions in other states

Frost dates for every city in Maryland