When to plant onions in New York

Plant out in New York

Feb 18–Mar 11

Across New York the window opens between February 18 and April 2. Find your city below; the dates follow each town's own average last frost.

Start indoors, New York: Jan 7–Feb 4
Plant out, New York: Feb 18–Mar 11
Last frost, New York: Apr 1

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

New YorkFeb 18–Mar 11

BuffaloMar 13–Apr 3

YonkersMar 9–Mar 30

RochesterMar 13–Apr 3

SyracuseMar 18–Apr 8

AlbanyMar 16–Apr 6

New RochelleMar 9–Mar 30

CheektowagaMar 13–Apr 3

Mount VernonFeb 18–Mar 11

SchenectadyMar 16–Apr 6

UticaMar 20–Apr 10

White PlainsMar 1–Mar 22

HempsteadFeb 19–Mar 12

Tonawanda TownMar 25–Apr 15

LevittownFeb 20–Mar 13

TroyMar 8–Mar 29

IrondequoitMar 13–Apr 3

Niagara FallsMar 15–Apr 5

Kiryas JoelFeb 27–Mar 20

BinghamtonMar 21–Apr 11

West SenecaMar 13–Apr 3

FreeportFeb 24–Mar 17

HicksvilleFeb 19–Mar 12

West BabylonFeb 23–Mar 16

CoramFeb 21–Mar 14

Valley StreamFeb 19–Mar 12

Central IslipFeb 27–Mar 20

BrightonMar 13–Apr 3

ElmontFeb 19–Mar 12

CommackFeb 26–Mar 19

All 89 cities

City	Start indoors	Plant out	Last frost
New York	Jan 7 to Feb 4	Feb 18 to Mar 11	Apr 1
Buffalo	Jan 30 to Feb 27	Mar 13 to Apr 3	Apr 24
Yonkers	Jan 26 to Feb 23	Mar 9 to Mar 30	Apr 20
Rochester	Jan 30 to Feb 27	Mar 13 to Apr 3	Apr 24
Syracuse	Feb 4 to Mar 4	Mar 18 to Apr 8	Apr 29
Albany	Feb 2 to Mar 2	Mar 16 to Apr 6	Apr 27
New Rochelle	Jan 26 to Feb 23	Mar 9 to Mar 30	Apr 20
Cheektowaga	Jan 30 to Feb 27	Mar 13 to Apr 3	Apr 24
Mount Vernon	Jan 7 to Feb 4	Feb 18 to Mar 11	Apr 1
Schenectady	Feb 2 to Mar 2	Mar 16 to Apr 6	Apr 27
Utica	Feb 6 to Mar 6	Mar 20 to Apr 10	May 1
White Plains	Jan 18 to Feb 15	Mar 1 to Mar 22	Apr 12
Hempstead	Jan 8 to Feb 5	Feb 19 to Mar 12	Apr 2
Tonawanda Town	Feb 11 to Mar 11	Mar 25 to Apr 15	May 6
Levittown	Jan 9 to Feb 6	Feb 20 to Mar 13	Apr 3
Troy	Jan 25 to Feb 22	Mar 8 to Mar 29	Apr 19
Irondequoit	Jan 30 to Feb 27	Mar 13 to Apr 3	Apr 24
Niagara Falls	Feb 1 to Mar 1	Mar 15 to Apr 5	Apr 26
Kiryas Joel	Jan 16 to Feb 13	Feb 27 to Mar 20	Apr 10
Binghamton	Feb 7 to Mar 7	Mar 21 to Apr 11	May 2
West Seneca	Jan 30 to Feb 27	Mar 13 to Apr 3	Apr 24
Freeport	Jan 13 to Feb 10	Feb 24 to Mar 17	Apr 7
Hicksville	Jan 8 to Feb 5	Feb 19 to Mar 12	Apr 2
West Babylon	Jan 12 to Feb 9	Feb 23 to Mar 16	Apr 6
Coram	Jan 10 to Feb 7	Feb 21 to Mar 14	Apr 4
Valley Stream	Jan 8 to Feb 5	Feb 19 to Mar 12	Apr 2
Central Islip	Jan 16 to Feb 13	Feb 27 to Mar 20	Apr 10
Brighton	Jan 30 to Feb 27	Mar 13 to Apr 3	Apr 24
Elmont	Jan 8 to Feb 5	Feb 19 to Mar 12	Apr 2
Commack	Jan 15 to Feb 12	Feb 26 to Mar 19	Apr 9
East Meadow	Jan 8 to Feb 5	Feb 19 to Mar 12	Apr 2
Long Beach	Jan 13 to Feb 10	Feb 24 to Mar 17	Apr 7
Spring Valley	Jan 26 to Feb 23	Mar 9 to Mar 30	Apr 20
New City	Jan 31 to Feb 28	Mar 14 to Apr 4	Apr 25
Uniondale	Jan 8 to Feb 5	Feb 19 to Mar 12	Apr 2
Ithaca	Feb 16 to Mar 16	Mar 30 to Apr 20	May 11
Baldwin	Jan 13 to Feb 10	Feb 24 to Mar 17	Apr 7
Huntington Station	Jan 15 to Feb 12	Feb 26 to Mar 19	Apr 9
Poughkeepsie	Jan 27 to Feb 24	Mar 10 to Mar 31	Apr 21
Port Chester	Jan 18 to Feb 15	Mar 1 to Mar 22	Apr 12
Harrison	Jan 18 to Feb 15	Mar 1 to Mar 22	Apr 12
Oceanside	Jan 13 to Feb 10	Feb 24 to Mar 17	Apr 7
Rome	Feb 11 to Mar 11	Mar 25 to Apr 15	May 6
Centereach	Jan 16 to Feb 13	Feb 27 to Mar 20	Apr 10
Bay Shore	Jan 10 to Feb 7	Feb 21 to Mar 14	Apr 4
Franklin Square	Jan 8 to Feb 5	Feb 19 to Mar 12	Apr 2
Middletown	Jan 27 to Feb 24	Mar 10 to Mar 31	Apr 21
North Tonawanda	Feb 11 to Mar 11	Mar 25 to Apr 15	May 6
Saratoga Springs	Feb 7 to Mar 7	Mar 21 to Apr 11	May 2
Glen Cove	Jan 8 to Feb 5	Feb 19 to Mar 12	Apr 2
Newburgh	Feb 4 to Mar 4	Mar 18 to Apr 8	Apr 29
Shirley	Jan 24 to Feb 21	Mar 7 to Mar 28	Apr 18
Monsey	Jan 25 to Feb 22	Mar 8 to Mar 29	Apr 19
Jamestown	Feb 13 to Mar 13	Mar 27 to Apr 17	May 8
Ossining	Jan 31 to Feb 28	Mar 14 to Apr 4	Apr 25
Deer Park	Jan 12 to Feb 9	Feb 23 to Mar 16	Apr 6
Lindenhurst	Jan 12 to Feb 9	Feb 23 to Mar 16	Apr 6
West Islip	Jan 12 to Feb 9	Feb 23 to Mar 16	Apr 6
Holbrook	Jan 16 to Feb 13	Feb 27 to Mar 20	Apr 10
Plainview	Jan 12 to Feb 9	Feb 23 to Mar 16	Apr 6
Elmira	Feb 11 to Mar 11	Mar 25 to Apr 15	May 6
Auburn	Feb 7 to Mar 7	Mar 21 to Apr 11	May 2
Peekskill	Feb 5 to Mar 5	Mar 19 to Apr 9	Apr 30
Rockville Centre	Jan 13 to Feb 10	Feb 24 to Mar 17	Apr 7
Medford	Jan 24 to Feb 21	Mar 7 to Mar 28	Apr 18
Dix Hills	Jan 15 to Feb 12	Feb 26 to Mar 19	Apr 9
Smithtown	Jan 16 to Feb 13	Feb 27 to Mar 20	Apr 10
Kingston	Feb 19 to Mar 19	Apr 2 to Apr 23	May 14
Watertown	Feb 7 to Mar 7	Mar 21 to Apr 11	May 2
Copiague	Jan 12 to Feb 9	Feb 23 to Mar 16	Apr 6
Garden City	Jan 8 to Feb 5	Feb 19 to Mar 12	Apr 2
Rotterdam	Feb 2 to Mar 2	Mar 16 to Apr 6	Apr 27
Massapequa	Jan 9 to Feb 6	Feb 20 to Mar 13	Apr 3
Merrick	Jan 9 to Feb 6	Feb 20 to Mar 13	Apr 3
Selden	Jan 10 to Feb 7	Feb 21 to Mar 14	Apr 4
Mineola	Jan 8 to Feb 5	Feb 19 to Mar 12	Apr 2
East Patchogue	Jan 16 to Feb 13	Feb 27 to Mar 20	Apr 10
Lynbrook	Jan 13 to Feb 10	Feb 24 to Mar 17	Apr 7
North Bellmore	Jan 9 to Feb 6	Feb 20 to Mar 13	Apr 3
Niskayuna	Feb 2 to Mar 2	Mar 16 to Apr 6	Apr 27
Hauppauge	Jan 16 to Feb 13	Feb 27 to Mar 20	Apr 10
West Hempstead	Jan 8 to Feb 5	Feb 19 to Mar 12	Apr 2
Eastchester	Jan 26 to Feb 23	Mar 9 to Mar 30	Apr 20
North Bay Shore	Jan 12 to Feb 9	Feb 23 to Mar 16	Apr 6
North Amityville	Jan 12 to Feb 9	Feb 23 to Mar 16	Apr 6
Lockport	Feb 1 to Mar 1	Mar 15 to Apr 5	Apr 26
East Massapequa	Jan 9 to Feb 6	Feb 20 to Mar 13	Apr 3
Huntington	Jan 15 to Feb 12	Feb 26 to Mar 19	Apr 9
Nanuet	Jan 26 to Feb 23	Mar 9 to Mar 30	Apr 20

Questions

When should I plant onions in New York?

In New York, plant out from February 18 to March 11. Across New York the window opens between February 18 and April 2, 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 New York

Onions in other states

Frost dates for every city in New York