When to plant onions in Washington

Plant out in Seattle

Jan 25–Feb 15

Across Washington the window opens between January 19 and March 27. Find your city below; the dates follow each town's own average last frost.

Start indoors, Seattle: Dec 14–Jan 11
Plant out, Seattle: Jan 25–Feb 15
Last frost, Seattle: Mar 8

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

SeattleJan 25–Feb 15

SpokaneMar 15–Apr 5

TacomaJan 25–Feb 15

VancouverFeb 15–Mar 8

BellevueJan 25–Feb 15

KentFeb 6–Feb 27

EverettFeb 10–Mar 3

Spokane ValleyMar 15–Apr 5

RentonJan 30–Feb 20

Federal WayJan 25–Feb 15

YakimaFeb 25–Mar 18

KirklandJan 25–Feb 15

BellinghamFeb 18–Mar 11

KennewickFeb 14–Mar 7

AuburnFeb 6–Feb 27

PascoMar 16–Apr 6

RedmondJan 25–Feb 15

MarysvilleFeb 10–Mar 3

South HillFeb 28–Mar 21

ShorelineJan 25–Feb 15

SammamishFeb 16–Mar 9

RichlandFeb 23–Mar 16

LakewoodJan 28–Feb 18

LaceyMar 18–Apr 8

OlympiaMar 18–Apr 8

BothellJan 25–Feb 15

BurienJan 19–Feb 9

BremertonFeb 15–Mar 8

EdmondsJan 26–Feb 16

PuyallupFeb 28–Mar 21

All 76 cities

City	Start indoors	Plant out	Last frost
Seattle	Dec 14 to Jan 11	Jan 25 to Feb 15	Mar 8
Spokane	Feb 1 to Mar 1	Mar 15 to Apr 5	Apr 26
Tacoma	Dec 14 to Jan 11	Jan 25 to Feb 15	Mar 8
Vancouver	Jan 4 to Feb 1	Feb 15 to Mar 8	Mar 29
Bellevue	Dec 14 to Jan 11	Jan 25 to Feb 15	Mar 8
Kent	Dec 26 to Jan 23	Feb 6 to Feb 27	Mar 20
Everett	Dec 30 to Jan 27	Feb 10 to Mar 3	Mar 24
Spokane Valley	Feb 1 to Mar 1	Mar 15 to Apr 5	Apr 26
Renton	Dec 19 to Jan 16	Jan 30 to Feb 20	Mar 13
Federal Way	Dec 14 to Jan 11	Jan 25 to Feb 15	Mar 8
Yakima	Jan 14 to Feb 11	Feb 25 to Mar 18	Apr 8
Kirkland	Dec 14 to Jan 11	Jan 25 to Feb 15	Mar 8
Bellingham	Jan 7 to Feb 4	Feb 18 to Mar 11	Apr 1
Kennewick	Jan 3 to Jan 31	Feb 14 to Mar 7	Mar 28
Auburn	Dec 26 to Jan 23	Feb 6 to Feb 27	Mar 20
Pasco	Feb 2 to Mar 2	Mar 16 to Apr 6	Apr 27
Redmond	Dec 14 to Jan 11	Jan 25 to Feb 15	Mar 8
Marysville	Dec 30 to Jan 27	Feb 10 to Mar 3	Mar 24
South Hill	Jan 17 to Feb 14	Feb 28 to Mar 21	Apr 11
Shoreline	Dec 14 to Jan 11	Jan 25 to Feb 15	Mar 8
Sammamish	Jan 5 to Feb 2	Feb 16 to Mar 9	Mar 30
Richland	Jan 12 to Feb 9	Feb 23 to Mar 16	Apr 6
Lakewood	Dec 17 to Jan 14	Jan 28 to Feb 18	Mar 11
Lacey	Feb 4 to Mar 4	Mar 18 to Apr 8	Apr 29
Olympia	Feb 4 to Mar 4	Mar 18 to Apr 8	Apr 29
Bothell	Dec 14 to Jan 11	Jan 25 to Feb 15	Mar 8
Burien	Dec 8 to Jan 5	Jan 19 to Feb 9	Mar 2
Bremerton	Jan 4 to Feb 1	Feb 15 to Mar 8	Mar 29
Edmonds	Dec 15 to Jan 12	Jan 26 to Feb 16	Mar 9
Puyallup	Jan 17 to Feb 14	Feb 28 to Mar 21	Apr 11
Lynnwood	Dec 15 to Jan 12	Jan 26 to Feb 16	Mar 9
Lake Stevens	Dec 30 to Jan 27	Feb 10 to Mar 3	Mar 24
Issaquah	Dec 19 to Jan 16	Jan 30 to Feb 20	Mar 13
Parkland	Dec 14 to Jan 11	Jan 25 to Feb 15	Mar 8
Longview	Jan 14 to Feb 11	Feb 25 to Mar 18	Apr 8
Wenatchee	Jan 10 to Feb 7	Feb 21 to Mar 14	Apr 4
University Place	Dec 17 to Jan 14	Jan 28 to Feb 18	Mar 11
Mount Vernon	Dec 30 to Jan 27	Feb 10 to Mar 3	Mar 24
Graham	Jan 17 to Feb 14	Feb 28 to Mar 21	Apr 11
SeaTac	Dec 8 to Jan 5	Jan 19 to Feb 9	Mar 2
Spanaway	Jan 17 to Feb 14	Feb 28 to Mar 21	Apr 11
Walla Walla	Jan 2 to Jan 30	Feb 13 to Mar 6	Mar 27
Pullman	Feb 11 to Mar 11	Mar 25 to Apr 15	May 6
Des Moines	Dec 8 to Jan 5	Jan 19 to Feb 9	Mar 2
Orchards	Feb 1 to Mar 1	Mar 15 to Apr 5	Apr 26
Maple Valley	Jan 26 to Feb 23	Mar 9 to Mar 30	Apr 20
Tumwater	Feb 4 to Mar 4	Mar 18 to Apr 8	Apr 29
Camas	Dec 22 to Jan 19	Feb 2 to Feb 23	Mar 16
Moses Lake	Feb 2 to Mar 2	Mar 16 to Apr 6	Apr 27
Mill Creek East	Dec 15 to Jan 12	Jan 26 to Feb 16	Mar 9
Mountlake Terrace	Dec 14 to Jan 11	Jan 25 to Feb 15	Mar 8
Mercer Island	Dec 19 to Jan 16	Jan 30 to Feb 20	Mar 13
Bainbridge Island	Jan 4 to Feb 1	Feb 15 to Mar 8	Mar 29
Kenmore	Dec 14 to Jan 11	Jan 25 to Feb 15	Mar 8
Frederickson	Jan 17 to Feb 14	Feb 28 to Mar 21	Apr 11
Oak Harbor	Dec 19 to Jan 16	Jan 30 to Feb 20	Mar 13
North Lynnwood	Dec 15 to Jan 12	Jan 26 to Feb 16	Mar 9
Battle Ground	Feb 1 to Mar 1	Mar 15 to Apr 5	Apr 26
Eastmont	Dec 15 to Jan 12	Jan 26 to Feb 16	Mar 9
Union Hill-Novelty Hill	Dec 14 to Jan 11	Jan 25 to Feb 15	Mar 8
Cottage Lake	Jan 23 to Feb 20	Mar 6 to Mar 27	Apr 17
Hazel Dell	Feb 1 to Mar 1	Mar 15 to Apr 5	Apr 26
Martha Lake	Dec 15 to Jan 12	Jan 26 to Feb 16	Mar 9
Bonney Lake	Jan 17 to Feb 14	Feb 28 to Mar 21	Apr 11
Arlington	Jan 28 to Feb 25	Mar 11 to Apr 1	Apr 22
Tukwila	Dec 8 to Jan 5	Jan 19 to Feb 9	Mar 2
Silver Firs	Dec 15 to Jan 12	Jan 26 to Feb 16	Mar 9
Covington	Jan 26 to Feb 23	Mar 9 to Mar 30	Apr 20
Five Corners	Feb 1 to Mar 1	Mar 15 to Apr 5	Apr 26
Ellensburg	Feb 13 to Mar 13	Mar 27 to Apr 17	May 8
Mukilteo	Dec 15 to Jan 12	Jan 26 to Feb 16	Mar 9
Silverdale	Jan 4 to Feb 1	Feb 15 to Mar 8	Mar 29
Bothell West	Dec 15 to Jan 12	Jan 26 to Feb 16	Mar 9
Mill Creek	Dec 15 to Jan 12	Jan 26 to Feb 16	Mar 9
Port Angeles	Dec 18 to Jan 15	Jan 29 to Feb 19	Mar 12
Monroe	Jan 23 to Feb 20	Mar 6 to Mar 27	Apr 17

Questions

When should I plant onions in Washington?

In Seattle, plant out from January 25 to February 15. Across Washington the window opens between January 19 and March 27, 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 Washington

Onions in other states

Frost dates for every city in Washington