Planting calendar
When to plant onions in Minnesota
Minnesota spans USDA hardiness zones 3a-5a. Average last spring frost: 05-15. This calendar gives you the indoor start, transplant, and direct-sow dates for Allium cepa.
Minnesota planting dates for onions
| Phase | Date in Minnesota | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Start seeds indoors | February 20 | 12 weeks before last frost |
| Transplant outdoors | May 1 | 2 weeks before last frost |
Why these dates
Onions are day-length sensitive. Long-day varieties for the North (above latitude 35), short-day varieties for the South (below 35), day-neutral varieties work anywhere.
The dates above are anchored to Minnesota's average last spring frost date of 05-15, with offsets standard across university Extension publications. For zone-specific local timing, use the frost date lookup tool with your ZIP code.
More on growing onions
The full growing guide for onions - varieties, soil, fertilization, pests, harvest, storage - is here: Onions growing guide.
More Minnesota planting information
- Full Minnesota planting calendar (all crops + ornamentals)
- Find your exact USDA zone by ZIP
- Look up your average frost dates
- Seed starting timeline calculator