When to plant onion in Memphis
Onion is cold-hardy, so every date keys off Memphis's frost dates of Mar 14.
Step 1 · Sow
Start seeds indoors
Jan 3 – Jan 24
Before your last frost, on a warm windowsill or heat mat.
Step 2 · Plant
Transplant outdoors
Mar 2 – Mar 23
Once frost risk has passed and nights stay mild.
Step 3 · Harvest
Harvest window
May 31 – Jun 20
Picking runs until conditions turn against the crop.
Window
Days to maturity
90 – 110 d
Memphis's 239-day season leaves this much room.
Onion on Memphis's growing year
Frost-bounded season with crops mapped onto the 12-month axis.
Frost risk Growing Harvest
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC
FROST
FROST
MAR 14
NOV 16
Common questions
When will onion be ready to harvest in Memphis?
Expect to harvest from around late May (May 31–Jun 20) in Memphis, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 80%.
When should I start onion seeds indoors in Memphis?
Start seeds indoors around early January (Jan 3–Jan 24) in Memphis, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 85%.
When can I transplant onion outdoors in Memphis?
Transplant outdoors around early March (Mar 2–Mar 23) in Memphis, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 86%.
How long is the growing season in Memphis?
Memphis has roughly 239 frost-free days, which is enough time to grow onion to maturity outdoors.
The rule of thumb
Sow onion as soon as the soil is workable — it tolerates cool weather and light frost. Every date on this page is derived from that rule and Memphis's frost dates.
Confidence 89/100 · Curated · based on NOAA GHCN-Daily 1991–2020 normal · frost dates are probabilities, not guarantees.