When to plant onions in zone 6b

Transplant outdoors around Mar 11. That is 6 weeks before zone 6b's median last frost, Apr 221. Across most of zone 6b that date falls between Feb 28 and Mar 22.

Why a range: zone 6b is defined by winter lows, not frost dates. Its ZIP codes have median last frosts from Apr 10 to May 32, so a single zone date can be weeks off for you. The rule comes from Oregon State University Extension Service.

Last reviewed: 2026-11-02
Stations: 899
ZIP codes: 4,372

Photo: Halimatu Sa'diah - Koruch / Pexels

These dates use the typical last frost for the whole zone. Your ZIP code gives a closer answer.

Start indoorsOregon State, central ORStart indoors across most of the zone: Dec 20 to Jan 12Start indoors at the zone median: Jan 1 (Oregon State, central OR)
Transplant outdoorsOregon State, central ORTransplant outdoors across most of the zone: Feb 28 to Mar 22Transplant outdoors at the zone median: Mar 11 (Oregon State, central OR)
Sow outdoorsColorado StateSow outdoors across most of the zone: Mar 13 to Apr 19Sow outdoors at the zone median: Mar 25 to Apr 8 (Colorado State)

Start indoors
Plant outdoors
Range across the zone
Frost-free season (median)
Spring frost risk (90% to 10%)
Fall frost risk (10% to 90%)

Figure 1. Onions in zone 6b. Dark bars: at the zone's median frost dates. Pale bars: across most of the zone's ZIP codes. Hatched blue: where the zone's last and first frosts fall.

Start seeds indoors: Jan 116 weeks before last frost (Oregon State, central OR)
Transplant outdoors: Mar 11range Feb 28 – Mar 22

What each source says, applied to zone 6b

The same frost dates give different answers depending on whose rule you follow. These are all the published rules we hold for onions, worked out at zone 6b's median frost dates.

Table 1. Onions rules from every source, at zone 6b's median last frost (Apr 22) and first frost (Oct 22).
Source	What	Rule	Zone 6b median
Colorado State3Used above	Sow outdoors	2-4 weeks before last frost	Mar 25 – Apr 8
Oregon State, central OR1Used above	Transplant outdoors	6 weeks before last frost	Mar 11
Oregon State, central OR1Used above	Start indoors	16 weeks before last frost	Jan 1
Texas A&M (E-502)4	Transplant outdoors	4-10 weeks before last frost	Feb 12 – Mar 25
Texas A&M (E-502)4	Sow outdoors	6-8 weeks before last frost	Feb 26 – Mar 11
Texas A&M (E-502)4	Plant for fall	8-10 weeks before first frost	Aug 13 – Aug 27

Frost across zone 6b

Last spring frostmedian Apr 22Full range across the zone: Mar 31 to Jun 21Most of the zone (10th to 90th percentile): Apr 10 to May 3Zone median: Apr 22
First fall frostmedian Oct 22Full range across the zone: Sep 4 to Nov 12Most of the zone (10th to 90th percentile): Oct 10 to Oct 29Zone median: Oct 22

Frost-free season (median)

Figure 2. Frost dates across zone 6b, from 899 NOAA stations matched to 4,372 ZIP codes.

Planting onions with others

Carrots Tested in a study Intercropped onions reduced carrot fly (Psila rosae) attack on carrots, probably because onion volatiles disrupt host finding; onion thrips on the onions were also reduced.5 5 5 6 7 7

Sources

Oregon State University Extension Service, When to start seeds indoors in central Oregon, reviewed 2024. Retrieved 2026-11-02.
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Annual/Seasonal Climate Normals (1991-2020), 2021. Retrieved 2026-11-02.
Colorado State University Extension, Vegetable Planting Guide (CMG GardenNotes #720), reviewed September 2024. Retrieved 2026-11-02.
Texas AgriLife Extension Service, The Texas A&M System, Texas Home Vegetable Gardening Guide (E-502), 2/09. Retrieved 2026-11-02.
Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 36(2):159-167 (John Wiley & Sons); abstract read via FAO AGRIS, Effect of mixed cropping on some insect pests of carrots and onions, 1984. Retrieved 2026-11-02.
Washington State University Extension, Gardening with Companion Plants (Home Garden Series), EM128E, December 2023. Retrieved 2026-11-02.
University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UCCE Master Gardener Program), Companion Planting Chart: Companion planting in the vegetable garden, File dated 2023-09 in URL path; no date printed. Retrieved 2026-11-02.