When to plant Onions in Virginia
In spring, from Feb 10 – Mar 10 in Alexandria to Apr 1 – May 1 in Radford.
In fall, from Sept 1 – Oct 15 in Charlottesville to Oct 1 – Dec 31 in Portsmouth.
Dates are for setting out plants. USDA's earliest safe spring and latest safe fall planting dates, matched to each place's average frost dates.
| Place | Spring | Fall |
|---|---|---|
| Alexandria | Feb 10 – Mar 10 | Oct 1 – Dec 31Now |
| Blacksburg | Mar 15 – Apr 10 | Spring-planted |
| Bristol | Mar 15 – Apr 10 | Spring-planted |
| Charlottesville | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Sept 1 – Oct 15 |
| Chesapeake | Feb 10 – Mar 10 | Oct 1 – Dec 31Now |
| Christiansburg | Mar 15 – Apr 10 | Spring-planted |
| Colonial Heights | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Culpeper | Mar 15 – Apr 10 | Spring-planted |
| Danville | Mar 1 – Apr 1 | Not listed |
| Fairfax | Mar 1 – Apr 1 | Not listed |
| Falls Church | Mar 1 – Apr 1 | Not listed |
| Fredericksburg | Mar 1 – Apr 1 | Not listed |
| Front Royal | Mar 1 – Apr 1 | Not listed |
| Hampton | Feb 10 – Mar 10 | Sept 1 – Oct 15 |
| Harrisonburg | Mar 15 – Apr 10 | Spring-planted |
| Herndon | Mar 1 – Apr 1 | Spring-planted |
| Hopewell | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Sept 1 – Oct 15 |
| Leesburg | Mar 15 – Apr 10 | Spring-planted |
| Lynchburg | Mar 15 – Apr 10 | Spring-planted |
| Manassas | Mar 1 – Apr 1 | Not listed |
| Manassas Park | Mar 1 – Apr 1 | Not listed |
| Martinsville | Mar 15 – Apr 10 | Spring-planted |
| Newport News | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Sept 1 – Oct 15 |
| Norfolk | Feb 10 – Mar 10 | Oct 1 – Dec 31Now |
| Petersburg | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Poquoson | Feb 10 – Mar 10 | Sept 1 – Oct 15 |
| Portsmouth | Feb 10 – Mar 10 | Oct 1 – Dec 31Now |
| Radford | Apr 1 – May 1 | Spring-planted |
| Richmond | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Roanoke | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Salem | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Staunton | Mar 1 – Apr 1 | Not listed |
| Suffolk | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Sept 1 – Oct 15 |
| Vienna | Mar 1 – Apr 1 | Not listed |
| Virginia Beach | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Sept 1 – Oct 15 |
| Warrenton | Mar 1 – Apr 1 | Not listed |
| Waynesboro | Mar 15 – Apr 10 | Spring-planted |
| Williamsburg | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Sept 1 – Oct 15 |
| Winchester | Mar 1 – Apr 1 | Not listed |
Planting dates: USDA Home and Garden Bulletin No. 9 (1967), tables 4 and 5. Frost dates: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020. “—” means the place's frost date is outside the table. The full USDA table for onion plants.