Rainline Garden
When to plant onions in Everett, WA
Plant onion sets in Everett Mar 1 – Apr 5.
Why these dates
Everett's typical last spring frost is March 9. As a cool-season crop that handles light frost, this crop doesn't need to wait for that date. In the west-side valleys, though, the soil usually isn't ready to work until about March 1.
West-side valleys. The Willamette Valley, Puget Sound and southern Oregon valleys. Long frost-free seasons, but soil stays cold and wet into May, so warm crops wait for warm soil, not just the last frost.
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Sun
- Full sun
- Spacing
- 4 inches apart
- Planting depth
- Sets 1 inch deep, tip just showing
- Frost
- Handles light frost
- First harvest
- About 110 days after planting
Step by step
- Prepare the bed: loosen the soil and mix in an inch or two of compost.
- Plant onion sets Mar 1 – Apr 5, 4 inches apart, sets 1 inch deep, tip just showing.
- Water regularly and keep the bed weeded; onions don't compete well.
- Harvest: When the tops flop over in late summer, pull the onions and let them dry in a shady, airy spot for two weeks.
Varieties that do well here
- Walla Walla Sweet
- Copra (stores well)
- Redwing
Watch out for
Weeds outcompete onions' thin leaves. Keep the bed weeded and mulched.
Plant as soon as the soil is dry enough to work. Pick long-day varieties for the Northwest.
Common questions
When is the last frost in Everett, WA?
Typically March 9. In 9 years out of 10, frost is over by March 29. These are 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals for Everett Paine Field.
Is it too late to plant onions in Everett?
The spring planting window runs through April 5. Later plantings tend to struggle in summer heat.
How long until I can harvest onions?
About 110 days after planting. When the tops flop over in late summer, pull the onions and let them dry in a shady, airy spot for two weeks.
Also plant in Everett around the same time
Peas
Radishes
Spinach
Lettuce
Carrots
Beets
Kale
BroccoliPlanting dates for onions in nearby areas
- Portland, OR Mar 1 – Apr 5
- Gresham, OR Mar 1 – Apr 5
- Wilsonville and Canby, OR Mar 1 – Apr 5
- Salem, OR Mar 1 – Apr 5
- Eugene, OR Mar 1 – Apr 5
- Roseburg, OR Mar 1 – Apr 5