When to plant onions in Gresham, OR

Plant onion sets in Gresham Mar 1 – Apr 5.

Moderate Plant small onion bulbs (sets)

Why these dates

Gresham's typical last spring frost is March 16. 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

1. Prepare the bed: loosen the soil and mix in an inch or two of compost.
2. Plant onion sets Mar 1 – Apr 5, 4 inches apart, sets 1 inch deep, tip just showing.
3. Water regularly and keep the bed weeded; onions don't compete well.
4. Harvest: When the tops flop over in late summer, pull the onions and let them dry in a shady, airy spot for two weeks.

Common questions

Also plant in Gresham around the same time

• Peas
• Radishes
• Spinach
• Lettuce
• Carrots
• Beets
• Kale
• Broccoli

Planting dates for onions in nearby areas

• Portland, 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
• Medford, OR Mar 1 – Apr 5

Full planting calendar for Gresham · Onions in every city