Root Vegetable

When to Plant Onions in Texas

The backbone of the kitchen garden. Choose short-day, intermediate, or long-day varieties based on your latitude.

The Short Answer

Texas is famous for its onions — the 1015 Texas SuperSweet onion from the Rio Grande Valley is one of the sweetest onions in the world. Texas straddles the long-day/short-day dividing line, with the southern half growing short-day varieties and the northern edge of the state able to grow intermediate types.

Texas Frost Dates

Your planting dates depend on which part of Texas you're in. Here are the frost date ranges by region:

Region Zones Last Frost (Spring) First Frost (Fall)
North Texas (Dallas) 7b, 8a Mar 10 - Mar 25 Nov 5 - Nov 20
Central Texas (Austin/SA) 8a, 8b Feb 25 - Mar 15 Nov 15 - Dec 5
South Texas (Valley) 9a, 9b, 10a Jan 15 - Feb 10 Dec 10 - Jan 5
Texas Panhandle 6b, 7a Apr 10 - Apr 25 Oct 10 - Oct 25
East Texas 8a, 8b Mar 1 - Mar 20 Nov 10 - Nov 25

Onions Planting Schedule for Texas

North Texas (Dallas) (Zones 7b, 8a)

Average last frost: Mar 10 - Mar 25 · Average first frost: Nov 5 - Nov 20

Start Seeds Indoors
10 wks before frost
Transplant Outside
4 wks before frost
Direct Sow
4 wks before frost

Central Texas (Austin/SA) (Zones 8a, 8b)

Average last frost: Feb 25 - Mar 15 · Average first frost: Nov 15 - Dec 5

Start Seeds Indoors
10 wks before frost
Transplant Outside
4 wks before frost
Direct Sow
4 wks before frost

South Texas (Valley) (Zones 9a, 9b, 10a)

Average last frost: Jan 15 - Feb 10 · Average first frost: Dec 10 - Jan 5

Start Seeds Indoors
10 wks before frost
Transplant Outside
4 wks before frost
Direct Sow
4 wks before frost

Texas Panhandle (Zones 6b, 7a)

Average last frost: Apr 10 - Apr 25 · Average first frost: Oct 10 - Oct 25

Start Seeds Indoors
10 wks before frost
Transplant Outside
4 wks before frost
Direct Sow
4 wks before frost

East Texas (Zones 8a, 8b)

Average last frost: Mar 1 - Mar 20 · Average first frost: Nov 10 - Nov 25

Start Seeds Indoors
10 wks before frost
Transplant Outside
4 wks before frost
Direct Sow
4 wks before frost

Growing Onions in Texas

State-Specific Growing Tips

South Texas (the Valley): plant short-day onion transplants from October through November for spring harvest. Central Texas: plant intermediate or short-day varieties from November through January. North Texas: plant intermediate-day varieties from January through February. The critical distinction in Texas is day-length type — planting long-day onions in Texas produces skinny scallions, not bulbs, because the day length never reaches the 16 hours needed to trigger bulbing. Short-day onions bulb when days reach 10-12 hours.

Recommended Varieties for Texas

Short-day: Texas 1015 SuperSweet (the state's signature onion), Granex (Vidalia type), Red Creole. Intermediate-day for north Texas: Candy, Super Star. Texas A&M has extensive onion variety trial data for the different regions.

Common Challenges in Texas

Thrips are the primary pest statewide. Pink root disease in south Texas soils. Fusarium basal rot. Using the wrong day-length type is the most common mistake — short-day for south Texas, intermediate for north Texas.

Growing Tips

Day length triggers bulbing. Northern gardeners need long-day varieties. Southern gardeners need short-day varieties.

Companion Planting

Plant onions alongside these companions for better growth:

Carrots Lettuce Beets Tomatoes

Keep onions away from:

Beans Peas

The Bottom Line

Onions can be grown successfully in Texas with proper attention to regional frost dates and local growing conditions. Timing varies across the state — North Texas (Dallas) gardeners work with a last frost around Mar 10 - Mar 25, while East Texas sees frost end around Mar 1 - Mar 20. Choose varieties suited to your region, amend your soil based on its specific needs, and monitor for the pests and diseases most common in your area. For exact dates based on your zip code, use our free planting date finder.

Related Guides

Onions Growing Guide National planting guide with all states Texas Planting Calendar All plants for Texas Onions in Alabama Alabama planting dates Onions in Alaska Alaska planting dates Onions in Arizona Arizona planting dates Onions in Arkansas Arkansas planting dates
Note: All dates are based on NOAA 30-year Climate Normals and represent historical averages, not predictions for any specific year. Always check your local weather forecast before planting frost-sensitive crops. Learn about our data sources.

Last reviewed: March 29, 2026

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