Planting Guides

When to Plant Onions in Raleigh: Complete Guide + Best Varieties for Zone 7b

Raleigh, North Carolina

USDA Zone 7b

Last Frost: Apr 5

Last updated: October 30, 2025

Learn when to plant onions in Raleigh with specific dates for Zone 7b. Compare 6 varieties & discover which onions grow best in North Carolina.

RRachel Abrams

October 30, 2025

Freshly harvested onions and garlic varieties grown successfully in Raleigh Zone 7b garden — — Image © PlantReference.org 2026

Quick Answer

Plant onions in Raleigh February 15-March 15 for fall harvest or September 15-October 15 for spring harvest. Choose intermediate-day varieties requiring 12-14 hours of daylight to bulb properly in Zone 7b.

TL;DR

Plant onions in Raleigh during two optimal windows: spring planting (February 15-March 15) or fall planting (September 15-October 15) for earlier harvest. Choose intermediate-day varieties like Allium cepa 'Candy' or Allium cepa 'Superstar' that thrive in Zone 7b's 214-day growing season. Fall-planted onions harvest in May-June, while spring-planted onions mature in August-September. Plant garlic cloves in October-November for summer harvest.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the best time to plant onions in Raleigh?

The optimal planting windows for Raleigh are February 15-March 15 for spring planting and September 15-October 15 for fall planting. Spring plantings harvest in August-September, while fall plantings provide earlier May-June harvests. Choose intermediate-day varieties like Allium cepa 'Candy' that require 12-14 hours of daylight to bulb properly in Zone 7b conditions.

Can I grow onions year-round in Raleigh's Zone 7b climate?

You can achieve nearly year-round onion production by combining spring and fall plantings with proper variety selection. Fall-planted Allium cepa 'Red Candy Apple' harvests in May-June, while spring-planted Allium cepa 'Superstar' stores through winter. Add {Allium fistulosum} bunching onions planted in March and September for continuous green onion production throughout the growing season.

What onion varieties work best in Raleigh's climate?

Intermediate-day varieties are essential for Raleigh's 35.8°N latitude. Allium cepa 'Candy' works for both spring and fall planting, Allium cepa 'Superstar' excels as a spring storage onion, and {Allium cepa 'Red Candy Apple'} is perfect for fall planting. Avoid short-day varieties meant for Texas or long-day varieties meant for northern states—they won't bulb properly in North Carolina.

Should I plant onion sets or transplants in Raleigh?

Transplants are superior for Raleigh gardeners, especially for fall planting when sets aren't available. Transplants rarely bolt, offer better variety selection, and establish more reliably than sets. If using sets, choose ones smaller than a dime to prevent bolting. Seeds work well if started indoors in January for spring transplanting, but require more time and effort than most gardeners want to invest.

When should I plant garlic in Raleigh?

Plant garlic October 15-November 15 in Raleigh for summer harvest. {Allium sativum 'Music'} hardneck varieties plant October 15-30, while {Allium sativum 'California Early'} softneck varieties plant October 30-November 15. This timing allows root establishment before winter while preventing excessive top growth that could be damaged by late freezes.

NEW PLANT DAILY

Think you know your plants?

Test your botanical knowledge with a new plant identification challenge every day. Build your streak, learn fascinating plant facts, and become a plant identification expert!

Build your streak

One chance per day

Learn as you play

Free account required • Takes less than 30 seconds

Tagged with

#when to plant onions raleigh #raleigh onion planting #zone 7b onions #north carolina onion varieties #intermediate day onions #fall planted onions #raleigh gardening #onion growing north carolina #garlic planting raleigh #raleigh vegetable garden

Written By

Rachel Abrams

Rachel is a garden writer and photographer based in Raleigh who covers the Piedmont region of North Carolina. She has a journalism background and got into gardening after buying her first house and realizing she had no idea what any of the plants in her yard were. That curiosity led to a Master Gardener certification and eventually a garden writing career. Rachel is especially interested in native plants of the Southeast, seasonal color, and the challenge of gardening in red clay soil. Her photography background means she pays attention to how gardens look through the seasons—she thinks about visual composition as much as plant health. She writes clearly and directly, without the breathless enthusiasm that makes a lot of garden writing hard to trust.