West Virginia · zones 6a–7a
When to plant onions in West Virginia.
Sow or transplant between Feb 18 to Apr 3 in a typical year, keyed to West Virginia's median last frost around Apr 28. A second, fall sowing fits Aug 22 to Oct 3. Dates below are state medians; your ZIP code shifts them by days to weeks.
The 2026 windows
Onions dates for a typical West Virginia season.
1 · Start indoors
Jan 7 to Feb 20
About 6 weeks before set-out. Warm spot, real light.
2 · Set out
Feb 18 to Apr 3
Keyed to the ~Apr 28 last frost. Sow 0.5" deep, 4" apart.
Fall round
Aug 22 to Oct 3
Counted back from the ~Oct 17 first frost.
Harvest
~95 days later
~0.5 lb per plant over ~1 weeks.
West Virginia spans more than one climate: Zone 6 is the most common zone, but the state runs 6a to 7a. That's why the planner works from your ZIP code's frost dates, not your zone: mountain and coastal gardens in the same state can be three weeks apart.
In West Virginia: watch for
The pests that find onions here.
A middle-length season, about 172 frost-free days, means onion, bulb overlaps onion thrips for a stretch each summer. Check plants every week or two and treat early.
Silvery streaks and curled leaf tips in hot spells.
Organic fix: Insecticidal soap or neem; hang sticky traps.
Seedlings wilt; white maggots in the bulb base.
Organic fix: Float a row cover over the row; rotate beds each year.
Pale patches with fuzzy gray growth in damp weather.
Organic fix: Space for airflow, water early in the day, spray neem.
White rot
Yellowing and dieback, then wilt; fluffy white mold at the bulb base and roots so rotted the plant lifts straight out.
Organic fix: No cure once it is in the soil. Plant clean stock, never follow onions with onions, and keep infested soil off tools and boots.
Your season math: West Virginia gives onions about 172 frost-free days, and it needs roughly 95 days to a first harvest. It's a one-planting crop, so time that single sowing well.
Planting onions in West Virginia: questions
When should I plant onions in West Virginia?+
In a typical West Virginia year, sow onions or set out transplants between Feb 18 to Apr 3, keyed to the state's median last frost around Apr 28. There's also a fall window: Aug 22 to Oct 3. Your exact dates shift with your ZIP code and microclimate.
When do I start onions seeds indoors in West Virginia?+
Start seeds inside about 6 weeks before set-out: roughly Jan 7 to Feb 20 for a typical West Virginia season.
What USDA zone is West Virginia?+
West Virginia spans zones 6a–7a, mostly zone 6. But frost dates, not zones, set planting time. The free planner uses your ZIP code's actual frost dates.
How many onions plants do I need?+
Depends who you're feeding. The crop page has exact counts per household size, or the free planner does the math for your family in about 60 seconds.