Feb is kind of late to start indoor in zone 5. I usually start in Dec - they have enough time to grow. Not sure about direct sowing - never tried

Never tried it either, but it sounds like an interesting idea.

It may work, but many of the short day onions respond to cold winters by developing flower buds (bolting). This is not true of the "new" overwintering onions from Japan, which are super cold-hardy short-day onions. I direct sow them in August, and install a row cover tunnel in November. The ground still freezes, but they have protection from ice and snow. The plants put on lots of growth in March, when it's still cold, and bulb in early June for me. Farther north they bulb even earlier, in May.

I've tried several varieties -- Bridger, Desert Sunrise, Top Keeper, and this year Gate Keeper. All good, no dogs among them.

Here is a link that might be useful: New Hampshire overwintering onion trial

you can buy overwintering onions. Look at Keepsake onions on the Territorial website. I used them two years ago with very good results, and I have about 100 seedlings in pots around the garden (they did not have them for sale last year). They overwinter in Michigan with cover (hoop house) and are ready in May.

Wow, that is a great link and information! I direct seeded, because the ground is still 65 degrees. If I don't see sprouts in few days, i may start them inside and put them out. I will be using the row cover. I was not expecting to hear that a Spring harvest would be possible! That would be great. I was just hoping for larger bulbs in Fall. But if this method works I can start some inside in the winter also for a Spring plant out and get in two crops a year!

I was intrigued by this idea and planted a couple rows of day-neutral onion seed about a month ago. They're up now and I expect them to survive the light freeze upcoming at the end of the week, then grow through November. I'll be putting a row cover over them for the winter. I've always been impressed by the hardiness of onions.

In my opinion, best way to grow onions in backyard garden is to get plants very early spring time.. They are just like scallions, top trimmed off. You can buy them at nurseries or order online. Make sure that it is the right variety for your latitude.

I have done fall (late summer actually) planting seeds but did not get good results. Also planted sets (very small onions). A lot of them bolted.. no good.

I agree with you in distrusting sets. I'll probably buy some seedlings next spring, as a backup, but this experiment interests me. Results may be different in this climate, and I planted my seeds much later than you did [probably too late].

I had good luck with Walla Walla (as Planatus described) a couple of years ago and am doing more experimenting this year. This is exciting-! We need to compare notes after harvest.

I sow onions in flats indoors about March 1 in zone 6A and set them out in mid April when they have some size on them. I get gorgeous onions and harvest in late July. I don't understand why starting onions in Feb in zone 5 should not produce good sized onions.

I fear the onion seed I used might have been too old because I didn[t get good germination,but the seedlings that did come up are growing under remay. I'll see how they get thru January.

Laceyvail- Starting onions in Jan-Feb in zone 5 does produce
good size onions. I personally am looking for alternatives so I can devote more of my seed starting lights to other vegetables. Due to the length of this past winter I could not get my onions out to harden off until 6 weeks later than usual.

I don't believe wall-walla will survive zone 5. Z7 is supposed to be the maximum coldness. Walla-walla WA is z8, right?

pnbrown- walla walla survived in a low tunnel in my back yard- the winter of 2102/2013 in zone 5. I am experimenting further this year-hoping to replant onion seedlings started late last summer in low tunnels.