Clear Dawn

Family: Amaryllidaceae Vegetable

Planting Schedule

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Clear Dawn yellow onions bring a bright, sunlit sweetness with a crisp, juicy bite and a clean, aromatic finish.

At maturity, the bulbs develop a smooth, golden skin that slips easily into storage-ready layers, while the interior stays firm and finely textured for reliable performance. Grow Clear Dawn for bold flavor in fresh salads, savory roasts, and golden-brown sauces—an everyday yellow onion with a luminous presence from garden to table.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 90 DaysHabit: Bulbing

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Clear Dawn Planting Dates by USDA Zone

Estimated US hardiness-zone windows for sow, transplant, and harvest. Enter a US ZIP above for exact local dates, or open a zone below.

Zone	Start Indoors	Sow / Transplant	Harvest
Zone 1a	Protected Environment Only
Zone 1b	Protected Environment Only
Zone 2a	Mar 30th	May 18th	Aug 16th – Aug 29th
Zone 2b	Mar 20th	May 8th	Aug 6th – Aug 25th
Zone 3a	Mar 20th	May 8th	Aug 6th – Sep 1st
Zone 3b	Mar 24th	May 12th	Aug 10th – Sep 21st
Zone 4a	Mar 20th	May 8th	Aug 6th – Sep 24th
Zone 4b	Mar 18th	May 6th	Aug 4th – Sep 27th
Zone 5a	Mar 13th	May 1st	Jul 30th – Sep 30th
Zone 5b	Mar 9th	Apr 27th	Jul 26th – Oct 5th
Zone 6a	Mar 6th	Apr 24th	Jul 23rd – Oct 10th
Zone 6b	Feb 28th	Apr 18th	Jul 17th – Oct 16th
Zone 7a	Feb 23rd	Apr 13th	Jul 12th – Oct 20th
Zone 7b	Feb 13th	Apr 3rd	Jul 2nd – Oct 28th
Zone 8a	Feb 4th	Mar 25th	Jun 23rd – Nov 5th
Zone 8b	Jan 26th	Mar 16th	Jun 14th – Nov 12th
Zone 9a	Jan 9th	Feb 27th	May 28th – Nov 26th
Zone 9b	Dec 15th	Feb 2nd	May 3rd – Dec 9th
Zone 10a	—	Oct 1st	Dec 30th – Feb 28th
Zone 10b	—	Oct 1st	Dec 30th – Feb 28th
Zone 11a	—	Oct 1st	Dec 30th – Feb 28th
Zone 11b	—	Oct 1st	Dec 30th – Feb 28th
Zone 12a	—	Oct 1st	Dec 30th – Feb 28th
Zone 12b	—	Oct 1st	Dec 30th – Feb 28th
Zone 13a	—	Oct 1st	Dec 30th – Feb 28th
Zone 13b	—	Oct 1st	Dec 30th – Feb 28th

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	90
Sun Requirements	Full Sun
Growth Habit	Bulbing
Support Needed	None
Planting Depth	Normal
Germination Temp (°F)	70
Min Soil Temp (°F)	45
Min Night Temp (°F)	35
Harden Off (days)	7

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

Clear Dawn is built for cooks who want the yellow-onion sweet without losing structure—the bite stays crisp, not flabby, even once dressed. Slice it thin for salad crunch, then let it carry color and aroma into caramelized edges and glossy pan sauces.

Best Uses

thin slices for salads and raw toppings where it stays snappy
caramelize until glossy and golden for sweet, mellow spoonability
roast alongside meats to turn starchy edges jammy and browned
use in golden-brown sauces and gravies for aromatic body without cloudiness

Flavor Profile

bright, sunlit sweetness crisp, juicy snap clean aromatic onion finish firm, finely textured interior

Kitchen Pairings

butter thyme black pepper beef or pork sherry vinegar Gruyère

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I manage thrips or downy mildew on Allium cepa (onions) during cool-to-mild weather?

Inspect onion leaves weekly for silvery streaks and tiny thrips, and check leaf bases for fuzzy gray growth typical of downy mildew. Remove and destroy badly infected leaves early, then improve airflow by spacing plants and avoiding overhead watering. If pressure persists, use an onion-safe fungicide for downy mildew and a targeted insecticidal soap or spinosad for thrips, following the label exactly to protect pollinators and the edible crop.

How often should I water Allium cepa during bulbing (mid-summer) to prevent split or soft bulbs?

During active bulbing, keep soil consistently evenly moist but not soggy—aim for about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water per week, split into 1–2 sessions depending on heat. Let the top 1 inch of soil dry slightly between waterings, because waterlogged beds promote rot. Once the tops start to fall over and bulbs enlarge, gradually reduce watering to help skins dry and bulbs store longer.

What signs show Allium cepa is ready to harvest at about 90 days?

Harvest when bulbs reach full size and the necks begin to soften—look for 50–75% of tops down (bent or fallen) while the outer skins are dry and papery. Lift on a dry day and let bulbs cure in a warm, airy spot with good airflow for 1–2 weeks, keeping bulbs off wet ground. If you harvest too early (few toppled leaves), skins won’t set well and storage life drops.