Mid-May through late June in temperate Northern Hemisphere — the transitional wi·Established
Late spring to early summer
May through June — the transitional window that produces some of the year's best vegetables
Season paletteSpring-summer olive #7a9148Pale gold #d49b5a
Window
Mid-May through late June in temperate N
Significance
Established
Varieties
8
Pairings
3
About late
The transitional season carries spring's late-season specialties alongside summer's first arrivals. Vidalia onions peak (April-June, the only US sweet onion with protected designation), strawberries arrive, first new potatoes appear, early summer squashes start, late-season asparagus tails off, the first basil shows. The window is genuinely transitional — neither pure-spring nor pure-summer.
Season profile
Window
Mid-May through late June in temperate Northern Hemisphere — the transitional window between spring's tender greens and summer's heat-loving crops
Peak crops
Vidalia onions (the sweet onion's protected window), late asparagus, first new potatoes, early summer squashes, first peppers in greenhouse production, late peas, late lettuces before bolting heat, scapes (garlic flower stalks), green garlic finishing, first basil, microgreens entering year-round routine.
Transitional
By mid-June the season transitions into full summer — beans start, tomatoes ripen in earliest production zones, sweet corn arrives in the South.
Storage notes
Vidalia onions store relatively well for sweet onions (~2 months in cool dry conditions), but their distinctive sweet character peaks at harvest and degrades over storage. New potatoes (thin-skinned, freshly dug) should be eaten within 2 weeks. Scapes hold quality in the fridge for 2-3 weeks.
Regional variation
The late-spring window varies dramatically by latitude. Georgia and Texas Gulf Coast: Vidalia and Texas sweet onions peak April. Mid-Atlantic and Mid-South: full transition window May-June. New England and Pacific Northwest: pure spring still dominates through May, late-spring window compressed into June. Southern Hemisphere mirror: November-December.
Cultural traditions
Cuisines anchored to this season
American Southern cooking peaks Vidalia onion preparations (Vidalia onion soup, raw Vidalia salad with cucumbers and vinegar). French primeur traditions celebrate the earliest new vegetables. Mediterranean cuisines mark the transition with early ratatouille trial preparations and the first basil pesto.
Featured varieties
8 varieties that peak or are particularly notable in this seasonal window. Tap any variety for its full editorial profile.
The Vidalia onion window (April-June) is one of the more strictly seasonal sourcing opportunities in American produce. Federal marketing order regulates the geographic appellation; Vidalia onions outside this window are typically storage stock with degraded character. Looking for Vidalia onions specifically in May-June produces the genuine sweet-onion experience that the appellation is designed to protect.