Shallot

Shallots are a cool-season vegetable with a mild, delicate but distinctive flavor. They can be grown for green onions or for clusters of small bulbs. They grow best in full sun and fertile, well-drained soils. Shallots are generally planted as bulb sets, but seeds can also be used. Common varieties include French Red, Gray Griselle, and Dutch Yellow.

Plant bulb sets or seeds in spring as soon as the ground can be worked. Bulbs can also be planted in fall for a winter and spring harvest. For sets, plant bulbs 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) deep, spaced 3 to 6 inches (8 to 15 cm) apart in rows 12 to 18 inches (30 to 46 cm) apart. Some growers space them 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm) apart in the row.

From seed. Seed can be sown in April or early May, or as soon as the soil can be prepared in early spring, in a band about 2 inches (5 cm) wide at about 2 seeds per inch, ¼ to ½ inch (0.6 to 1.3 cm) deep. Seeds begin to emerge about 10 to 14 days after planting. After emergence, thin to 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 cm) apart. Seed-grown plants are slower to start than sets, which are the usual method.

Watering. Shallots need regular watering for best growth and production. Keep the beds moist until the plants are established. Overwatering can lead to bulb rot.

Feeding. Work fertilizer into the top 6 inches (15 cm) of soil before planting, based on a soil test when possible. A base fertilizer is given 30 days and again 60 days after planting; don’t fertilize after mid-July, because extra nitrogen encourages late leaf growth and reduces storage potential.

Weeds and mulch. Control weeds with regular shallow cultivation. Organic mulches help conserve water, supply nutrients and reduce weeding.

Planting depth. Shallot bulbs often develop on top of the ground, so don’t cover them with soil.

Shallots are subject to the same problems as onions. Insect pests listed for shallots include aphids, onion maggot and thrips. Fungal problems include botrytis gray mold and downy mildew; avoiding overwatering, overhead watering and crowding, and rotating crops, helps reduce them.

Tops can be cut for green onions about 50 to 60 days after planting, when they are 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm) tall. For dry bulbs, harvest after the tops fall over. Maturity varies by variety. Timing also differs by region: one guide says late spring, after the tops have died down completely, while another says late summer, when the tops have turned yellow.

Lift the bulbs and gently separate the clusters into single bulbs. Cure them in a warm, dry place for 1 to 2 weeks. Then cut off the dry foliage, put the bulbs in mesh bags, and store them at 32 to 40 °F (0 to 4 °C) and 60 to 70 percent humidity. Properly cured and stored shallots can keep for 6 months or longer. Use the smaller bulbs first, since they keep poorly.