New to growing shallots from the bulb? Member Michael Annejohn of Soggy Bottom Seed has all the info you need!
So what is a shallot anyway?
Scientifically speaking, it's actually the same species as the onion, allium cepa, but from the point of view of the grower, it behaves a little differently. Onions are generally grown from seed and produce a single bulb, which can be planted again the following year to then produce more seed. Shallots, on the other hand, are grown from bulb, and divide to produce several more bulbs each year, similar to garlic. They also have a delicate taste that is prized in French cooking.
It's easy to get confused, because in many seed catalogues nowadays you will see "shallots" (e.g. Conservor, Ambition) for sale that are grown from seed. These are actually crosses between shallots and onions that were selected to retain some of the classic shallot flavour while growing in the manner of an onion. These can be a lot of fun to grow, and the terminology doesn't matter too much, but in this post we're going to focus on growing shallots the old school way: by planting bulbs.
Note: small onion or shallot bulbs that are intended for planting are often called "sets". I'm going to stick to the term "bulb" in this post for simplicity.
Deciding what and when to plant
On our website you'll find shallot bulbs for sale in small and large sizes. It's important to decide which makes more sense for you.
When you plant a shallot bulb, it divides and produces several bulbs at harvest time. The larger the bulb that you plant, the more it's likely to divide. The more it divides, the smaller each harvested bulb will be. So, if you want to quickly increase your number of bulbs so you can plant more next year, purchase larger bulbs. If you want to harvest the largest individual bulbs this year for eating, purchase smaller bulbs. That can be a little confusing, so read it twice. If you save and grow these for a few years, you'll end up with a range of sizes, and you'll get in the habit of saving some to eat and planting others.
You also have the choice between planting in the spring, like an onion, or in the fall, like garlic. Planting in the fall will produce the largest overall yields, but will also encourage division, so you'll harvest lots of smaller bulbs the next summer. Again, this is best if you want to increase your stock, whereas spring planting is best for producing larger bulbs for eating. Fall planting is a little more complicated, so if you haven't grown fall-planted bulbs such as garlic or tulips before, start with spring planting and then experiment.
For a steady long term supply, you can save your smaller bulbs to plant the following spring, and plant a few larger bulbs in the fall (ideally) or spring to replenish your supply of small bulbs.
How to grow
Prepare your beds as you would for onions: good drainage, and lots of compost. Space shallots 4-8 inches apart in each direction, allowing larger bulbs more space than smaller ones. Shallots can be planted as soon as the ground is worked in the spring. In the spring, plant just deep enough to cover the top of the bulbs. Don't be alarmed if it takes two weeks or more before shoots appear.
For fall planting, follow the same process as for garlic. Raise beds to avoid flooding, and plant deeper to avoid frost heaving. For the best frost heaving protection, you can mulch with straw or leaves. Follow the garlic planting timing of growers in your area. On the BC coast, this could be as late as November, whereas October is more common inland, and even September in the North.
All alliums will respond well to nitrogen fertilizer in the spring, but it's not necessary if you applied ample compost or manure before planting. If you choose to fertilize, stop applications a month and a half before expected harvest or when you see bulbs swelling and the plant starting to dry. Shallots sometimes produce rigid seed stalks, cut these off to maximize your harvest. You can harvest your shallot as green onions at any point, but it will not produce a high quality bulb if you do so.
Shallots will naturally dry out in the field at maturity. If rain is expected, harvest plants when leaves turn yellow-brown and stop standing upright, and finish drying in a well-ventilated area. They are ready for cleaning and storage when leaves are completely dry and withered. Shallots will keep for months at room temperature, but for the best long term storage, keep in a dry, cool area such as garage or basement.
Ready to try your hand at shallot sets? You can find them here!