How to grow Shallot

Where to plant

Grow shallots in full sun in fertile, well-drained, moist soil rich in organic matter, with a pH of about 5.5 to 7.5. They rot in wet, heavy soil, so use a raised bed if drainage is poor.

Rotate them with crops outside the onion family, and do not plant where onions, garlic or leeks had white rot.

• North Florida, the Gulf South, Texas and Northern California: plant sets in fall (October and November), or in late winter for a spring crop.
• Central and South Florida and Hawaii: plant in the cool season, in fall or early winter, and harvest by late spring before the summer rains. Leave the tip of each bulb exposed.
• Desert Southwest and Southern California: plant in fall or January so bulbs size up before summer heat.
• Mid-South, Mid-Atlantic, Southern Plains, the Pacific Northwest, Northeast and Midwest: plant in early spring as soon as the soil can be worked, or in fall a few weeks before the ground freezes, and mulch well.
• Northern Plains, Mountain West and Alaska: plant in spring as soon as the soil can be worked.

Choosing a variety

French Red is the most common shallot sold, with coppery skin and pinkish flesh. Gray shallots, such as Griselle, have the strongest flavor but are harder to peel and store less well. Dutch Yellow and Golden Gourmet are reliable, rounder types that store well. Buy sets from a garden center or seed company rather than planting grocery shallots, which can carry disease.

How to plant

1. Work compost and a complete fertilizer into the top 6 inches of soil, following a soil test if you have one.
2. Push each set into the soil, root end down, 1 to 2 inches deep with the tip just showing.
3. Space sets 3 to 6 inches apart in rows 12 to 18 inches apart. Wider spacing gives bigger clusters; close spacing gives smaller, single bulbs.
4. Water in and mulch lightly to keep weeds down.
5. In zones 4 and 5, cover fall plantings with a thick mulch of straw once the ground is cold.

Watering and feeding

Water regularly so the soil stays evenly moist while the bulbs are forming, about an inch a week. Stop watering once the tops start to yellow and fall over, so the bulbs can firm up and cure.

Side-dress with a nitrogen fertilizer a few weeks after shoots appear, and once more in early summer for spring plantings. Keep the bed weeded, as shallots compete poorly with weeds.

Harvesting

Lift the clusters when most of the tops have yellowed and fallen over, in late spring for fall plantings and midsummer for spring plantings. Loosen the soil with a fork and pull the clusters on a dry day.

Cure them in a warm, dry, airy place out of direct sun for two to three weeks, until the necks are dry and the skins papery. Then trim the tops and roots and store in mesh bags in a cool, dry place, where well-cured shallots keep for several months. Save some of the best bulbs to replant.

Growing in pots

Shallots grow well in a wide pot or trough at least 6 inches deep with a free-draining potting mix. Plant sets about 4 inches apart and keep the mix evenly moist.

Using it

Use shallots raw in vinaigrettes and sauces, or cook them slowly in butter as a base for sauces. They are also roasted whole or pickled. The green leaves can be snipped like green onions while the plants grow.