Guide to Growing Shallots

• Prized for their mild flavour and regarded as a gourmet onion.
• Shallots store for much longer than onions, from nine months to a year if kept in good conditions, covering any gap once the stored onions have finished.
• Easy to grow but not suitable for either close spacing or container growing.

Sowing and Growing

• Shallot seed is available, but they are usually grown from sets.
• Shallots should be planted early, anytime from late December.
• Prepare the soil as for onions. Plant the sets 15–20 cm (6–8 inches) apart each way.
• Keep weed-free and water during dry spells until the bulbs are ready.

Harvesting

• Shallots grow into a small clump of bulbs joined at the base. They are ready when the leaves turn yellow.
• Harvest the entire clump. There is no need to split them apart until you want to use them.
• Dry off and store as for onions.

Pests and Problems

• As with onions, watch out for birds pulling the sets from the earth. Protect with netting or fleece.
• Shallots have a tendency to bolt in hot summers and suffer from the much the same pests and problems as onions.

Varieties

• Shallots come in various shapes and sizes and different colours, from brown through to pink. All the suppliers have plenty of choice.

Eating

• Shallots are a rich source of minerals and vitamins A, B and E and have high levels of vitamin C. They also contain allicin which is thought to help lower blood cholesterol.
• Use them raw or cooked.

RHS Award of Garden Merit

• Golden Gourmet
• More information on the Award of Garden Merit