Stephen Albert
The shallot is a small onion of the multiplier type. Its bulbs have a more delicate flavor than most onions. Shallots add a distinctive, complex flavor to savory dishes.
Shallots can be grown from seed or sets (small shallots). Plant sets 2 to 4 weeks before the last frost. Sow seeds indoors 4 to 6 weeks before transplanting seedlings to the garden after the last frost in spring.
Shallots mature in about 100 days, but they can be dug any time they reach a useable size. For storage shallots, wait to dig bulbs until the tops have withered.
A shallot set will yield 10 to 15 times as many mature shallots. Shallots are hardy and may be left in the ground from year to year, but the best results come from lifting the cluster of bulbs at the end of the growing season and replanting the smaller ones the next season.
Shallots prefer humus-rich, well-drained soil. They need moderate amounts of phosphorus and potassium. The soil should be kept evenly moist while they are developing. Withhold water once the tops begin to yellow and dry.
Shallot planting dates
(These dates are for the Northern Hemisphere)
| Average date of the last frost | Planting dates |
| Jan. 20 | Jan. 1-Feb. 1 |
| Feb. 8 | Jan. 1-Feb. 10 |
| Feb. 18 | Jan. 1-Feb. 20 |
| Feb. 28 | Jan. 1-Mar. 1 |
| Mar. 10 | Jan. 15-Mar. 1 |
| Mar. 20 | Feb. 1-Mar. 10 |
| Mar. 30 | Feb. 15-Mar. 15 |
| Apr. 10 | Mar. 1-Apr. 1 |
| Apr. 20 | Mar. 15-Apr. 15 |
| Apr. 30 | Apr. 1-May 1 |
| May 10 | Apr. 10-May 1 |
| May 20 | Apr. 20-May 10 |
| May 30 | May 1-June 1 |
| June 10 | May 10-June 1 |
Shallots planting details
- Sowing depth: Sow seed ½ inch (1.2 cm); plant sets so that the pointed tip barely shows above the soil, not more than 1 inch deep.
- Space between plants after thinning: 4-6 inches (10-15cm)
- Days to sprout: 10-14
- Days to harvest: 100, but they can be dug any time they reach a usable size.
- Storage period: 12-32 weeks
- Seeds per 100 row feet: ½ ounce (14 grams)
- Yield per 100 row feet: 50 pounds (22 kg)
- Suggested varieties: Seeds: Ambition, Zebrune; Sets: French Red, French Gray
Related articles of interest:
Planting Leeks and Shallots in Autumn and Spring
