Your comments and tips

02 Sep 10, Cygnetian (Australia - cool/mountain climate)

Graeme, are you using shallots purchased from the supermarket? Have you tried certified seed shallots from a nursery or hardware store?

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07 Aug 09, GB (Australia - temperate climate)

I purchased French shallots from the local Woolies here in WA (every time I buy them the girls do not know what they are and process them as pickling onions) and planted them in a 30cm diam/deep plastic pot with well rotted plant matter and horse manure. I had also heard that you cannot replant supermarket seeds or bulbs due to some kind of treatment, but for the shallots this certainly was not the case. The shallots grew to about 100mm within 3 weeks and after that the growth was fairly rapid. Of interest was the fact that I companion planted with a rosemary in one of the pots and the foliage and bulb development far exceeded that of shallots that I planted by themselves. This may be due to the original bulb quality but food for thought anyhow. I planted the bulbs early spring.

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01 Aug 09, MuddyKnees (Australia - cool/mountain climate)

While not directly related to this thread I'm asking here as there seems some knowledgable folk .. Anyone know where I can source tree potatoes? I'm not sure if that is the correct name but apparantly they grow on a bushlike plant, i.e. above ground.

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27 Jul 09, Ian C. Purdie (Australia - temperate climate)

Around Anzac Day I planted a heap of shallot bulbs [Dutch] which I purchased at Coles. If you're lucky they'll process them price wise as cheap brown onions. Also I purchased "Australian Purple Garlic". Chinese didn't grow very well. Probably irradiated on entry. Both are going gang busters but showing some signs of the lower leaves yellowing [which may or may not be a problem]. A few of the shallots however, while coming out as many as nine to a plant are throwing out seed heads. That's a worry. Any hints, tips? My Italian neighbour gave me some bunching shallots, told me how to plant them and also quite doing well. TIA

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17 May 11, Cygnetian (Australia - cool/mountain climate)

You could try cutting off the seed heads to encourage bulb growth.

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16 Jul 09, lyn (Australia - temperate climate)

Trying to find bulbs as described in other entries (not shallots)...any suggestions/options would be greatfully recieved. Have not had any luck with supermarket purchased eschalots sprouting

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12 Jul 09, Al (Australia - cool/mountain climate)

I got mine from tesselaar's website last year. They are in this winters catalogue on their website in the Vegie patch section. Can anyone tell me when to replant them? (I live in the Central highlands, Victoria)

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11 Jul 09, Grahame (Australia - temperate climate)

Kay, They should grow but it may depend on where they come from. If they are imported then they may have been treated by who-knows-what. Also there is some speculation that supermarket vegies are treated to stop them from sprouting. Some say they definitely are, some say that is an urban myth. My theory is give it a go!

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09 Jul 09, Kay Talbot (Australia - temperate climate)

I also would like to grow escholots. Have purchased some from the local IGA. Would these grow if I plant them? Do they seed

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19 Mar 11, Thomas (Australia - temperate climate)

Kay of TALBOT. I am at Lake Bolac just south of you. I purchased French shallots at the green grocer & planted them kept half of the resultant crop & let the rest run to seed.I now replant some of the cloves & as many seeds as i need, let a few run to seed & now have French shallots on hand all year 'round THOMAS..

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