Your comments and tips

17 Mar 17, Jo (Australia - temperate climate)

That is a good way to get seed for next seasons crop or to have some to swap or giveaway. Seed can be saved from most vegetables but select a good plant to save seed rather than a poor one as this will increase the chance of good plants from the seed. This is also a good idea to save money, we should encourage it more.

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30 Sep 10, Heather Pearson (New Zealand - temperate climate)

I grow my shallots from seed from August through to October, also red and pukekohe onions. That way I get lots of plants and they do very well. I stagger seed sowing so they do not all mature at once. I fertilise with lots of sheep pellets and blood and bone.

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01 Mar 10, Christine (New Zealand - temperate climate)

Grew shallots for the first time this year. Magnificent. I bought a bag cheap from the supermarket because they were sprouting, didn't really know what I was doing but treated as garlic and had 4-6 large bulbs per plant. They were pretty small bulbs originally so will be saving the large bulbs from this years crop and should have up to 12. Give each bulb plenty of room to spread and lots of feed.

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19 Oct 09, jenny V. (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)

Have flourishing shallots I bought at a supermarket. Do I wait until their foliage dies before I pull them out or can I use them now, as I want to do? Love shallots.

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03 Jan 23, Wayne Jacobsen (New Zealand - temperate climate)

Yes. Wait till leaves start to die off - March or April. I 'tickle' a few a bit earlier if needed. In December/January, give the clumps a dose of general fertiliser or blood and bone - this boosts the developing bulbs.

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29 Jul 08, Liz (New Zealand - temperate climate)

RayS, allium cepa but the growing conditions are similar for both a.cepa and a.fistulosum.

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28 Jul 08, Liz (New Zealand - temperate climate)

DavidH, shallots take about 2 weeks to germinate, so you probably won't see anything for another week or so.

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