Growing Shallots, also Eschalots

Allium cepa, aggregatum : Amaryllidaceae / the onion family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
  P P P P P P P P P    

(Best months for growing Shallots in New Zealand - cool/mountain regions)

  • P = Sow seed
  • Easy to grow. Plant small bulblets, with stem just showing above ground. Best planted at soil temperatures between 46°F and 86°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 6 - 8 inches apart
  • Harvest in 12-15 weeks. Keep a few for your next planting.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Lemon Balm, Borage, Carrots, Beets, Silverbeet, Lettuce, Amaranth
  • Avoid growing close to: Peas, Beans

Your comments and tips

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04 Jan 16, Prometheus (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Gary, yes you certainly can keep the bulbs for next year's planting. The bigger cloves are best for this (you only need a single clove to get an entire bulb / head, like garlic; it's quite magical). Shallots should be harvested once 75%-80% of the tops have browned and fallen over (most of the plant above the soil will look dead). Do be patient, as they tend to swell in size at the very end of their growth cycle and will be smaller if you harvest too soon. Just pull or lightly wash off any large clumps of soil and leave in full sun to dry for about a week. They are then ready to use and should keep for at least a few weeks, if not longer depending on variety. Hope you enjoy your harvest - they are a wonderful vegetable to grow.
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31 Dec 15, (Australia - temperate climate)
Have just harvested my 2nd crop. The original ones were from Coles supermarket vegetable section. Good luck
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07 Dec 15, Sean (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
These are from holland though so not sure if they are radiated. (woolies url here)/store/prod/Food/Food/Fruit-Vegetables-Salads/Fresh-Vegetables/Other-Speciality/French-Shallots-500g/_/A-6009182207966
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04 Oct 15, Dan (USA - Zone 8b climate)
Thanks for the gardening help, tips, and reminders. Very helpful.
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21 Jun 15, Brian (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Elaine, Shallots do not have prominent bulb on the end where Spring Onions do. Never seen Golden ones but if from Bunnings...Best of luck.
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12 Jun 15, Elaine Beard (Australia - temperate climate)
I also purchased from Bunnings,Golden Shallots. Am hoping they will do okay as they really are expensive.Oh well, I am a learner at this gardening thing. Why on earth we mix them up with spring onions I shall never understand. :)))
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23 May 15, (Australia - temperate climate)
I've read that onions shouldn't be mulched, but garlic should be, What is the rule for shallots? Am planting golden shallots from Digger's.
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17 May 15, Bernice Sigley (Australia - temperate climate)
I live close to Bonalbo in northern NSW soil type heavy clayey loam Id like to grow french shallots to harvest the bulb for cooking is there a bulk supplier in Brisbane where i could obtain a few kilos of stock? The area is prone to winter frost but the days are generally warm with wetter hot summers thankoyu
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14 Mar 16, Stuart (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
I have found the best and cheapest bulk supplier are Woolworth or Coles supermarkets less than nursery school by a factor of 4:1 good luck. Stuart Winchelsea Vic
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03 May 15, Willie Oosthuizen (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
We want to buy shallot bulbs Potchefstroom area
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Hi, Its now 22 Feb 2020 and I live in Wollongong (temperate region). I'm going to start growing eschalots. I purchased a pack with about 6 bulbs from the local fruit and veg store. Not sure what variety, but they have a brown 'skin' and are a purple/mauve colour when the skin is peeled off. After reading some of the posts ( and the growing guide for temperate regions in Australia) , I see that I can start to plant the bulbs in March through to May. So far so good. I grow all my plants in containers (polystyrene boxes from fruit and veg stores) and raised corrugated iron garden beds (Aldi) For my Ginger, Turmeric and edible Pandanus I use a '50% coir and 50% premium potting mix' for my soil. Coir is a compressed coconut fibre. I got this 'soil recipe from Daleys plants (www.daleysfruit.com.au) BUT they are North NSW Coast and specialise in tropical plants, not eschalots. Will probably test try this soil medium for some of the eschalots but QUESTION : I am wondering what the best soil to use in containers (40cm x 80cm) and raised garden beds (approx size - 210cm x 90cm) ? Thanks in advance. Feel free to comment on any aspect of my post, but I'm mainly after the soil to use.

- Greg

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