[gavinjconway]

The old wives tail is to plant Shallots on the shortest day and reap them on the longest day.... I cant find any shallot sets/bulbs anywhere locally!!!!  I might be wrong?!!? Maybe this tale is for sowing as seed. (I did find a packet of seed today though!!)

Looking at last year's notes I planted my bulbs first week in Feb and end Feb so maybe thats only when they were available??

[bravemurphy]

I got some autumn planting ones last year and they were terrible.

Most of mine this year are going to be from seed I think.

The banana shallots I grew from seed were great we are just using the last of them.

[BabbyAnn]

I've done the shortest day thing and a spring planted thing - the spring planted bulbs sprouted earlier and produced a better crop.  I suspect the reason was the soil temperature - once planted, the shortest day bulbs are stuck in cold wet (clay) soil, whereas in spring, the bulbs are already about to sprout when they get planted in soil that is freshly turned over and warmer

[JayG]

I'm not a fan of overwintering anything I don't have to, so mine will be planted around mid-Feb, weather permitting. Usually ready in late July, so well past the longest day which is only to be expected, but of course you then get to be eating them later in the year than you otherwise would. 
 
It's a long time since I had to buy any new ones but I think you're right about them not being in stock at this time of year - the retailers have almost certainly played their part in making two distinct shallot-planting seasons. 

[Paul Plots]

Plonk them in when you can.... mine go in sometime in the spring. If it's too wet / cold / windy or anything else horrid I stick mine in large cells or small pots to get them going.

When the sun is out and I can escape to the plot I stick in the lot. They look lovely all green and shooting straight into the ground. It's worked well for the last few years and solves the problem of not being able to actually get to the plot when I need / want to.

[Totty]

My exhibition shallots will be potted up at the end of this month, harvest will be around the longest day. They stay in 4 inch pots in the cold greenhouse until late feb.

The bulk of the shallots I grow next year will be from seed though, from an April sowing, Zebrune produced massive shallots for me last year that are still storing well now.

With the exception of the show shallots, all my onions and shallots will be grown from seed from now on. Far more productive.

Totty

[gavinjconway]

Thanks for all the replies.. I'll wait till I see them and plant then into pots first if required.

I've just been looking at the seed packet I bought today... Prisma F1 Hybrid. Sow Mar/Apr... but strangely only produces one single bulb per seed.

[Paul Plots]

Thanks for all the replies.. I'll wait till I see them and plant then into pots first if required.

I've just been looking at the seed packet I bought today... Prisma F1 Hybrid. Sow Mar/Apr... but strangely only produces one single bulb per seed.

I use sets so can't help with the seed.

[Salmo]

Thanks for all the replies.. I'll wait till I see them and plant then into pots first if required.

I've just been looking at the seed packet I bought today... Prisma F1 Hybrid. Sow Mar/Apr... but strangely only produces one single bulb per seed.

Shallots from seed are not proper shallots. Proper shallots grown from sets split into several bulbs and do not normally set seed. OK occasionally they bolt.

Why are shallots from seed allowed in shows?

[JayG]

Surely shallot sets are simply the single immature bulbs grown from seed, which when replanted divide into multiple bulbs in their second year? 

I would therefore assume that a single bulb grown from seed is likely to be bigger than those formed by splitting, but that's a complete guess! 

[Salmo]

Surely shallot sets are simply the single immature bulbs grown from seed, which when replanted divide into multiple bulbs in their second year? 

I would therefore assume that a single bulb grown from seed is likely to be bigger than those formed by splitting, but that's a complete guess! 

Do shallots grown from seed split in their second year, or do they all go to seed like onions?

[JayG]

If grown to full size from seed - maybe; if harvested "immature" as in bought sets - hopefully not (I really don't know, Salmo.)

[gavinjconway]

I'll do some trials and let you know salmo...

[Totty]

Thanks for all the replies.. I'll wait till I see them and plant then into pots first if required.

I've just been looking at the seed packet I bought today... Prisma F1 Hybrid. Sow Mar/Apr... but strangely only produces one single bulb per seed.

Shallots from seed are not proper shallots. Proper shallots grown from sets split into several bulbs and do not normally set seed. OK occasionally they bolt.

Why are shallots from seed allowed in shows?

Not sure why any seed sown shallots would be used in shows, they are the wrong shape!

Totty

[Salmo]

Thanks for all the replies.. I'll wait till I see them and plant then into pots first if required.

I've just been looking at the seed packet I bought today... Prisma F1 Hybrid. Sow Mar/Apr... but strangely only produces one single bulb per seed.

Shallots from seed are not proper shallots. Proper shallots grown from sets split into several bulbs and do not normally set seed. OK occasionally they bolt.

Why are shallots from seed allowed in shows?

Not sure why any seed sown shallots would be used in shows, they are the wrong shape!

Totty

Maybe not the banana zebrune shallots, which are very similar to Long Red Florence onions, but varieties like Matador produce good looking round bulbs.