Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: Salmo on November 26, 2009, 11:03
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When is the right time to plant shallots. The traditional time is on the shortest day (December 21st) but I know that many are planted in Autumn as early as October.
Reading Sutton's catalogue no varieties say Autumn, one says December, one late December, one mid January and the other four say February onwards.
Jermor has been pushed in the garden centres for Autumn planting and yet Suttons list it as February onwards.
What are your experiences? What are your favorite varieties?
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Old saying.... plant on the shortest day and lift on the longest day. I tend to just use red sun and golden gourmet.
By the way, the longest day is in june not december ::)
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In 2008 I planted mine on 19 March and lifted them on 27 July. This year I started them off in the cold frame on 19 February planted them out on 11 March, then lifted them at the beginning of July. On balance, I got a better crop in 2008 but it could have been more to do with the weather than the planting dates.
I didn't make a note of which varieties they were, except that some were red, but I have just ordered a pack of Golden Gourmet from Suttons. They have a RHS Award of Garden Merit and it also says 'great beginner variety - this superb variety will consistently produce heavy crops of good flavoured shallots that keep well for several months. Plant from February onwards'. A 400g pack costs £3.65.
I rejoined our local horticultural society this year after a friend told me that you can get substantial savings on your seed order. Apparently, it is about 40% on seets and at least 10% on onion sets, garlic, potatoes and sundries. As you also get free entry to local shows - amazing value for £10 membership fee :)
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I planted Golden Goumet in mid-March at the same time as my onion sets and got a great crop of large bulbs. I hadn't ever thought of putting them in any earlier til I saw this post. Just bought some shallots out of Sainburys which are the more elongated red ones that I keep seeing on cookery programmes, be interesting to see how the taste compares.
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I start mine off (all varieties) in mid-January in the cold frame in compost in deep boxes - I then plant out from mid-february depending on weather/soil conditions (the bed was prepared in September) I usually get a good consistant crop - my allotment is in Herts which is SE England o its a tad warmer here.....
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how do shallots cope with frost? my allotment is a right frost hole. would they need fleecing if they go in december?
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I'm pretty sure they are completely hardy so no need to fleece - though perhaps net them until their roots are established to stop the birds pulling them up!
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I've got I think, 4 different types - mostly bought from around the UK and France on my travels. Some go in about oct/nov and some in march/april time. No idea what they are called; but some are round and some are long. All are fab :D
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I usually go with golden gourmet,planted some time in late march,should i be planting earlier?results are usually ok,but nothing spectacular.
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I'm pretty sure they are completely hardy so no need to fleece - though perhaps net them until their roots are established to stop the birds pulling them up!
cool, i shall be hitting the garden centre tomorrow then :D
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I planted bananna shallot seed last March in a tray and transplanted out when the were big enough. They all matured, about three only reached the size of my shallot sets the rest were all much larger and each filled my hand. They are delicious and what is also a bonus is only one is required in the kitchen instead of three or four traditional shallots. Slice longways down to the base turn it 90 degrees and repeat then slice across down to base, which is now discarded, result is neat pile of chopped shallot just like James Martin does.
I won't be bothering with shallot sets this year. :nowink:
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I'm getting totally confused here! :ohmy:
My shallots (Yellow Moon), onions (Troy) and garlic (Provence Wight) arrived from Unwins a couple of weeks ago and I've put them in.
The blurb on the special offer said plant anytime from September but looking in their catalogue they say plant these particular shallots March onwards!! ::)
Wot's happenin', Doc?
I'm hoping they'll be ok in all this rain because they're in a really free-draining raised bed and I know they need cold to divide so they'll be ok over Winter.....won't they? :unsure:
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That is exactly why I have posted this topic.
I have always planted mine late February but wondered if I should be planting earlier?
As far as I know shallots do not need low temperature to divide. The greater danger may be that too long a cold period could induce them to bolt. Has anyone experienced this?
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According to Unwin's blurb this variety (Yellow Moon) is bolt resistant......yeah....well...
Sorry can't help because they ain't growed yet!! Let you know next year.... :D
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Salmo. I know where I live its like living in the tropics all year round 8) but I have always planted my shallotts in December, I can count on one hand how many have bolted in lots of years, they are very hardy and I cant remember any that have not come up. I never grow onions anymore just shallots as they are so easy to grow, get them in and enjoy them in summer.
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oops I'v just asked this in another thread! I understood it was the shortest day so expected some to be appearing in the shops by now
marg
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got some yellow moon at my local garden hole in the end, the pack states planting between september and december, lift june-july. i will get them in when it gets a bit more decemberish and not raining like usual
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Just back from a week away from plot and found that about 15% of onion sets planted earlier this year have just started to try and flower. I've pinched out the heads, but will the onions still be OK? Is this anything to do with watering or quality of the sets? Any advice much appreciated.
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it's probably the weather sressing them :( the pinched out ones will not store as well as the others so mark them (with a stick? ) so that you can use them up first