Saving shallots from this year's seed-sown to plant next year

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Beepee

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I've grown shallots from seed for the first time this year. They have done pretty well but I have been told that it is no good saving any to use as next year's sets, with no expaination. Anyone know why, or even if it is true.
Thanks
Never thow 'it' away. It will come in handy one day, even if it is never useful!!

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jambop

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First question is are they shallots? If they are Zeebrune then don't bother these are not shallots but an onion masquerading as a shallot :lol: they will just set flowers.

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mumofstig

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MMM, yes seed sown sounds dubious as true shallots don't set seed  :unsure:

Otherwise note that " a large shallot will create a greater number of divisions when planted resulting in smaller child shallots, while a small shallot will result in a fewer number of divisions giving larger child shallots"
So plant the small ones and use the large ones, which are easier to handle, in the kitchen.

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Beepee

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MMM, yes seed sown sounds dubious as true shallots don't set seed  :unsure:

Otherwise note that " a large shallot will create a greater number of divisions when planted resulting in smaller child shallots, while a small shallot will result in a fewer number of divisions giving larger child shallots"
So plant the small ones and use the large ones, which are easier to handle, in the kitchen.

Thanks for that. Did not know about the relationship; large sets = smaller/more shallots, small sets = larger/fewer shallots, that's brilliant to know. I want both and usually get them but hadn't  worked out why. Small for pickling, large for cooking - Now I can actually plan to get the results I need.
"...true shallots don't set seed" ??  So where does the packet of seed come from that I bought from my usual  seed supplier?  Weird!

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jambop

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MMM, yes seed sown sounds dubious as true shallots don't set seed  :unsure:

Otherwise note that " a large shallot will create a greater number of divisions when planted resulting in smaller child shallots, while a small shallot will result in a fewer number of divisions giving larger child shallots"
So plant the small ones and use the large ones, which are easier to handle, in the kitchen.

Thanks for that. Did not know about the relationship; large sets = smaller/more shallots, small sets = larger/fewer shallots, that's brilliant to know. I want both and usually get them but hadn't  worked out why. Small for pickling, large for cooking - Now I can actually plan to get the results I need.
"...true shallots don't set seed" ??  So where does the packet of seed come from that I bought from my usual  seed supplier?  Weird!

Again what was the variety I looked at one seed merchant selling Zeebrune as a shallot when in fact it is an onion. Shallots will grow from a saved bulb but try that with zeebrune for example and the plant will go straight to flower...

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mumofstig

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You would need to know the variety of the seed you sowed, to check, but, usually when you sow shallot seed, you get a single bulb, which is really a banana onion, rather than a shallot - whatever the seed merchants have chosen to call it  ::)
Normal onion varieties are Allium cepa, which do produce seed, and can also be grown to produce sets for planting. True shallots, are Allium Aggregatum which reproduces by basal divisions (similar to garlic) which are split and replanted. These varieties only very rarely produce viable seeds.

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Beepee

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Well! Thanks for all of that.  Yes the variety of seed I sowed was Zebrune - and listed as a shallot. Never mind I have a good crop of... shallots, or mild onions? I started off seeding a half-seed-tray, which gave me a three-quarter row of plants spaced at about two inches. These grew to largish shallots. The rest of the row I seeded direct and will have a good supply of smaller ones for pickle; so all is well in my shallot world at least. My late sowing of broad beans however... That would be another post.

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jambop

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Well! Thanks for all of that.  Yes the variety of seed I sowed was Zebrune - and listed as a shallot. Never mind I have a good crop of... shallots, or mild onions? I started off seeding a half-seed-tray, which gave me a three-quarter row of plants spaced at about two inches. These grew to largish shallots. The rest of the row I seeded direct and will have a good supply of smaller ones for pickle; so all is well in my shallot world at least. My late sowing of broad beans however... That would be another post.

You have grown onions :) but they are a good keeper and well worth the effort. If you really want shallots get some sets from the garden centre and plant them out early spring and you should get a nice lot of bulbs later in the season. What you can then do is after they have dried off is select twenty or so of the smaller bulbs to plant out next spring.  what you have actually grown is this

échalion Cuisse De Poulet Du Poitou Ou Zébrune
« Last Edit: July 27, 2021, 13:00 by jambop »

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cc

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Re: Saving shallots from this year's seed-sown to plant next year
« Reply #8 on: August 02, 2021, 10:19 »
I always plants shallots autumn. Will be putting a lot more effort in this year. Get the watering right and deal with the slugs which removed the leaves. Also just planted out onion seedlings. Had a goodish crop this year but same problems with slugs. *



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