[mel.angel]

Please can someone help me. Last year I planted both white and red shallots and I never got them up  :?

This year the stems are 3-4ft in height and the thickness is about 2 inches in places.... There is also like a bulb on the top of the stems growing, but I do not know what it is...

Can the shallots still be dug up and eaten even though they have been growing for over a year? Also the stems what can I use them for as it seems a shame to waste them.....

Would anyone know what the bulb on the top might be? Perhaps it is full of seeds?

best wishes
Mel
xxxx

[noshed]

They have bolted ie run to seed. They probably would be best on the compost heap but if there are any reasonable bulbs, eat them soon.
Don't worry bolting happens to everyone.
You would normally plant shallots in the spring and they would be ready about now I think.

[Annie]

As above.You can use the green stem in cooking,it has a mild onion taste ,you may have a bit of a bulb that you could eat but they will not keep for long.I don`t know about the seed heads ie if/when you can sew them,someone ealse might know thuogh.

[WG.]

compost I reckon.  The stems might be edible although the spongy texture will be a bit off-putting

[DD.]

Thinking logically, (or maybe I'm not), one shallott planted last year yields, say, 6 bulbs. These go on this year to grow 6 each. That's 36 bulbs that could be sitting there from the one bulb last year.

If that is the case, for them all to bolt, there should be 36 flower stems where each bulb was originally planted. I assume this is not the case.

I would have a closer look, there may be some useable, albeit small bulbs because of the overcrowding.

Wouldn't comtemplate eating the flower stems.

Please note the emphasis on the "could, if & may", no promises, no guarantees.

[spinny]

Would anyone know what the bulb on the top might be? Perhaps it is full of seeds?

best wishes
Mel
xxxx

This is almost certainly a flowerhead forming Mel, but I have to say that it's unusual for shallots to run to seed even if they have been left in over winter.

spinny

[WG.]

I have to say that it's unusual for shallots to run to seed even if they have been left in over winter.

Sorry I beg to differ.  I seem to have a few which bolt even from a spring planting.  Virtually all bolt when left in over-winter.

[DD.]

I have to say that it's unusual for shallots to run to seed even if they have been left in over winter.

Sorry I beg to differ.  I seem to have a few which bolt even from a spring planting.  Virtually all bolt when left in over-winter.

I was going to say - "perhaps you could explain that to my shallotts!".

[WG.]

I was going to say - "perhaps you could explain that to my shallotts!".

You just did  :!:  

[spinny]

I speak as I find - I've had only one single plant bolt this year out of approx 80 bulbs planted of four different shallot varieties.  Even when I've left clumps in over winter I've had similar results the following year (although the bulbs then will always tend to be small...)

spinny

[WG.]

I speak as I find - I've had only one single plant bolt this year out of approx 80 bulbs planted of four different shallot varieties.  Even when I've left clumps in over winter I've had similar results the following year (although the bulbs then will always tend to be small...)

Interesting.  Where are you (your Profile doesn't say)?  Perhaps you could post your method / planting times / soil type etc please, since I'd prefer not to lose an estimated 10% of my shallots each year.  

[Scribbler]

Ay Ay, that shallot....

[Annie]

I don`t seem to get too many bolting shallots either,only one last year,mind with this hot/cool/hot/wet weather we`re getting I could be speaking too soon.I have given up on red onions though heat treated or not.