[craggy]

I stand to be corrected. And, Craggy, if the ground isn`t suitable for them to be planted, what next?

if they're that dodgy,buy some more.

[zazen999]

Basically;

If you can get them in the ground - lovely.

If not, pop them in compost shoulder to shoulder in a seed tray to get them started.

What you are looking for is for the root system to develop before it goes in the ground - these went into roottrainers in Nov time and into the ground last week.

They won't need fleece in a cold frame, greenhouse in the meantime but if you do have some spare, it just lowers the temp a couple of degrees so the roots can start growing faster.

[peterjf]

try searching on this site , im sure there would be a sentence or 2 on growing shallots

even growing onions

[Salmo]

My shallots were being stored cool and dark. A few showed signs of going soft and some were mouldy and have been discarded. I have put the rest in modules of compost in a cool light area.

My thoughts were that if I left them I might loose more, if they are growing they will survive. If it had not been for the snow and wet they would have been planted by now.

[zazen999]

My thoughts are - that as soon as you get all alliums; get em into compost if you haven't got the soil ready.

Works for me. They do no good sat in a cool dark cupboard as they want to grow, so let em.

[DD.]

Even a cold cupboard indoors is warm to an onion set or shallot.

Mine have been sitting in the light, in a cold greenhouse and are rock hard!

[bigben]

I am afraid I had a moment of madness last week and planted out two packs of Shallots on a day when the sun was shining. Only to see them buried under snow a couple of days later. They were the cheap ones from Wilkos so not too much lost - hopefully they might survive.

[DD.]

Shallots are very hardy & should stand it.

[Missy1970]

Thanks for all the replies I've just cleaned out some trays will get my shallots in them  later today I've lost some but gladly not all.

Missy

[goodegg]

planted shallots this year after not planting any for many years as i dont like to waste and onions are to big for me most of the time i have only bought i bag as i hope that will glve me all i need ive also planted some onion seeds and sets but they are mainly for friends and relatives.
i love to plant great.

[Ropster]

some of the old guys on my site must start theirs in pots every year, I know this as i go down one day and there are none, following week they have nice rows of shallots with big green shoots on them. always makes me wish i could do that, this year i have a greenhouse so have committed a packet of pound-land shallots to pots to see what happens

[DD.]

Once they hit the soil, it doesn't take long for them to sprout. I know of no one on our site that pre-sprouts them.

Those on your site could have been sitting there for a couple of weeks unnoticed before the greenery showed.

[craggy]

Once they hit the soil, it doesn't take long for them to sprout. I know of no one on our site that pre-sprouts them.

Those on your site could have been sitting there for a couple of weeks unnoticed before the greenery showed.

seems like a waste of effort for such a simple veg.just put them in,and watch them grow.snow.rain.frost.they don,t care.

[viettaclark]

I planted shallots outside in November and they haven't sprouted yet. The bulbs (which I planted in indentations) are still firm even after all the weather. Garlic and onions are up.
Am I being impatient?

[zazen999]

I planted shallots outside in November and they haven't sprouted yet. The bulbs (which I planted in indentations) are still firm even after all the weather. Garlic and onions are up.
Am I being impatient?

Look at my picture above; hopefully you will see the huge root system and the lack of sprouting.

That's what they do!!!