Sign in or 
Share this
Shallots
Notes:
< --- notes --- >
Shallots are probably the easiest of all the onion family to grow and, from my point of view, the tastiest. Shop sold shallots can be expensive to buy and difficult to get hold of. If you grow them yourself you can store them for a considerable time, longer than any other type of onion.
Shallots are ideal for a small plot as they mature quicker and take up less space. They love an open sunny site. They prefer a lighter soil, but can cope with heavier soils as long as they aren't compacted, as this will cause the roots to push the shallot out of the ground. All onions hate any competition from weeds, so make sure you keep it a weed-free zone, or they will turn their toes up!
Shallots are grown from sets (a single shallot bulb). Each set produces a cluster of 7 or 8 shallots. I would make sure you buy your sets from a reputable source that guarantees that they are virus free.
Shallots need a long growing season; in milder areas I would recommend sowing them in December or January and, in colder climes, in February and March.
Plant the sets by pushing them gently into the soft ground, 6" apart, so that their tips are just visible. If you soil is heavy, use a trowel. If you are planting more than one row, space the rows about 8" - 10" apart, so that they don't overcrowd.
Only water shallots in the driest of weather. An old gardener advised me that shallots benefit from a top-dressing of soot, carefully placed around the onions, during their growing season. Don't get the soot on the plant itself.
In late June remove the soil from around the clumps by hand, being careful not to disturb the roots, as this helps the bulbs to ripen in the sun.
To harvest: wait for the leaves to turn yellow and then lift.
Traditionally, onions are left on the surface to dry off in the warm sun and this is still the best way - but if its wet they will rot so bring them indoors, preferably into a greenhouse. Rub off any excess mud and flaky skins, and take off the dried leaves. Now they are ready to store - but do make sure that they are all healthy - throw away any that are spongy and soft. Store them in nets or string bags so that the air can circulate in a cool, frost-free space.
Source: http://www.greenfingers.com/articledisplay.asp?id=756
< --- notes --- >
Care and Cultivation of Onion Sets, Shallots and Garlic
Plant spring-planting garlic any time there is mild weather in late winter or early spring, but preferably by early March as this crop requires a long growing season. If your soil is heavy, you can start your garlic off in cell modules in late autumn. Overwinter in an unheated greenhouse or cold frame and plant out as soon as soil is workable in spring.
Just before planting garlic supplied as bulbs, carefully prise the individual cloves from within each larger bulb, avoiding any damage which could set up rot once the cloves are planted. Look for the slightly flat plate at the base of each clove as a guide to planting it the right way up. Plant sets or cloves in shallow drills or use a trowel. When you’ve finished planting onions and shallots, the tips should be only just protruding; if you plant too shallowly the birds are likely to pull them from the soil before they’ve rooted. Garlic should be set at least 5cm (2in) deep, or twice the depth of each clove, and on light soils can be planted up to 10cm (4in) deep. On clay soils you will probably find that plants do better if planted on small ridges or with plenty of horticultural grit or sharp sand worked into the base of each planting drill.
Source: http://fothergills.co.uk/en/content/growing-onions-shallots.aspx
< --- notes --- >
< --- notes --- >
Shallots are probably the easiest of all the onion family to grow and, from my point of view, the tastiest. Shop sold shallots can be expensive to buy and difficult to get hold of. If you grow them yourself you can store them for a considerable time, longer than any other type of onion.
Shallots are ideal for a small plot as they mature quicker and take up less space. They love an open sunny site. They prefer a lighter soil, but can cope with heavier soils as long as they aren't compacted, as this will cause the roots to push the shallot out of the ground. All onions hate any competition from weeds, so make sure you keep it a weed-free zone, or they will turn their toes up!
Shallots are grown from sets (a single shallot bulb). Each set produces a cluster of 7 or 8 shallots. I would make sure you buy your sets from a reputable source that guarantees that they are virus free.
Shallots need a long growing season; in milder areas I would recommend sowing them in December or January and, in colder climes, in February and March.
Plant the sets by pushing them gently into the soft ground, 6" apart, so that their tips are just visible. If you soil is heavy, use a trowel. If you are planting more than one row, space the rows about 8" - 10" apart, so that they don't overcrowd.
Only water shallots in the driest of weather. An old gardener advised me that shallots benefit from a top-dressing of soot, carefully placed around the onions, during their growing season. Don't get the soot on the plant itself.
In late June remove the soil from around the clumps by hand, being careful not to disturb the roots, as this helps the bulbs to ripen in the sun.
To harvest: wait for the leaves to turn yellow and then lift.
Traditionally, onions are left on the surface to dry off in the warm sun and this is still the best way - but if its wet they will rot so bring them indoors, preferably into a greenhouse. Rub off any excess mud and flaky skins, and take off the dried leaves. Now they are ready to store - but do make sure that they are all healthy - throw away any that are spongy and soft. Store them in nets or string bags so that the air can circulate in a cool, frost-free space.
Source: http://www.greenfingers.com/articledisplay.asp?id=756
< --- notes --- >
Care and Cultivation of Onion Sets, Shallots and Garlic
Planting
Choose a sheltered, sunny site and avoid ground on which onions, shallots or garlic have been grown in the last three years. Fertile ground which has been manured, but not freshly - for example manured in the autumn/early winter before a spring planting - is ideal. Lime if your soil is acid. Autumn-planting onion sets can be put in at any time between September and November, as long as weather and soil conditions are suitable, but, for largest bulbs and in colder areas, it is best to plant as soon as ground can be made ready. Autumn-planting garlic should be planted in October or November and shallots between late September and December. Do not grow any of these bulbs on land that may become waterlogged in winter. Spring-planting onion sets can go in at any time between early March and mid-April, when the ground is not frozen or too wet, but heat- treated sets should not be planted until early April. Normal shallots should be put in between mid-February and the end of March.Plant spring-planting garlic any time there is mild weather in late winter or early spring, but preferably by early March as this crop requires a long growing season. If your soil is heavy, you can start your garlic off in cell modules in late autumn. Overwinter in an unheated greenhouse or cold frame and plant out as soon as soil is workable in spring.
Just before planting garlic supplied as bulbs, carefully prise the individual cloves from within each larger bulb, avoiding any damage which could set up rot once the cloves are planted. Look for the slightly flat plate at the base of each clove as a guide to planting it the right way up. Plant sets or cloves in shallow drills or use a trowel. When you’ve finished planting onions and shallots, the tips should be only just protruding; if you plant too shallowly the birds are likely to pull them from the soil before they’ve rooted. Garlic should be set at least 5cm (2in) deep, or twice the depth of each clove, and on light soils can be planted up to 10cm (4in) deep. On clay soils you will probably find that plants do better if planted on small ridges or with plenty of horticultural grit or sharp sand worked into the base of each planting drill.
Spacing
- Onions in rows 25cm (10in) apart. For medium-sized onions, space the sets 10cm (4in) apart in the row; a wider spacing of 15cm (6in) will give larger bulbs. On a ‘bed system’, space onions 15cm (6in) apart each way.
- Shallots in rows 25cm (10in) apart, with 15cm (6in) between bulbs. On a ‘bed system’, plant them 18cm (7in) apart each way.
- Garlic in rows 30cm (12in) apart, with 13-15cm (5-6in) between cloves. On a ‘bed system’ plant them 18cm (7in) apart each way.
Aftercare
During the first weeks after planting, check onion and shallot sets regularly to make sure that they have suffered neither bird damage nor frost-heave. If this happens, it’s best to take the sets completely out of the ground and replant since simply pushing them back into the soil can break the young roots. Once established, and particularly while maturing in summer, it’s important not to over-water these plants. The very sparse foliage produced by members of the onion family does little to smother the growth of weeds, which compete for light, nutrients and water. It’s particularly important to regularly handweed or hoe around the plants and between the rows, preferably with a ‘swan-necked’ onion hoe which minimises the possibility of damaging bulbs as you work.Harvesting
Onions can be pulled fresh, as and when you need them, and shallot leaves can be cut for use as green onions, but the bulbs are not ready to lift, dry and store until the foliage begins to turn yellow and die back. It’s better to letripening happen naturally. Autumn planted onions and shallots are ready to harvest from June, spring planted onions in August. Both autumn and spring planted garlic, as well as shallots, are ready in July-August. After lifting and provided weather is favourable, spread out the bulbs in a suitable spot outdoors and leave for 1-2 weeks to dry thoroughly. If the weather is wet, dry indoors or in a greenhouse. Separate out any soft, damaged or thick-necked onions for immediate use. When fully dry, store in trays (garlic, shallots), nets (shallots, onions) or strings or bunches (onions, garlic) in a cool, dry place until required for use.Source: http://fothergills.co.uk/en/content/growing-onions-shallots.aspx
< --- notes --- >
|
james_logan |
Latest page update: made by james_logan
, Jul 17 2007, 2:54 AM EDT
(about this update
About This Update
Edited by james_logan
1270 words deleted 3 images deleted view changes - complete history) |
|
More Info: links to this page
|
There are no threads for this page.
Be the first to start a new thread.
