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| Jul 17 2007, 2:54 AM EDT (current) | james_logan | 1270 words deleted, 3 photos deleted |
| Jul 17 2007, 2:53 AM EDT | james_logan | 521 words deleted, 1 photo deleted |
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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
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| Title: Shallots: What They are and How to Grow Them | |
| Division: Agriculture and Rural History: Written by: J. Bodnar - Fresh and Ethnic Vegetables Specialist/OMAF Table of Contents Introduction Taxonomy Propagation and Cultural Management Storage Varieties Pests and Diseases Related Links Introduction Shallots, Allium cepa, are closely related to multiplier onions, but smaller, and have unique culinary value. (The term 'multiplier' means that the bulbs multiply freely producing several lateral bulbs). At maturity, shallot bulbs resemble small onions. Shallots have long been associated with fine French cuisine. They are eaten fresh or cooked, chopped or boiled. Shallots have a delicate onion flavour when cooked that adds to but does not overpower other flavours. Figure 1. Shallot plant made up of a multitude of small bulbs. Raw shallots have a strong pungency, stronger than most onions. Their true character comes when lightly sauteed in butter until they are translucent in colour or when used in gravies and creamy sauces. It is very difficult to evaluate shallot quality in the raw form. Shallots can be successfully produced wherever onions are grown. However, most shallots are produced in Europe, particularly France. Most shallots consumed in the USA and Canada are imported chopped and dried from Europe. Otherwise, those that are used fresh are consumed green, much like that of green bunching onions, since the mature bulb of the shallot is small. | Top of Page | Taxonomy The difference between a multiplier onion and shallot is somewhat arbitrary, and they are often lumped together. Commercially however, those with yellow or brown scales and white interiors, such as the 'Dutch Yellow' type, are usually classed as multiplier onions, while those with red scales and, supposedly, a distinctive and more delicate flavour, are classed as shallots. Taxonomically, there is no such thing as a true shallot. Many people confuse shallots with green onions, scallions and leeks. The young green onion has a definite bulb formation with the same concentric arrangement that the dry onion has. Scallions are any shoots from the white onion varieties that are pulled before the bulb has formed. Leeks are similar in appearance to scallions but have flat leaves and the white stalk is thicker and longer. The shallot can be distinguished from the others by its distinctive bulbs which are made up of cloves like garlic, but unlike garlic, the individual bulbs are not encircled together by a common membrane. See Figure 1. Generally, shallot bulbs are the size of chestnuts, sometimes larger, pear-shaped, narrowed in the upper part into a rather longpoint, and covered with a russet coloured skin of a coppery red colour in the lower part shading off into grey towards the upper extremity. See Figure 2. In the grey shallot, which is sometimes claimed to be the "true shallot", the scales or skin are often wrinkled length-wise and are thick and tough. When the dried skin is taken off, the bulb is often greenish at the base and violet coloured toward the top. The roots are slow drying and persistent. Leaves are small, very green, and 4–5 cm long. | Top of Page | Propagation and Cultural Management Shallots can be grown from seed, but usually small bulbs are planted in late fall or early spring. The "mother" bulbs divide forming several bulbs. Although shallots are mostly thought of as dry bulbs, in some areas the green shoots of shallots are used similarly to the green onion or as a scallion substitute. Plant the bulbs 10–15 cm (4–6") apart. The size of the bulb affects the date of sprouting, plant size and maturity. For uniformity in production, planting similar size bulbs is essential. For early maturity and harvest, strong, healthy transplants can be used. Transplants can be started 30 to 45 days before direct bulb seeding in the field, and plants can be moved to the field in 30 to 60 days. Don't plant the bulbs or plants deeply and do not move soil to cover the plant base; the bulbs should grow out of the ground for easier dividing. To harvest over an extended period, plant the largest bulbs (quarter-size) first. After they mature, plant medium-sized bulbs (nickel-size), and finally the smallest bulbs (dime-size). If using transplants, plant one large or two small plants in each hole. Discard the weak clumps and the smallest plants. To save bulbs for the following year, save only the highest quality bulbs from the highest quality clumps. Many growers market the biggest bulbs and save smaller bulbs for replanting; but this results in gradually smaller and poorer quality shallots. Save bulbs from the biggest and best clumps. These clumps should be as free from disease as possible. Figure 2. Shallot bulbs cured and ready for market. Shallots need a continuous supply of nutrients. Split or continuous applications of nitrogen are essential for good growth. Approximately, 75–100 kg/ha of total nitrogen is required for this crop, and its application much like for that of garlic. The root system is weak and shallow, thus irrigation in the spring and summer is more frequent than for other vegetables. Soil type does not effect the total amount of water needed, but does dictate frequency of water application. Lighter soils need more frequent water applications, but less water applied per application. Green shallots can be harvested in 30 to 60 days, mature bulbs in 90 to 120 days. Pre-harvest, harvest, and post-harvest management of shallots is similar to that of onions. Quality and storageability is enhanced by low nitrogen late in the season, proper and adequate field curing, removing tops only after they are dried, and storing the bulbs in a cool, dry area. One thousand kilograms of seed bulbs should yield 5,000 to 7,000 kilograms of shallots. | Top of Page | Storage Shallots store well at temperatures of 0–2°C and 60%–70% relative humidity. Because of their small size, shallots tend to pack closely; so they should not be placed into deep piles. Store shallots in slatted crates or trays that allow good air movement in and around the bulbs. This is important to remove excessive moisture and to minimize storage diseases. Low relative humidity and low temperatures are important to keep shallots sound and dormant and free from sprouting and root growth. At humidities much above 70% and at warmer temperatures of 5–8°C more of the shallots will sprout, develop roots, and decay. With good air flow and humidity control, shallots should store for 8–10 months. | Top of Page | Varieties Two general types of shallots are available. French-Italian has brownish-red skin, well-shaped bulbs, and a flavour between onion and garlic. Varietal names include Pikant, Atlas, Ambition, Ed’s Red, and Creation. They can be used either dry or green. A second type is Welsh shallot. Louisiana Evergreen is one variety. It bulbs poorly, but provides a year-round supply of green shallots for salads, seasonings, or appetizers. The red shallot is essentially the only one of importance in the market place. | Top of Page | Pests and Diseases Shallots are susceptible to bacterial diseases, pink root, white rot, downy mildew, purple blotch, onion maggot and thrips. To avoid or minimize these problems, do not plant shallots in the same soil where other Alliums have been grown in recent years, plant only clean, healthy plants or bulbs, and practice good sanitation. Pest management practices are very similar to onions. The OMAF Factsheet, Onions: Identification of Diseases & Disorders of Onions, Order No. 95-063 and the handbook, Integrated Pest Management for Onions, Carrots, Celery & Lettuce in Ontario provide useful diagnostic, monitoring and management strategies applicable to shallots.Source: http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/facts/98-037.htm |
