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I don't know when I need to harvest my shallots - photo

young codgeryoung codger Posts: 543
in Fruit & veg
Last year it was straight forward. My small  shallots  grew to maturity and the tops went brown & folded over. I got a bumper crop.

This year I planted   a different variety of shallot - larger and an elongated shape. They are going to seed now, but have not folded over or gone brown.

I don't know if I need to dig them up now or leave them in the ground until they fold over and go brown?

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  • scrogginscroggin Posts: 437
    I would remove the seed heads ASAP, onions or shallots that have gone to seed tend not to store aswell. I would wait until the foliage starts to fold over before lifting. It's hard to tell from your picture how large your shallots are.
  • young codgeryoung codger Posts: 543
    ok.
    I will go out now and chop the heads off.
  • young codgeryoung codger Posts: 543
    All heads chopped off now.
  • young codgeryoung codger Posts: 543

  • young codgeryoung codger Posts: 543

    @Scoggin
    I will give them a good watering when the sun has gone down. Not sure what to do after that. Maybe just keep watering. Difficult to know what is going on under the soil unless I start digging.
  • scrogginscroggin Posts: 437
    @young codger, it's been a strange year weather wise which has maybe caused the plants to stress and go to seed. For next year keep a lookout for any seed heads and remove them as early as possible, that way the plant puts it's energy into the bulb and not into producing seed 
  • young codgeryoung codger Posts: 543
    Yes, thanks I will do that next year.

     There may be something underneath worth digging in a fortnight to have a look.
  • scrogginscroggin Posts: 437
    @young codger, how deep did you plant them? the shallots should be showing on the surface by now. Maybe have a scrape around the base, if the shallots look a good size I'd hold back on the watering and let them ripen, if they're still small then carry on watering, I find that shallots and onions are thirsty plants and need consistent watering to make good size bulbs.
  • young codgeryoung codger Posts: 543
    I planted them with the tip just showing. They were big shallots at the time of planting.
  • young codgeryoung codger Posts: 543
    @scroggin

    I've just dug one up and it is no bigger than when it was planted.

    I've been ill for the last 2 months and things got neglected. I will not have watered them enough.

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