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Talkback: Growing shallots

Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
in Talkback
I grew Golden Gourmet last year and had a brilliant crop - unlike my Red Baron onions which were a wash out. This year it is shallots only! I started mine in the greenhouse just because i am a veg novice and wanted to be able to see they were growing before they have to combat the army of slugs and other pests in my garden.

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  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    I too love growing shallots. The red banana- shaped shallots look beautiful enough to grow in a flowerbed and grow as big as onions do for me. i have none left as I use them everywhere you can use onions - soups, stews,risotto, pizza.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    Don't forget Shallots are excellent pickled,use a pickled onion recipe and be sure to brine them for 24 hours. Pickled in late August / September and given a couple of months to mellow they'll be fantastic for Christmas and a nicely presented jar makes a lovely gift.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    hello i have yellow moon,how are they? my first time growing shallots and only been growing veg for two year.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    I've just planted my first lot of shallots , as I'm a newby allotment holder: I got a banana shallot called "virgorami" I think. Totally new to this whole thing, but I'll see how it goes. Apart from regular weeding and watering is there anything else I must do: what sort of pests like shallots too, and how can I combat them?
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    I am starting my first planting of shallots this year as well. We do all our gardening in raised beds. The soil is a combination of pete moss and many different types of compost. Next summer we will have our own compost to add to the raised beds to furter inrich the soil there. Does this sound like a good environment for shallots to grow.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    Don't plant your shallots too closely or plant anything leafy amongst them as a catch crop (like lettuce)I did and I think because air didn't travel easily around they went mildewy and I lost the lot.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    Thank you for the reminder! I've had my shallots ready to put in pots in the greenhouse for ages having selected some good specimens from last year's crop, but the weather has been so bad I've done nothing.

    My usual problem is getting carried away and planting too many, as I did last year. I still have several hundred to get through (as you say, they do keep very well). I think I've grown Golden Gourmet, but as I have saved them for several years now, I'm not entirely sure, but they are very good to cook with. Brilliant for pickling too!
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