Topic: Shallots

[Tee Gee]

Hi all it is not often I ask a question but I thought I would ask this one;

I seem to recall reading here that some of you plant out your shallots over the next month or so, is this correct?

I normally plant my setts out as the ground begins to warm up in the spring.

So my question is;

Is it any better to plant them around now rather than in spring?

I got round to thinking about this as I planted out my Jap onions & garlic this morning.

What went through my mind was; if I plant them now and they fail I will still have time in spring to plant out more!

Your opinions would be appreciated!.....Tg

[elvis2003]

http://igrowveg.com/how-to-guides/winter-vegetable-growing-guides/growing-autumn-planting-shallots/

hope this helps!
incidentally i sowed ours in spring this year,in modules first in the greenhouse a la Monty,they shot up!

[Flighty]

Most people seem to buy and plant shallots in the spring.

[Deb P]

I grow Jermor shallots overwinter and have consistently good results. This year I grew some from a Spring planting as well as a bit of an experiement and failed to get a crop, but to be fair that was a very dry spring and the late garlic I put in also failed to thrive. The other advantage of an autumn planted crop is that it makes good use of the ground overwinter, and they crop earlier so I can plant another crop to follow them in late June/early July.

[Ellen K]

Another vote here for the fabulous overwinter performance of Jermor - and they need to do well, the price they are.

I grew Echalion Grise and Golden Gourmet overwinter last year and they were rubbish - the Grise were tiny and riddled with onion rot and the GGs bolted - but it was a weird year so others may do better.

We have also purchased Wilkinsons generic overwinter banana shallot sets - which Wilkos now tell us are Vigarmour - so I will be planting a few this month and saving some for spring planting.

In summary: if you are keen on bananas and are feeling flush go for Jermors and maybe bung some others in too, worth a go.

[Anisemary]

I prefer the banana shallots but don't grow the sets any more. I grow a few seeds (7 or 8) to a small module set in early spring, plant out the whole module when strong enough to pop out without losing the soil around them, and they grow in a bunch looking just like a set that has split. Never thought I'd say 'no, not more shallots to dry'!, but I literally can't move for them!  Recipes using lots of banana shallots anybody?  ::)

[Tee Gee]

Thanks for your replies guys!

I have gone with my first thoughts and planted out yesterday.

Will watch them carefully to see how they go on.

If they do not perform as I would like, I will replant in spring!

I have planted out Jermor & Topper I saved from this years crop so have had no cost up till now.

So hopefully all goes well ....fingers crossed and all that.

Thanks again Tg