Wilkos Overwinter Banana Shallots ....

[Ellen K]

... were rubbish.

Bought these last Autumn as they looked like strong sets.

Lottie neighbour also bought and planted them in the Autumn and they perished over winter, in spite of the winter being mild.

I saved mine and planted them end February where they sat in the ground and began to rot from the bottom up.

Wilkos Customer Service said that the variety was Vigarmor - but I am beginning to suspect they were just banana shaped onions that Tesco sell.

Anyone else buy these and manage to produce a live plant with them?

Grrrrr.

[Ellen K]

[Deb P]

I planted mine out in autumn and they have just sat there. The jermor  ones have sprouted nicely, the mikor ones I planted in spring are fine, so like you I have come to the conclusion they will not be giving me a crop! Pants!

[pete JB]

Yeah, same thing here. Great big sets which I simply could not resist.
They are just sat there doing what they have been doing for the last few months.

NOWT !

[Ellen K]

I used to think Jermors were a rip off as the best price you can find is about 30p a set.

But the more I buy anything else, the more I think they are good value because of their 100% reliability.

But I was looking at the Golden Gourmets I've planted - I've got serious onion rot this year - I just pulled them all out.

:'(  :'(  :'(

[antipodes]

I planted Vigamor last year and they were OK, I prefer the Jermor though. The round ones keep better I find, but the long shaped ones are tastier. I don't overwinter shallots but plant them out in February during a mild spell.

[Deb P]

I have some banana shallots I grew from T&M seeds that I can plant in that bed instead luckily, but they are still tiny and only just pricked out. I had good results with those last year but they did not like being transplanted and I lost the majority at that stage. I do hate wasting the space where the sets were, so think I'll put some lettuces there for the time being until the seedling ones are bigger. I'm glad I did those now!

I have found Jermor very reliable. I have tried planting them in the autumn and the spring, and find the autumn planted ones do better in my area.

[Ellen K]

I've got a back up too - 2 packs of Ambition shallot seeds (Unwins) and they are going in a mini-raised bed this weekend.

Well, it is a cut up plasic barrel that made 3 rings and they make good planters.  This onion rot thing has got me spooked.

A pack of these seeds grew very well last year and you get a very good yield from direct sowing which is good news since there are only 50 seeds in the pack.

But you have reminded me Deb P, I bought a pack of those Zebrune seeds on your recommendation so they can go in a ring as well.

** luvs me onions **