Just dug up my first ever crop of shallots. Thought I should because some had started going to seed. Do I hang these up to mature like onions, put them out to dry or can I use them straight away? Thought I would enclose a pic. They are only Wilkinsons best, but not bad I think! :) busy_lizziel
Great crop.
Dry them on wire netting or somesuch - airy place. We've been pulling ours as needed for some weeks. Just about ready for lifting now.
I would have left them i the ground for a bit longer - until the tops have mostly died back. Then put them out to dry - i put them out on wooden boards so i can bring them in if it rains (i wish), turning them every day or so. If the tops are still green like yours they'll probably dry OK, but will take quite a while. Leaving them in the ground a bit longer saves a bit of hassle really.
My mum would dry her shallots on the wire mesh pea protectors (or protect her peas with the shallot driers ;)) Everything had its season!
I'm leaving mine till they die back. Meanwhile they're looking good.
mine are minute, have 5/6 per plant, but we are talking thickness of finger - did I do something wrong. Tops are still green / strong, but the bulbs are pushing themselves out of the ground.
Thanks for all your comments. Think I would have kept them in a bit longer if they hadn't started going to seed. Will spread them out on wire netting as Tim suggests. Hopefully will be better next year, (my favourite saying)! :) busy_lizzie
Quote from: mc55 on June 24, 2006, 20:10:26
mine are minute, have 5/6 per plant, but we are talking thickness of finger - did I do something wrong. Tops are still green / strong, but the bulbs are pushing themselves out of the ground.
Probably not uness you planted them late. I used to get shallots like that, and gave up for a few years. After several years of adding several tons of grass cuttings and autumn leaves to the plot every year, I'm getting decent crops of most things, so I'm trying again. Just be persistent, and build up your soil, rather than just adding chemicals to it.
Thanks RB, my plot has not been worked for a few years, so expect the soil is gasping for nutrients ... hopefully it'll improve next year.
Quote from: mc55 on June 24, 2006, 22:52:10
Thanks RB, my plot has not been worked for a few years, so expect the soil is gasping for nutrients ... hopefully it'll improve next year.
Mine are tiny too, but my onions, in the same bed, are huge!?
i went to the plot for the first time this week today :-[ and I have lost my shallots under a blanket of weeds........ got a whole day to try and find them tomorrow, just got to put some hours in! the tips of the leaves are starting to die back, so won't be long now :)
Great stuff, b-l. My Jermor are disappointing this year - 5-6 per plant.
The Eschalot Grise are better with 15, but still desperately need water.
I planted Red Sun purchased from Wilko around the end of March. They are doing really well and the biggerst clump has about 10 big shallots! I noticed yesterday some bulbs were pushed out of the soil (roots had dried out but the tops were green) so used them for stir fry :P. That was the first produce I got from the allotment. ;D
Well I'm puzzled by my shallots - bought them as usual from my Horticultural Society but can't remember variety name now.... maybe they were a bit bigger than usual - planted them 22nd March and they're huge!!....had to do a 'double take' when I first saw them a few weeks backafter being hidden under a blanket of weeds (like Daisy-May's) honestly thought they were onions :o .....the ground is so dry there now and in the course of weeding yesterday, one of two got broken off so have got them ready to use...still have 4 left from last year to use up :)
The only thing I did different this year was to scatter chicken manure pellets all over my onion bed so maybe it's that :-\
H.P.