Shallots from Seed

[digitS']

Cucumbers, Jared.

The shallots had spinach seed planted with them early. Last year, after the spinach bolted, late cucumber starts went in that bed. The timing was good with that. I got the shallots out just as the cukes began to need the entire bed.

This year, I wasn't quite as clever since the spinach space went begging for a few weeks. Then, I remembered to get the last of the cucumber starts in there! I hope they have time to produce. I was a little more clever with summer squash with the onions as I pulled them - getting those in about the 1st week of July.

Steve

 

[hoodat]

As to digging first year shallots or leaving them in the ground you can go either way. Just remember to mark the bed so you don't accidentally dig them up if you leave them. One of the advantages of leaving them in the ground is that they will choose the right time to sprout on their own so you don't have to puzzle over when to plant them. While they are dormant you can occupy the bed with a crop like spinach or lettuce that doesn't have to be dug to harvest. If your ground freezes in your zone use a heavy mulch over them when they are dormant and rake it back when they sprout, leaving some mulch to cover the tops. Shallots will push out of the ground and need some protection from the sun.

 

[digitS']

I bet all of that would work just fine here, Hoodat.

It never occurred to me years ago that they were (probably) as hardy as garlic.

YOUR SAVED SEED!? How did that go with the F2 generation???

Steve

 

[hoodat]

I bet all of that would work just fine here, Hoodat.

It never occurred to me years ago that they were (probably) as hardy as garlic.

YOUR SAVED SEED!? How did that go with the F2 generation???

Steve

They came in pretty true to type. Shallots are actually more closely related to garlic than to onions