I love growing shallots. Shallots don’t take up much space in the garden, are a flavorful addition to salads, salsa, soups, sauces, and stews, are easy to grow, and can be enjoyed both raw and cooked.
Native to the Mediterranean, shallots are often thought to be a variety of onion, but they are a separate species. A proud member of the Liliaceae (lily) family, in the genusAllium L., shallots are neither onion nor lily.
Shallots, (Allium ascalonicum这种洋葱有时被称为倍增器洋葱)具有独特的锥形形状和薄而细的表皮,这使它们有别于洋葱。一些品种的青葱呈现出铜色的表皮,而另一些则呈现出粉红色或灰褐色的纸质外壳。
The inside of a shallot is also different from that of an onion: Shallots do not exhibit the concentric structure of onions but rather are sectioned into several small cloves, similar to garlic.
The history of shallots goes back to the 12th century when Europeans were first introduced to shallots carried home as “valued treasure” by crusaders returning from the Middle East.
With a strong, rich flavor reminiscent of both garlic and onion but delicate, sweeter, and more refined, savory shallots are widely used in place of onions in Southeast Asian and French-influenced cuisine. Subtle in flavor, shallots add just the right note to enhance or enliven the flavor of fine foods.
Read on to learn more about growing shallots including everything from planting to harvesting.
Growing Requirements for Shallots
Avoid growing shallots in the same area that you have planted onions or garlic within the past three years. Because they are an excellent companion plant for tomatoes and corn, I plant in scattered patches throughout the garden. Don’t be surprised if you find them in the flowerbeds as well.
Shallots add deep greenery in rock gardens and work well as a border edge in my herb beds. When the bright green shoots pop out of the soil, they resemble scallions or chives. When planting shallots, it is best to space them about nine bulbs to the square foot. When I add perennial fall flower bulbs to the landscape, I add a few shallot bulbs nearby.
Location
Choose a full sun location where the soil is well drained. Although growing shallots requires a lot of water, they’ll rot if they’re planted in an area that collects standing water.
Climate
Shallots grow best in United States Hardiness Zones 7 through 10. Shallots prefer cool weather during the growing season, so it is best to plant them in early spring or fall.
I like to plant in early autumn while I am doing the garden cleanup. This way (because shallots are a long-season crop) they have a chance to become well established before the extreme cold temps of winter.
Preparing the Soil for Growing Shallots
When preparing the garden plot for planting shallots, work the soil well. Break up dirt clods, remove rocks, and pull weeds. Experienced gardeners say “The looser the soil composition, the larger your shallots will grow.”
Shallots prefer deep, nutrient-rich soil with plenty of organic material. To improve soil fertility, add aged herbivore manure (cow, horse, goat, sheep, llama). Shallots do not do well inacidic soil, preferring soil with a pH of 6.5 or higher.
Planting Shallots
从种子或鳞茎开始切青葱。灯泡相对便宜,所以花更多的钱“从最好的开始”是值得的。用鳞茎种青葱是如此容易,以至于很少有园丁费心用种子种青葱。
If this is your first time growing shallots, make sure you find the healthiest and biggest organic shallot bulbs. Once you begin planting shallots, you will replant every season from bulbs you harvest from your original crop, so buy the finest quality of shallot bulbs available.
Shallots produce a tight cluster of bulbs from a single planted bulb. When planting shallots, separate multiple bulbs, planting one at a time. Plant with the root end down, spaced 3 to 6 inches apart, in rows 10 to 12 inches apart.
The tip of the bulb should be just level with the top of the soil surface. Every bulb you plant will produce from 8 to 12 more clustered around the original so you get “quite a bang for your buck.”
Succession Planting
Plant a few shallot sets every few weeks for a continuous supply. To keep shallot sets fresh, store them in the refrigerator or a cool, dry place between plantings.
Watering, Fertilizing, and Mulching
Shallots have a shallow root system which means that frequent watering is crucial to a bountiful harvest. It is important to keep a “close eye” on the soil to ensure you water thoroughly, but allow the soil to dry between watering.
Like garlic, shallots are heavy feeders and require nutrients available throughout their growth spurt. Don’t let the baby bulbs go hungry. Feed them several times throughout the growth period.
Mulch shallots with dry organic matter (leaves, grass clippings, or straw) late in the fall or early spring to protect the young seedlings from extreme cold and to retain moisture, and keeps down grass and weeds.
Harvesting Shallots
Avoid watering your shallots for about two weeks before harvest to allow a firm skin to form on the bulbs. Begin harvesting once the top portion of the leaves starts to turn brown.
当大约三分之二的叶子翻弯时,青葱就可以收获了。如果你太早收割,鳞茎会很小。然而,如果你等待太长时间来收获,外皮可能会分裂和丢失。
使用干草叉,而不是铲子或铁锹,慢慢地从土壤中生长青葱。不要扯着叶子把它们拔出来。捆扎成束,挂在黑暗、通风良好的地方,直到顶部的叶子枯萎、完全干燥。将青葱长时间储存在阴凉干燥的地方。记得留一些在秋天种植。
Common Pests and Diseases
While shallots are fairly easy to grow, like all garden plants, they are susceptible to a variety of pests and fungal diseases. Some common shallot pests include rodents that dig up immature bulbs and onion fly larva that nibble at the foliage.
As far as diseases is concerned, some common issues for shallots include white rot, pink root, and downy mildew.
In general, the best way to prevent these problems is to practice crop rotation and avoid planting shallots in the same area where you previously grew onions and other members of the Allium family.
Types of Shallots
There are two main varieties of shallots, French Red (also known as “pinks”, “Jersey,” “French-Italian”, or “reds”) and French Gray. Cloves of the French Red shallots tend to be larger than those of the gray. Shallots vary in shape, size, and color, but flavor-wise, it is difficult to tell them apart.
French Red Shallot Hybrids
Prisma
从种子或鳞茎很容易生长,Prisma杂交是一个大胆的红色内外。Maturing in 100 days, Prisma stores well and presents a pungent taste — my favorite of all the red shallots.
Saffron
Saffron shallots display brilliant copper-colored skin and pale-yellow flesh. Dutch Yellow are another common shallot variety with similar characteristics to that of Saffron.
Pikant
Pikant shallots present a deep mahogany color on the outside and bold red flesh inside. Varieties of this type store well and mature in 90 days. These are my favorite variety to add color and a burst of flavor to salads and salsas.
Matador
斗牛士青葱结实圆润,表皮略带红色,肉质白色,90天内成熟。
Ambition
Teardrop-shaped Ambition shallots display a bold reddish-copper exterior and snow-white flesh.
Ambition shallots always sell out quickly at local farmers markets. If you share your garden’s bounty with family or friends, or offer your crop at market, consider succession planting of this popular shallot variety.
French Gray Shallot Varieties
Bonilla
鲣鱼青葱需要100 ~ 110天才能成熟。他们有一个苍白的,灰褐色,厚的皮肤和白色的肉和辛辣的味道。他们商店好。
Griselle
One of the strongest flavored shallots, the elongated Griselle hybrid reaches full maturity in 200 days, growing up to 4 inches long. The French-styled shallot is grayish-brown on the outside with a purple-white mottled flesh. Griselle is firm and flavorful, but the bulbs do not keep for extended periods — best fresh.
Olympus
The Olympus hybrid presents a firm round bulb, about the size of a golf ball, white on the outside, white on the inside. The Olympus shallot matures in 90 days and stores well.
Health Benefits of Shallots
The savory taste of the shallot is reason enough to include this delight in your homestead garden. However, the shallot provides a great many nutritional benefits. One tablespoon (10 grams) of chopped fresh shallot offers zero fat and protein, and only 2 grams of carbohydrates.
青葱是维生素A、B6、C、B9(叶酸)、锰和钾的极佳来源。青葱还含有有益的抗氧化化合物,包括槲皮素、山奈酚和硫酸抗氧化剂,包括大蒜素。大蒜素是一种天然的抗菌剂,有助于调节血糖水平,抗癌,降低胆固醇,并有助于提高免疫力。
Shallot Recipes To Try
The beauty of shallots is that they can bring an incredible flavor to whatever you add them to! Here are a few delectable ways to enjoy shallots. And since you grew them in your garden, you won’t even need a trip to the grocery store!
- Pickled Pink Shallotsfrom Good Housekeeping
- Caramelized Shallot Pastafrom NY Times Cooking
- Ina Garten’s Caramelized Shallotsfrom Leite’s Culinaria
- Herby French Shallot Soupfrom Half Baked Harvest
- Crispy Fried Shallotsfrom Bon Appetit
Are you growing shallots in your garden this year? Share your tips for a successful harvest in the comments below.
References
- Shallots, UC Master Gardener Program of Sonoma County
- Shallots, Cornell University
- Six Mistakes to Avoid When Planting Garlic or Shallots, Cornell Small Farms
- Morphological and Biochemical Diversity of Shallot Landraces Preserved Along the Croatian Coast, US National Library of Medicine
- Harvesting Shallots, UC Master Gardeners
- Shallots, University of Arkansas
Cynthia Henrysays
Lots of good info here, but while they may grow best in zones 7-10, don’t let that discourage you as I grow about 6 varieties in zone 4, Fall planted.