Shallot
Shallots are a member of the onion family. No matter if they are roasted, caramelized, or used in vinaigrettes, and Béarnaise sauce they will add tantalizing flavor to a variety of dishes.
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Davidor |
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Allium cepa, variety aggregatum |
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Intermediate/Difficult |
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Intermediate |
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1-2 years if properly stored |
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Biennial but treated like an annual |
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4-10 days |
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1-3 inches |
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Full sun |
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95 days |
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December and January (Special Seed Library Event) |
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No |
Growing Tips
When to Start
Winter: Start indoors three months before the last frost date. (December – Early January)
Transplant: 4-6 weeks before the last frost. (Jan 1-Mar 15 for GA)
How to Start
Choose the right kind of onion for your area. There are short-day onions and long-day onions. Short-day onions are recommended for southern states. These will form bulbs during the winter months. While long-day onions are better for northern climates as they will form bulbs during the long days of summer. Shallots are almost always a long-day variety. (See below for experimentation suggestions for growing in GA.)
Starting onions from seed is a little different than starting from sets, where you are essentially transplanting seedlings. Onions can be slow starters. For spring, start indoors at least 3 months before the last frost date and transplant no later than 4-6 weeks before the last frost. Transplant, for Georgia, from January through Mid-March.
Start in seed cells or nursery pots. Lightly cover with seed starting mix. Keep seeds moist but not soggy. Place under grow lights. Harden off before transplanting. If starting from bulbs, sow bulbs 1 inch down in soil with the pointy end facing up.
Care
Shallots fall into the same 2 categories as onions. (Most shallots are long-day varieties.) Short-day onions are recommended for southern states. These will form bulbs during the shorter daylight days in winter.
Onions require an open and sunny site, fertile soil, and good drainage. They do best in cooler temperatures. Transplant when they are 4-6 inches tall and plant most of the white stem. Before transplanting, make a large furrow in your soil, at least 4 inches deep. Water this furrow before planting your seedlings to make transplanting easier. Space the seedlings at least 4-6 inches apart.
Mulch well for over-wintering the shallots, as well as, to protect from freezes. Row covers may also be needed to protect from freezing temperatures. Keep the soil moist and don’t let it completely dry out as this will harm the onions.
Harvest
Harvest the greens when they are about the size of a pencil or 6 inches high. The greens will get stronger the more mature they are. Wait until the tops naturally fall over and brown to harvest the bulb. Be careful of very soggy conditions as this will cause the bulbs to rot in the ground. If they have started to bolt, pull and use immediately.
Storage
Onions can be stored like garlic by braiding the stems and hanging them up. Store in a cool dry place.
Onion Don’ts
Don’t plant next to green beans. They don’t play nice together. Both will be stunted and the harvests will be minimal.
Georgia experimentation suggestions
For Georgia, treat a shallot like a long-day onion. The Davidor shallot matures more quickly than other varieties. But even still it would be better to experiment with starting it indoors as soon as possible. Maybe even starting indoors in November and December. Then transplanting after hardening off at the earliest transplant date which is Jan 1. Make sure you mulch and then cover to protect from any freezes as necessary. Or use row covers.
Another experiment to try would be growing indoors using grow lights. This way you can get the benefit of the cooler temps the shallots need while being able to artificially create 14-16 hours of daylight that is needed for bulb formation.
Seed Saving
Isolation Distance
Separate varieties by 1-2 miles to prevent cross-pollination. Or plants can be caged or bagged and then hand-pollinated.
Instructions
To hand-pollinate, remove covers and use a fine, light paintbrush to mimic the action of visiting insects, thoroughly mixing pollen between several flowers. Make sure to hand-pollinate the flowers during a time (such as early morning or late evening) when insects are not present, and replace covers quickly and securely.
Allow seeds to ripen and dry on the plants, then harvest quickly to avoid losing seeds. Onion seeds are short-lived and should only be stored for one or two years before planting.
Features
- Davidor: Easy to peel and adapts to various growing conditions. Long-day.
- Onions are very moisture sensitive, they can rot overnight. So keep an eye on the weather as it gets closer to harvest time.
- Bunching onions are used as scallions and will not typically make big bulbs. However, some like the evergreen long white will also form full-sized onions.
- Do NOT plant next to green beans. Neither will thrive and harvests will be small.