A shallot is not an onion.
Sometimes mistaken for an onion, sometimes for a scallion -- a shallot is neither one. In fact, a shallot is a species all its own. Planted from bulbs, shallots prefer to grow in full sun and well-drained soil within US Department of Agriculture hardiness zones 3 through 10. If you live in zone 7, planting shallots in the spring as soon as the threat of frost is over yields a healthy harvest within three to six months.
Instructions
1. Loosen the soil with a rototiller, which will break up large chunks of earth. Test the soil pH afterward using a soil test kit. Soil types vary throughout zone 7, so you may need to amend if your soil does not match the shallots favored pH.
2. Amend the soil if the test reveals a pH lower than 5.0, or higher than 6.8. Lime raises the pH, elemental sulfur lowers it. Add the required amendment after the last winter frost for zone 7, which falls between March 30th and April 30th. Apply according to manufacturer's instructions.
3. Press shallot bulbs into the soil, tip facing up. The tip should barely poke through the soil line. Space each shallot bulb 4 to 6 inches apart.
4. Spread a 1 to 2 inch layer of mulch around the shallot tips to suppress weeds. Shallot bulbs develop above the soil line, so it is important not to cover the shallot bulbs with the mulch or soil.
5. Run a soaker hose along the ground after planting the shallots. Water the soil to a 1-inch depth. The average rainfall for zone 7 varies depending on where you live in the US, so you will need to supply the shallots with 1 inch of water per week of supplemental watering in lieu of rain.
6. Harvest the shallots when they mature in 60 to 75 days, which in zone 7 means between late June and mid-July. Mature shallot bulbs have yellow tops and average 1 inch in diameter. Use a small hand shovel to dig the bulbs out of the ground. Allow the shallots to cure in warm, dry conditions for about a week.
Tags: shallot bulbs, planting shallots, soil line, soil test
