Shallots: Growing, Flavor & Culinary Uses - A Comprehensive Guide

Shallots

Shallots Description

The shallot is a very hardy biennial onion that is grown as an annual. Shallot plants grow 8 inches tall in a clump with narrow green leaves; they look very much like small onions. The roots are very shallow and fibrous, and mature bulbs are about 1/2 inch in diameter. The small bulbs have a more delicate flavor than regular onions.

Shallots & Shallots Recipes Image Gallery

Common Name: Shallot

Scientific Name: Allium cepa

Hardiness: Very Hardy (will survive first frost)

In the next section, we'll show you how to grow shallots in your vegetable garden.

Want even more information about growing shallots? Try these links:

• Vegetable Gardens: Grow a full harvest of great vegetables this year.
• Gardening: We answer your questions about all things that come from the garden.
• Shallot Recipes: Put your home-grown veggies to use with these recipes.
• Reproducing Shallots: Shallots rarely form seeds; learn to grow a new plant from its parts.

Growing Shallots

Shallots are easy to grow. You can grow them anywhere in the United States from cloves planted early in spring. Shallots have shallow roots, and they need little soil preparation. The plants seldom form seed, so they're usually grown from cloves, which should be planted four to six weeks before the average date of last frost.

Plant the cloves 6 to 8 inches apart and set them so the tops of the cloves are even with the soil but no deeper. Carefully cultivate when they're small; the shallow root systems don't like to compete with weeds.

Cut the green leaves throughout the growing season, but be careful not to cut away any new growth coming from the central stem.

Havesting ShallotsDig up bulbs when the tops wither and fall over.

Types of Shallots

Matador has a rich red-brown color and stores well. Shallots take 90 days to mature from a clove.

Want even more information about growing shallots? Try these links:

• Vegetable Gardens: Grow a full harvest of great vegetables this year.
• Gardening: We answer your questions about all things that come from the garden. Shallot Recipes: Put your home-grown veggies to use with these recipes. Reproducing Shallots: Shallots rarely form seeds; learn to grow a new plant from its parts.