The shallot ( Allium ascolonicum) is a Liliaceae vegetable, like garlic and onions, cultivated similar to theirs. From a single bulb (or rather, from a clove) and for a short period it produces a bunch of small bulbs of equal size. Its culinary uses are similar to those of the onion, but with a stronger flavor. In spring its tender stems have the same qualities as chives. It needs fertile soil and should not be watered after planting. The molding of the roots is its biggest problem, which is why the risks have to be scarce. It has two main varieties: spring and autumn. At EcologíaVerde, we explain how to grow shallots
How to plant shallots
In the temperate zones You can start planting this vegetable from mid winter and spring in order to enjoy an early harvest. A second planting can also be done in the fall.
The bulbs are buried in rows about 20-25 centimeters apart. Between each bulb you have to leave about 10 centimeters of distance. They also grow well when the lines are crowded into small hills. This method is a good option on heavy soils. They are planted shallowly, so that a third of the shallot pokes above the ground.
Climate
shallots they adapt to any climate, since it is a vegetable that is quite resistant to both cold and intense heat. But what it doesn’t do well with is humidity, and that’s why it grows better in dry zones. In addition, to obtain larger specimens, shallots prefer days with a long photoperiod (many hours of light). Therefore, it is easier to grow in southern and warm climates.
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Although they adapt to many conditions, shallots need to have a well drained soil, which prevents water stagnation. They grow best in somewhat heavy, fertile soils, moderately fertilized with manure, well aerated and neutral or slightly alkaline. Likewise, they need to be in an open space and with more distance between the lines than garlic and onions, because a nest or bunch of medium-sized shallots forms around the “mother bulb”.
Harvest
The shallots are harvested as soon as the stems bend, from July, if they have been planted in spring. They are collected and left to dry with the leaves on the ground and in the sun for two or three days. They are then hung in a cool, dry room. They last longer than onions. They do not germinate at the end of winter, unlike these, and can continue to be used the year after harvesting. A row 3 meters long will produce about 3.5 kilograms of shallots. The harvest is carried out in the same way as with onions: it has to be removed from the ground with the help of a fork or by hand.
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