Shallots are a “fancy onion”, that adds a great mild flavor to many dishes. Growing shallots couldn’t be easier, these productive plants will make a great addition to your backyard garden.
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Shallots are highly prized for gourmet cooking. Their mild flavor adds to any dish. They are used to finish off the flavor of many dishes where garlic or onions would overpower the dish. Someone described them to me the other day as a “sneaky” onion. If you have picky kids like ours they usually see onions in a dish and balk. One of our kids will go as far as to pick each onion out of the dish (if she eats it at all). Shallots add flavor to your dish but disappear when you cook them, allowing you to “sneak” them in on picky eaters.
Growing Shallots couldn’t be easier. In fact, if you give them the right growing conditions they will pretty much take care of themselves.
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Shallots are a type of onion that have been prized by cooks for centuries for their mild, nuanced flavor These small, tear-shaped bulbs grow in clusters and add delicious sweetness and aroma to everything from salad dressings to braised meats If you love cooking with shallots, consider growing some in your own garden. But when is the optimal time for planting shallots in zone 7?
In this complete guide, we will cover everything you need to know about successfully growing shallots in zone 7, including:
- An overview of shallots and their growth habits
- Choosing the right shallot varieties
- Preparing the perfect soil environment
- Recommended planting times for spring and fall
- Step-by-step planting instructions
- Caring for your shallot crop
- Identifying when shallots are ready to harvest
- Curing and storing your shallot harvest
- Delicious ways to enjoy your homegrown shallots
Shallots (Allium cepa Aggregatum group) are closely related to onions and other alliums like leeks and garlic. Unlike regular bulbing onions, shallots form clusters of smaller teardrop-shaped bulbs wrapped in coppery papery skin. Inside, they have mild tasting white flesh.
The two most common types of shallots are French gray and red-skinned varieties. French gray shallots are prized as the classic gourmet shallot, with the richest flavor. Red shallots have brighter pinkish red skin and mildly sweet flesh. Other varieties like golden, yellow, or banana shallots are also available.
Shallots are propagated by planting “bulblets” saved from the previous season’s harvest Each planted bulblet can multiply into a whole cluster of 10 or more new bulbs
Choosing the Best Shallot Varieties
The specific shallot variety you choose can impact the planting time, growth, and flavor. Here are some top recommendations for shallots to grow in zone 7 gardens:
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French Gray – The gold standard gourmet shallot. Large, flavorful bulbs with gray skin.
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Red Sun – Vigorous grower with bright red bulbs and mildly sweet flavor.
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Picasso – Unique red and white streaked bulbs.
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Yellow Moon – Bright golden yellow bulbs, ideal for warmer zones.
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Prisma – Elongated yellow bulbs, easy to grow and peel.
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Ambition – An excellent storing French shallot.
Experiment with several varieties to see which grow best and suit your tastes in your microclimate.
Preparing the Soil for Planting
Shallots thrive in loose, well-drained, fertile soil amended with plenty of organic matter. Ideal soil conditions include:
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Soil pH – Target a neutral pH around 6.5. Shallots tolerate a range of 5.5 to 7.0.
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Soil texture – Light and crumbly, not dense clay. Incorporate compost to improve drainage.
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Fertility – Mix in compost and aged manure. Boost nutrients with organic fertilizer.
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Sun exposure – At least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily.
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Drainage – Excellent drainage prevents bulb rot. Raise beds if necessary.
Prepping the soil properly will give your shallot crop the best start. Take time to create optimal growing conditions before planting.
When to Plant Shallots in Zone 7
The timing of shallot planting significantly affects harvesting success. Here are the optimal seasons for zone 7:
Fall Planting
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Late October to Early November – Plant bulblets soon after first light autumn frost.
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4-6 weeks before ground freeze – Get bulbs established before winter dormancy.
Spring Planting
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Late February to Early March – Plant as soon as soil thaws and can be worked.
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4-6 weeks before last frost – Gives shallots enough warm weather to mature before summer.
Fall planting is generally recommended for best growth and higher yields. However, spring planting can also produce a worthwhile crop.
How to Plant Shallot Sets or Bulbs
Follow these simple steps for easy shallot planting:
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Prepare soil and mix in compost or fertilizer.
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Separate bulblet clusters into individual bulbs.
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Plant bulblets 4-6 inches apart and 2-3 inches deep.
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Place bulbs root-end down with tips just above soil surface.
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Water thoroughly after planting and mulch around bulbs.
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For fall planting, add 4-6 inches of mulch over planted rows.
Proper spacing and depth are important for good air circulation and bulb development. Water gently to settle soil around new bulbs.
Caring for Shallots
With the right care, your shallot crop will flourish:
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Watering – Keep soil moist, about 1 inch of water per week. Avoid overwatering.
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Weeding – Carefully hand pull weeds, don’t damage shallow roots.
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Fertilizing – Side-dress growing shallots with balanced organic fertilizer.
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Pests & diseases – Monitor for onion maggots, thrips, mildew and promptly treat any issues.
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Winter care – After fall planting, mulch for insulation from frost heave.
Respond promptly if plants show signs of stress. Healthy shallots can virtually care for themselves!
Identifying When Shallots Are Ready to Harvest
It takes 100-120 days for shallot bulbs to fully mature after planting. Watch for these signs your shallots are ready:
- Foliage starts yellowing and falling over
- 2/3 of leaves have turned yellow or brown
- Bulb clusters swell at soil line
Harvest shallots on a sunny day when the soil is dry. Use a digging fork to gently lift clusters.
Curing and Storing Your Shallot Harvest
Curing shallots after harvest maximizes their storage life:
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Allow bulbs to dry for 2+ weeks in a shaded, well-ventilated area.
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Separate bulbs from clusters and trim tops to 1 inch.
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Place cured bulbs in mesh bags or old stockings.
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Store in a cool (55°F), dry, dark place like a pantry or cellar.
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Properly cured shallots will keep for 4-12 months!
Saving some of your best bulbs for replanting ensures a continuous shallot harvest.
Enjoying Your Homegrown Shallots
The mild, sweet flavor of homegrown shallots is a revelation in recipes like:
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Sauteed shallots with olive oil and herbs as a topping or side
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Shallot vinaigrettes, compound butters, and flavored oils
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Caramelized shallots to enhance rich stews, braises, and roasts
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Crispy fried shallot garnishes and appetizers
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Pickled shallots for sandwiches, burgers, charcuterie boards
With the right timing for zone 7 and attentive care, your garden can supply shallots for many favorite dishes all year long. The rich, nuanced flavor of shallots is well worth the modest effort to grow them yourself.
Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Shallots
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What are shallots? Are they wee little onions? Funny-looking garlic? Neither! Shallots are prized in the kitchen for their mild flavor and smooth texture. Learn how to plant shallots (in late fall or early spring) with our growing guide.
Shallots are members of the Allium genus, just like onions, leeks, and garlic. The bulbs grow in a manner more similar to onions but look closer to garlic, growing in clusters.
Small in size with papery, copper-pink skin, shallots are a staple for your kitchen and a tasty addition to many dishes. Shallots break down and caramelize more easily than onions, producing smoother textures and more velvety sauces.
Learning to grow shallots expands your options from the typical sparse selection in the grocery store, and they’ll keep for months. There are three main varieties of shallots: French gray, Jersey (sometimes called pink), and Echalion. Of course, you’ll also find yellow shallots, banana shallots, and many others.
A biennial, shallots will make a bulb one year, then flower and seed the next. While most gardeners grow them from sets, similar to onions, they also grow from seed. Shallots grown from sets usually produce between four and 12 new bulbs, while those grown from seed often produce only one. However, many varieties are available that will produce one larger shallot bulb instead of several small ones, which can be easier to use in the kitchen. Shallots, like onions, are day-length sensitive. They grow best in areas suitable for growing long-day onions, generally in the northern half of the country. Gardeners in the South may find trouble getting them to bulb when grown from sets. Breeders have developed day-neutral shallots, which are worth looking into for gardeners in the country’s southern half. Read Next
Shallots like neutral soil, with a pH of 6.0 to 7. Loose beds rich in organic matter and full sun are the recipe for growing shallots. They will grow, albeit a little slower and smaller, in partial sun and prefer slightly moist soil, but not wet. Shallots still need good drainage to prevent root rot.
Shallots can be grown in containers as well. Choose a larger container at least 10 inches deep. You’ll need to closely monitor the soil moisture level—don’t let them dry out.
Soil Conditions for Growing Shallots
Growing shallots prefer rich well-drained soil. If your soil retains a lot of water then you will want to amend it with lots of compost so the soil will drain. Overly moist soil is the enemy of shallots. If your soil is too moist the shallots may rot in the ground.
If your area is prone to wet winters you may want to try building a ridge of soil and planting the shallots on the top of the ridge. This will give the water a chance to drain away from your shallot bulbs
In Zones 5 and warmer you will plant your shallots from sets (bulbs) after your first fall frost. You can just plan on planting your shallots the same time you plant your garlic. For us here in Zone 5/6 Utah that means planting around the 15th of October. If you live in Zone 4 or colder you will probably want to wait and plant them in the spring after your spring thaw.
Plant the bulbs about 6 inches apart and 2 or 3 inches deep. You plant the bulbs with the root break down and the pointed side up. You want the tip of the shallot to be just below the surface of the soil.
In colder zones, you will want to protect the shallots over the winter with a layer of straw. (Zones 5, 6 and maybe 7).
How To Grow The Onion’s Bougie Cousin – The Shallot
FAQ
Do shallots come back every year?
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Biennial Nature:Shallots are a biennial, meaning they complete their life cycle in two growing seasons.
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Bulb Formation:In the first year, shallots focus on developing a bulb.
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Flowering and Seed Production:In the second year, the plant uses the stored energy from the bulb to produce flowers and seeds, after which it dies.
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Replanting:You can harvest the bulbs in the first year and store them to replant the following year, allowing you to grow new shallots.
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Propagating from Bulbs:Most shallots are harvested in their first growing season before they flower and set seed, so the only way to propagate them is from the bulbs.
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Planting Time:Shallots can be planted in autumn or early spring.
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Planting Sets:When planting, use the bulbs (sets) from the previous year’s harvest, planting them about 6 inches apart and 2 to 3 inches deep.
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Harvesting:Shallots are ready to harvest when the tops start to die back, typically in early summer.
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Storing:After harvesting, you can store the shallots in a cool, dry place to preserve them for later use.
What should not be planted near shallots?
Onions, garlic, leeks, and shallots can stunt the growth of plants like pole beans and peas. You also don’t want to plant onions, garlic, leeks, and shallots near each other because if one crop comes down with pests (onion maggots) the rest will also fall victim, like a bad case of head lice.
Can you leave shallots in the ground over winter?
Overwintering. Shallot bulbs can overwinter in the ground, as they go dormant for the winter season.Sep 5, 2022
When to plant onions and garlic in zone 7?
Zones 5-7: Plant in mid to late October. Zones 7-9: Plant in late October into November. Zones 9-10: Plant from late October into December. Make sure to select garlic types (like softnecks) that need less cold vernalization to develop bulbs.
Can you plant shallots in the fall?
Fall planting works for gardens in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 8. If it is any colder, your sets will probably not survive; you will need to plant them in the spring instead. By planting in the spring, you will still get shallots, but they will be smaller and not quite as flavorful as the fall-planted ones.
How far north can you plant shallots?
Shallots can be grown as far north as USDA zone 5. In zones 6-9, fall planting is ideal. Gardeners in zones 9-11 should opt for shorter day length varieties suited to their climate. Avoid planting too early, as shallot bulbs may sprout before winter if the ground hasn’t cooled sufficiently.
When should I plant shallot seeds indoors?
Here is how and when to plant shallot seeds indoors to encourage germination. Early spring planting works best if you live in hardiness zones 3 through 6 or 7, and the best way to start shallots during this time is indoors.
When should I plant shallot bulbs?
When to plant varies, but generally, bulbs can be planted a week or 2 after your first fall frost date. They mature in 100 to 120 days after planting, depending on variety. A late fall planting is ready in early summer. An early spring planting is ready in late summer. Planting shallot bulbs is easy and quick.
Can you grow shallots from cloves?
Shallots grow from cloves or shallot sets instead of seeds, and they are fast-growers that require little care to thrive. However, they are cool weather crops like garlic, and it’s important to plant shallots in the early spring or late summer, according to your hardiness zone.
Are shallots easy to grow?
Shallots (Allium cepa var. aggregatum) are great candidates for home-growing, and they are pretty straightforward to plant. However, there is a right and wrong time to grow them in the garden. Learn when to plant shallots according to your region and how to care for your plants.