Shallots

Shallots are related to onions and are a good alternative to onion for adding flavor to a salad or other dish. Shallots have a sweeter taste than onions and are a good source of vitamin C.

You can grow shallots from seeds or from bulbs. It is easier to grow them from bulbs, so they are usually propagated that way.

It is best to grow shallots in light, well-drained soil that has been deeply worked. They should be grown in a spot that is sunny and open.

Do not plant shallots in soil that is damp and heavy.

Prepare the soil by digging or plowing the land lightly after you have cleared the previous crop.

The soil should be fertilized with soot, poultry manure or a mixture of superphosphate and potassium sulfate.

Shallots should be planted early, because the bulbs will start to go soft in the beginning of the spring.

You should plant shallots as early as you can in January or early February, when the weather is mild.

Plant the bulbs in rows that are 9 inches to 1 foot apart. The bulbs should be 4 to 6 inches within the rows.

Roll the soil lightly before planting the shallots, and then insert the bulbs halfway.

Be sure to remove any dry loose skin or dead tops. Otherwise, worms may try to carry these parts into their holes and in doing so, pull out the bulbs.

Close up the soil firmly around the bulbs, so that they aren't lifted out as a result of root growth.

Check the bed frequently for a few weeks after you have planted the shallots, and replace any bulbs that have been disturbed.

While your shallots are growing, hoe the soil frequently to prevent weeds from taking hold.

Be careful not to cut too deeply into the soil, and do not bury the bulbs. The shallot bulbs should be growing on the soil surface.

In July, the leaves will start to turn yellow, and the shallots will have ripened.

By mid-July, the leaves will have withered a great deal. You may then lift the bulbs.

Spread the shallot bulbs on the ground for a few days so that they can dry in the sun.

Turn them over two or three times while they are drying.

You can then divide them, top them and store them in a cool, dry place.