Growing Shallots, also Eschalots

Allium cepa, aggregatum : Amaryllidaceae / the onion family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
    P P P P P          

(Best months for growing Shallots in Australia - tropical regions)

  • P = Sow seed
  • Easy to grow. Plant small bulblets, with stem just showing above ground. Best planted at soil temperatures between 46°F and 86°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 6 - 8 inches apart
  • Harvest in 12-15 weeks. Keep a few for your next planting.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Lemon Balm, Borage, Carrots, Beets, Silverbeet, Lettuce, Amaranth
  • Avoid growing close to: Peas, Beans

Your comments and tips

14 Sep 19, Greg O'Brien (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hi Anyone! We’re keen to try growing golden shallots and need to find a contact where we can buy a reasonably large amount of seed cloves. Anybody able to help?
16 Sep 19, Anon (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Do you mean the little gold/brown shallot/onion. I grow what I call shallots - the cluster of bulbs - purple/brown colour when fully grown. You let the shallot fully grow and seed and then harvest the cluster of bulbs. I usually save some from one year for the next year. I had a lot this year and have a few left now. Usually by now they have dried out to nothing or when some humidity about they start shooting. I doubt I have enough for you but what I have left could be planted - have to be real soon though. I live Coral Cove - via Bundy.
23 Mar 19, Hilary Williams (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Would like to buy shallot seeds . Have had not luck on any site . Why is this.?
24 Mar 19, Liz (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Shallots are listed by Egmonts Seeds online .
13 Aug 18, eileen burkitt (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I would like to grow shallot onions, where can I buy seeds or seedlings, please advise thank you
14 Aug 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Shallots are grown from bulbs generally. Where do you live? I have some and live near Bundaberg..
29 Jun 18, Jean (Australia - temperate climate)
I have just purchased some shallot bulbs which I want to plant in the garden beds. Just recent;y I smothered the garden beds in dried chicken manure hoping to fertilise the soil for spring planting. My instructions say "enrich soil with a low nitrogen fertiliser". Would this soil now be too rich in nitrogen? What would be a low nitrogen fertiliser that I could buy?
02 Jul 18, Mike L (Australia - temperate climate)
Depends how rich the soil was before you put the chicken manure on. Either rake some of it away from where you are going to plant the bulbs, it not dug in already. Or dig the manure in a couple of times to spread it throughout the soil profile. I like to give my shallots a bit of a hit with fertiliser to make them strong (and produce good big bulbs for planting next year for the ones I keep).
16 Jun 18, Claire (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
What time of year should I plant shallot seeds. I am in Canterbury
18 Jun 18, Mike L (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
You found this web site. You put in your climate zone and looked up shallots. Shallots are generally grown from bulbs. I have never tried from seeds because the bulbs are so easy.. Maybe you are talking about spring onions.
Showing 31 - 40 of 138 comments

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This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. Gardenate is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.
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