Dutch Valley - Shallot Baby Bulbs
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Shallot Set Planting Instructions
When planting shallot sets you need to go in with a plan on what you are looking to grow. What makes shallot sets so neat is that they should always give you something it just may not be the thing you desired. What you can grow is green shallots, spring shallots, or dry storage shallots. The difference between these is when you harvest. Green shallots are shallots that are pulled that are still green and have not started bulbing yet. Spring shallots are harvest green and have started bulbing. Dry storage shallots are harvested when the stem has fallen over, the shallot has bulbed out completely, and the shallot is allowed to dry down.
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Soil Preparation
Make sure that you plant in a location that is full sun with good soil drainage. It is ideal for soil pH to be between 6.0 and 7.0. Onions prefer soil with high organic matter. Shallots need to be fertilized well. -
Shallot Day Length and Variety Selection
When referring to day length is the hours of daylight to trigger the beginning of bulb development. Intermediate (day neutral) onions (32-42 degrees latitude) require 12 to 14 hours of daylight, and long day shallots (37-47 degrees latitude) require 14 or more hours of daylight. We grow each day length variety and select according to what we think with grow best. The day length is only important if you are looking to grow a dry storage onion to full maturity. The majority of the varieties we raise are intermediate (day neutral) and long day varieties. Shallot sets mature much faster than planting from direct seed giving you optimal timing for bulbing. - Growing Green Shallots To use shallot sets for growing green shallots the variety type and day length do not matter at all. You are making a variety selection based on flavor. The large the bulb the larger the stem on the green shallot. Any size shallot set will produce a green shallot. The size of shallot set bulbs are 7/16 to 1 1/4 inches (11 to 32mm). We recommend planting Larger bulbs 3/4 inch (19mm) and up. With larger bulbs you can plant the shallots deeper in order to produce a longer shank. We recommend a planting depth around 2 to 4 inches deep and 2 inches apart in the row. Make sure to keep the shallots watered well. You can side-dress with a fertilizer like 12-12-12 at a rate of 1 to 2 pounds per 100 feet of row. Fertilizing is not necessary but will help out. Harvest when the greens are at your desired size. You can also cut the tops off without uprooting the shallot. The stem will grow back and you can get multiple trimming. If you are planning on doing this be sure to fertilize once with a balanced fertilizer and depending on how long you are planning on doing this you may want to fertilize with nitrogen only fertilizer.
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Growing Spring Shallots
For growing spring shallots we do not recommend a bulb size. Most of the bulb sizes will work for this product. If you are wanting a larger bulb we would recommend planting a set less than 3/4 inch (19mm). We recommend a planting depth around 1 to 2 inches and 4 to 6 inches apart in the row. Make sure to keep the shallots watered well. You can side-dress with a fertilizer like 12-12-12 at a rate of 1 to 2 pounds per 100 feet of row. Depending on much size you want to get on your bulb before pulling it green you may want to consider adding another side-dress application of nitrogen only. -
Growing Dry Storage Shallots
For growing dry storage shallots we recommend planting a set less than 3/4 inch (19mm). The reason for this is the smaller bulbs tend to be single center which means one growing point and the smaller bulbs tend not to bolt. Some varieties the bulb size is not as important and larger bulbs can perform better. Be sure to keep records to find what works best for you. For an even growth similar size bulbs should be planted together. We recommend a planting depth around 1 inch and 4 to 6 inches apart in the row. Make sure to keep the shallots watered well. Side-dress with a fertilizer like 12-12-12 at a rate of 1 to 2 pounds per 100 feet of row. You will want to consider adding another side-dress application of nitrogen only for best yield. You will want to harvest the shallots when about half the tops have fallen over and are drying out. You will want to dig the shallots up leaving the top on. After harvest it is very important to cure the shallots. Keep the shallots in a warm well ventilated environment at 75 to 90 degrees F for 2 to 4 weeks until the outer skin is dry and the neck is tight. In proper curing will result in decay in storage. Store the shallots in a dry and cool area. It is important to not let them freeze. The ideal storage temperature is 33 to 40 degrees F.