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Shallots are a gourmet member of the onion family and while they can be pricy to buy at the supermarket, growing shallots is actually quite easy.Depending on the type shallot bulbs come in a range of shapes, sizes, colors, and flavors, with all adding a rich sweetness to your cooking. Boost your success by learning three ways to plant shallots, the best timing, and how to care for them to ensure healthy plants and lots of delicious bulbs.
Why you should be growing shallots
Shallots (Allium cepa var. aggregatum) are a cool season vegetable in the onion family grown for their teardrop-shaped or rounded bulbs. They’re beloved for their sweet mild onion flavor and are used in both raw and cooked dishes. Shallots are biennial plants, forming clumps of bulbs the first year and flowering in their second year, but gardeners grow them as annuals and harvest when the bulbs are mature.
There are two main types of shallots: 1) teardrop shaped shallots with golden-brown skins and 2) rounded shallots often called potato or multiplier onions. These may have golden-brown or red skins and flesh. You’ll also find different varieties of shallots available from seed catalogs. More on shallot varieties at the bottom of this article.
When to plant shallots
Shallots are planted in spring or autumn, and the timing depends on your region. In mild climates, zone 6 and up, shallots are best planted in autumn, while gardeners in colder regions, zone 5 and colder, plant in early spring. I try to get my spring-planted shallots in the ground about a month before the last frost date.
As a zone 5 gardener another option is to plant shallot
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