Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
bigoledude

What would happened if I planted shallot seeds now?

bigoledude
16 years ago

I seem to remember my Dad harvesting "shallots" year-round. He'd pull up a bunch, stick one little onion back into the ground and it would eventually multiply.

The description we use, "shallots", may be wrong but, it's what everybody around here calls bunching onions used for the green leaves. We use shallots in just about everything from salads to every cooked thing we eat.

I just ordered some seeds of "Evergreen" bunching onions from Southern Seed Exchange.

Question; If I planted the seed now, would they sprout, grow, then go-to-seed during the summer? If they do, go-to-seed, can I leave them in the ground afterwards to continue growing?

The Planting Guide recommends sowing seed in September. Those direction are for alliums in general, not specifically for shallots.

Comments (4)

  • coho
    16 years ago

    1. Not much.
    2. Follow the link to see what shallots are.
    3.Bunching onions/scallions/green onions. There are many varities. I think you would find Heritage Sweet White a welcome addition to your garden. Multiplies from bulbs and topsets. Planting one base bulb will get a division of 5 or 6 green onions of very pleasant flavor. Planting a topset gets one green onion or a new base bulb.
    4. The seed you have, if it sprouts, will get you green onions and then bulbs in the fall. These you plant this fall to get seed next year. If they are hybreds, you won't get the same kind of onion.Or, they may divide from the bulbs and there will be no seed.

    Here is a link that might be useful: shallots

  • bigoledude
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    I had a feeling that "shallots" was not the correct name for what is mostly grown here in Louisiana. "Bunching Onions" is what the overwhelming majority of gardeners grow. However, almost everyone here calls them "shallots".

    So, Coho;
    If I plant the bunching onion seeds, and they sprout, I will have a crop that I can perpetuate by sticking one of the bunching onions back into the soil, right?

    You say "If it sprouts". Do you have doubts that the seeds will sprout this time of year?

  • coho
    16 years ago

    I planted some Red Forest green onions about 5 weeks ago and none sprouted. However, I question the quality of the seed. 5 years ago I planted in the spring and had excellent success. on line search found this: short season area, plant as early in spring as possible. re seed each month until August- So should work. Try it, what is there to loose.
    Q: What is a bunching onion?
    A: Several types of onions are used as green bunching onions. Evergreen White Bunching and Japanese Bunching are frequently planted varieties of this type. They may be planted from seed, sets or transplants. Bunching onions are generally classed as multipliers because they propagate themselves. They are cold resistant and can be grown during winter. They will not bulb and are harvested as needed, using both the root and the tops.
    Still think you should try the Heritage Sweet White top setters. No seed to sprout. Just plant the top sets and/or bulbs.

  • kenyadenola
    16 years ago

    It's so funny that you call them shallots. My Grandmother is from Louisiana and every year she has me buy "shallots", what she really means are onion sets so that she can grow green onions. No matter how many times I refer to them as "sets" she calls them shallots. I am growing french grey shallots and she has no idea what I am referring to because to her, shallots are green onions.

    I'm glad to know that it seems to be a regional thing because I kept wondering how she came to call them shallots besides the fact that that is what her mother called them. She will be really surprised when I bring her an actual shallot.

Sponsored
Through The Garden, Inc.
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars21 Reviews
#1 Landscape Design Build Firm Serving Virginia/Maryland & DC Area