Tue 6 Jan 2009
This small, onionlike plant produces a cluster of edible bulbs from a single bulb. The bulbs are prized in cooking for their distinct flavor.
Planting
Plant nursery plants, sets (small dry bulbs) from a seed store, or plant the bulbs you can buy in a grocery. Do the planting in fall in mild climates, early spring in cold-winter areas. Place in the ground so that the bulb tips are just covered.
Care
Onion family members have rather small root systems and need fairly frequent applications of fertilizer in order to form large bulbs. In heavy soil, grow them on raised beds for good drainage but keep the soil moist at all times to maintain steady growth. It is essential for good bulb formation to keep onions weeded, but roots are shallow and easily damaged by deep cultivation. Hand-pull weeds or just scrape the surface with a scuffle hoe.
Harvest
At maturity, tops yellow and die. Harvest by pulling clumps and separating the bulbs. Let outer skin dry for about a month before using. You can store shallots for as long as six months.
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