What on earth type of shallots to go for?

[Croila]

I wonder if anyone can suggest what variety of shallots I can try, please? I have no idea what kind to go for, not even being that familiar with eating the things, never mind growing them! But, I would like to try.

The temperatures are pretty cold in the winter here, and I'd like to put a few in a raised square foot bed and also some in a patch of soil which is clay with rotted manure dug in.

Could any kind people suggest a variety that might suit these conditions, please?

Thank you!
C

[Two_Sheds]

Any type you like, but it pays to buy heat-treated ones as they are less likely to bolt (flower prematurely)

[gojiberry]

The sets will split into half a dozen or more shallots and tend to be your pickling type. It is possible to sow seeds and some of these only grow a single bulb but they do tend to be a lot bigger than the sets. By tradition shallots should be planted on the shortest day and harvested on the longest day.

Ian

[chris]

Can you dig the ground then? - am I right in thinking it's a few days before xmas?

[Alison]

Any type you like, but it pays to buy heat-treated ones as they are less likely to bolt (flower prematurely)

Funily enough I find this problem with red onions but never shallots.

The sets will split into half a dozen or more shallots and tend to be your pickling type. It is possible to sow seeds and some of these only grow a single bulb but they do tend to be a lot bigger than the sets. By tradition shallots should be planted on the shortest day and harvested on the longest day.

I don't pickle mine, they'd be a bit big for that and I'm not that keen on pickled onions. They do however keep really well and you can plant the small ones the following year for next season. Have only ever grown from sets so no experience with shallot seeds but the ones I do best with are some longue French types which I sow in pots about late Jan / early Feb for planting out in March and they do very well. Can't remember the variety but they are lovely - particularly strong this year though so not sure if the lack of rain is a factor there.