autumn planted shallots

[hawthorns]

i planted out 30 odd griselle shallots back in mid oct. they have grown to about 30cms but the wind has flattened them. i am very tempted to pull them tomorrow. has anyone else got over wintered shallots still in the ground.

[rustylady]

Not grown shallots for a couple of years, but was always told plant on the shortest day, harvest on the longest so why not pull them now.

[snohare]

I've got Red Sun and another variety - I forget which - still in, if they are left a bit too long I doubt it matters. I haven't been to the allotment in almost a month, if I go there I have to spend the entire day and I have nowhere to shelter - better the shallots get rained on than I do !

[WendyC]

Mine are still in the ground - probably planted in September - can't read the label from here! They are just about there but was going to leave another week or two. I thought plant on shortest and harvest on longest was for garlic, but I've never grown it so could be wrong. Let' hope the wind dies down soon so things can grow upright for a change.

[CimaDirapa]

Me too Me too, about 25 griselle , should I leave the foliage to dry before pulling?

[kathyd]

Mine are still in as well. Never grown them before so not really sure what they should look like before they get pulled... mine are all kind of opened up and lying flat in a ring (but then my spring-planted ones are doing the same thing, althoug they're still much smaller)? Do they keep well once you've picked them?

[horticultural_hobbit]

I have some lovely griselle somewhere under the grass too. I might give it a week or two, hope it dries up a bit and the perhaps lift. This is the first year I'm growing in open ground; previously I had fewer shallots and in pots. Mine two are a bit flattened- the site is very windy. Also, I may have sown them a bit deep.

They are part of the onion family, so I guess they should be treated in a similar way. I get very impatient waiting for foliage to die down. I'm trying to wait this year though.

I got told off by Ma for lifting wet muddy onions. The home made onions do need drying. Else they are difficult to play with.

[snohare]

should I leave the foliage to dry before pulling?

No, you could be waiting all year ! Pull them, then leave them on a drying rack - staging in a greenhouse, or a baking cooling tray at worst - with the dirt wiped off and the dampest outer most leaves removed, the bulbs pointing slightly upwards. After a while (depending on temperature, relative humidity etc) the leaves will shrivel up as the goodness goes back into the bulbs, and you can plait/cut them and put them into storage.
Or at least that's how I was taught to do it. There may be a better way.

Do they keep well once you've picked them?

Like onions and garlic, some varieties are best used immediately and some kept stored for later use. I can never remember which is which so I always have to check when I harvest, but I do one of each - Red Sun and Golden Gourmet or some such thing.

[Tripmeup]

My Griselle are still in the ground...were sown last November...
Hope to lift some of them when the rain stops....

[Poolcue]

I tried Red Sun and am not overly impressed,some appear to be bolting and the size isn't that great.

[VirginVegGrower]

I failed with Red Sun last year, hence I didn't bother with shallots this year. I prefer the favour of them - it's finer, more delicate. But I thought that's shallot

[alldigging]

I have 'Golden Gourmet' and Red sun. TBH I'd forgotten I'd planted two types. Will have to go and have a look to see if I can tell which is which

[Kaiya]

Mine are still in and looking ok - standing up, tall and green still. They are Jermor, planted out November (started in modules in October as the weather was weird). They aren't flopping over but the bed is densely planted with garlic, shallots and jap. onions, so I think maybe they are held up. Certainly won't be pulling them in this rain, but maybe will pull a bunch next weekend to see what they look like.

[Rhona]

Our autumn planted shallots are still in the ground. They don't look ready yet so will be leaving them a bit longer. Don't recall variety - replanted the smallest shallots from last year's harvest.

[hawthorns]

well i dug the lot up today and they were a good harvest. currently drying in the sun