I grew shallots for the first time this year and I was not disappointed. I started them from seed. Thanks for the tip about planting 4-5 per bunch; I will try that. Cheers from Nova Scotia where all my beds are frozen solid and the temp is a balmy -7c.
Here in France I tried unsuccessfully to grow shallots for years and I finally gave up - every year they developed mildew and mould -it is so discouraging and an expensive failure each time not to mention the time and effort. A great pity because we love shallots and they are wonderful pickled for the winter. So I have been buying them from the local organic shop and truth to say they have been very good. But your video has encouraged me to have another go so this year I will grow from seed - at least any failures will not be so expensive. And these days with the cost of everything even gardening costs good money .
@bandit2048 get a tiny bit of dolomite lime and sprinkle it in the hole with your shallots. It acidifies the soil and makes it much more hard for bacteria and mold to form because they hate that environment.
Same here for me in uk, i tried planting them in a wide container and as per the video raised bed, both worked well, helping the humidity and water go away. Also the soil helped for me, very fluffy and loose soil, again as per video not saturated. It worked wonders also with my garlic. Hope it helps and good luck, dont give up. A bientot
Oh wow, I have to try that. Once I discovered just how amazing sauteed green beans with olive oil, butter and garlic is, it honestly might have become my favourite food.
I've had awful luck with starting seeds but I might give these a try this year as he said they are fine at anything above 50 degrees. I'm probably a bit north of you though as my last frost date is late May so I probably can't put them outside until June.
@@jnorth3341I grew them from seed this past year in the Northwest Territories where our frost date is listed as June 11! Started indoors in January and planted out early June, harvested in September. I'm looking forward to trying again this year!
Such a well timed video. I'm growing shallots for the first time in Australia & didn't have a clue when they might be ready - summer solstice is in a couple of weeks time for me! Thankshallot!!!
Saving and replanting shallot bulbs saves more than pennies. My local garden supply stores sell 1 lb. bags for $25-30. Even the seeds are getting more expensive, with a 1/2 g bag (about 150 seeds) for nearly $6. I've been really into saving seeds the last few years, especially with things that grow from bulbs, like garlic, onions, and now shallots.
HI Ben, I grow shallots every seasonnad save so.e for next season too. I also grow my red& white onions from seed in December too. Great video. Thanks for sharing and take care 😊
Thanks, Ben! I am so glad you mentioned banana shallots. This is the first I have heard of them, but not the first time I have encountered them, 😅 I planted both onions and round shallots last year, and a few of them did indeed bolt late with still no real size on the bulb at all. But, instead of pulling them, since I didn't need the bed space immediately, I let them go to seed. In the fall, there were seedlings coming up. By spring, I had quite a few doing very well....and when they were harvested they were "banana" shallots, but I had never seen those. I thought I screwed them up, somehow, but we ate them anyway. I tend to "chaos garden" a bit, and I get hybrids, and lots of volunteers. "Free" food, and less work sometimes...plus a little adventure.
I grew Louisiana Evergreen Shallots last year. I got over 72 bulbs from the 10 I started with. Plus I dehydrated the scapes .I used most of the shallots in my jars of pickles. Planting more this year.
I had a great season last year with my shallots and with the glut I had left were pickled, sampled one after 6 months of pickling and I must say they are delightful
The torpedo shallots are my favorite. Easy to cut and they keep for a very long time. Use in all cooking. I grow all long day onions from seed and plant out in April. Sets don’t do well for my area in northern Midwest.
Thanks for the free download, Ben. I'll enjoy reading it throughout the cold winter when temps are low and I have a nice warm fire going indoors. Keep up the good work and amazing videos.
I just finely mince shallots and add them to olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic and maybe a pinch of cumin and chilli powder to give a lovely zingy dressing.
I’ve been growing the same strain of shallots for a few years now, from an expensive pack of shallots from a garden centre. The first year I saved most of them for planting out the following year, and they are now my favourite veg to grow down the allotment. The bulbs are easy to plant, I rake a dressing of wood ash into the soil, prior to planting and during the growing season feed with a cup of comfrey tea to a watering can of water, once a week. After lifting and drying I like to string them onto a line to hang up in the kitchen, as they look quite decorative, or give away to friends. This also gives me the opportunity to inspect each bulb and ones that aren’t perfect for storing can either be used straight away or pickled. I found some just before Christmas that I had pickled in malt vinegar, sweetened with sugar and some black pepper back in 2021, so they were three years old and still crunchy and tasty.
I plant Red Sun Shallots and Potato Onions every spring for a late summer harvest. And yes, they multiply nicely and no fussy little seeds. However I do want to try Leeks next year(Mussleburgh Giants) which are supposed to be very cold tolerant(sadly one must fuss with little seeds), but the upside is, they become a bit like a perennial and divide at the bottom(as well as produce more seeds).
Found out the hard way, that while gophers don't care for onions, they absolutely LOVE shallots! I planted them in my strawberry beds and while gophers dont like strawberry plants, they dug under and stole every single shallot bulb. Zero made it to my table.
@@rogink Hehe, "gopher" became a nickname for that because - "Go for snacks and go for drinks." Basically, the command to tell someone to go get something. 😊 Now gophers, the animals, are cute but naughty little creatures that live underground and eat your crops.
@electraspy, gophers are indeed a nuisance. You could try growing your shallots in large wide pots - something shaped like a real or plastic half-wine barrel, and make sure each pot is on a saucer. Or, if you have room for another shallow raised bed, you could build it of wood and line it with quarter-inch hardware cloth before filling it with soil. (For those who don't know, hardware cloth is a sturdy wire mesh that comes in rolls of varying widths; in the US, it's usually sold with fence supplies.) Gophers are very good at squeezing through small spaces, so you'll need to staple the hardware cloth up the sides of the raised bed and down into the corners without leaving any gopher-sized gaps. And if you need to use more than one piece of hardware cloth, make sure the pieces overlap by several inches, and use a length of wire to stitch the overlapping pieces together. It's annoying to have to do, I know - but it works.
You can use shallots to protect your corn seeds from being pulled up by crows. A few weeks before you plant your corn plant a few shallot sets here and there in the plot. The crows will mistakenly think the young shoots are corn, and pull up a few only to be disappointed. They will soon come to think any young shoots in the field aren't corn, and avoid your corn seedlings. Crows are very communicative, and will pass the word on to their friends.
Good morning Ben, we love shallots in all salads and cooking. Me and husband love normal brown skin onions but the shallots are great. There is usually no pieces left, which should be stored in a container in the fridge like with normal onions, so, the flavour is more mild and they do not make your eyes water!! They are perfect in casseroles, just the right size. Thank you for sharing, a most enjoyable video as always. Do take care, keep snug. Kind regards.
I'll have to give shallots a shot, as I've had great success with green onions from the store, and they're basically perennial in my garden now (zone 7b). I concur about salad dressing, and I love to add them to pan sauces as well, after roasting chicken or sausage or something. Bless the alliums.
Thanks Ben and Rosie, I tried them after you mentioned them before, now they’re my favourite no fuss success crop. I’m still eating them, roasted whole or gently fried, or chunky in a ‘stoup’ ( stew/soup) Delicious!
I have the same raised beds. Theu came in as frames on pallets to stack parts up in. I took them from work as we got them in all the time and they were heading to the trash. They were pressure treated and have lasted me 4 years so far.
Thank you very much, I'm going to give them a try this spring, as you said they are cold tolerant, they are even listed as growable in habitability zone 2 which is up where I am.
Great reference channel for new gardeners thank you! Funny too! Am taking your advice on pretty much everything. Helping the recycling and repurposing too! Makes learning about gardening so much easier when vlogs so entertaining.
I love listening to European English speakers. It reminds me of when the children were at the age when they fumbled their words, because they were too excited telling us about their adventures.
I absolutely love your videos , like iv said before, I'm disabled, and I do my growing in bucket's on rasied boards. I'd love if you did some tips on how foke like myself could grow vegetables and enjoy our growing experience more .... only a thought 😀👍🏴
I bought some shallot sets last season, planted and eagerly waited as they grew into… onions. The package definitely said shallots, but they were onions.
i've done both from sets and by seeds. sets are definitely easier, but in my opinion, if you're starting onion seeds inside anyway, then seeds are the way to go! I treat them exactly like i do my onions, starting in the house any time after boxing day, transplanting outside around St. Patrick's day (or later, depending on the weather). My favourite variety is the old french heirloom Zebrune Eschalion. i love the shape for exactly the reasons you described, specifically i love them raw in salads. i just slice them into thin rings and toss them in the salad like that.
I always grow winter shallots and onions which i plant out in October (UK) when it's still just warm enough to give them a head start delivering an earlier harvesting time thus making room for any bed prep and the planting of summer veg on the allotment.This year i've done a mix of seed grown and bought sets to see what the difference is if any.Shenshyu and Longor are my prefered choice but i 've also added Snowball and Globo this year to see if they do as well as my regulars.I've stored Shenshyu for several months with no problems,i think they store just as well as Longor.
Howdy, Ben and cute Rosie!👋 I haven't tried growing shallots; however, your video has encouraged me to give it a try! I think I'll try growing them from seed.👩🏾🌾 One of my favorite recipes with shallots is Boulette..Haitian meatballs.😋 Thank you, Ben! Loved the jokes!😄
Now there's 11 minutes I'll never get back. I came here thinking this was going to teach me all about growing SHALL-ots, not sha-LOTTS. Ugh. Cute dog, btw. And a lovely greenhouse. Cheers.
Ok. I've got all my growing info now, I'll be trying banana shallots from seed after Summer (I'm in Australia, so it's too hot right now😁) Thanks for all the great growing tips. Cheers!
Yo've got shallot of skills Ben! About recipes, you can use shallots in any recipe instead of regular yellow onions. But they are more fragile so don't cook them as long. I prefer to use both, so I start to caramelise the regular onions and when they are almost done I add the shallots. This deepens the flavour to use both. Sometimes I even add spring onion, then the white parts can go in at the same time as the shallots and the green parts last. Keep up the good work!
I've always grown shallots and onions from sets, but this year I had some of both bolt on me and I just let them go and kept the seeds, so I'll be giving it a go from seed this year! My favorite way to eat them is as in the style of Jacques Pepin's onion sandwich - mayo, shallots, and a bit of salt and pepper! ...dang it, now I need to go make a sandwich.
Well, I've been struggling with growing onions for the last few years, so I think I might give shallots a try instead. My local seed store has one variety as seed, a banana type called Zebrune. I like the idea that I can replant the bulbs rather than growing from seed like with onions.
Another great informative and inspiring video, Ben! I have a pan sauce for steak that calls for shallots, finely minced and they bring a wonderful flavor to my dish. I grow the huge tube-shaped shallots, they grow up to 4" long, and the sweet French variety too. We have artic cold here...I so wish I could get into my garden and work! Merry Christmas to everyone
Australia Sydney, can't grow onions these failed every time, seeds or otherwise. Shallots have worked no problem. They are very expensive to buy, so was very happy to have a success.
I grow an un-named variety of shallot (round), that will store without growing out almost for ever, they dehydrate to death without shooting, so much so that i have sucessfully grown them 18months after havest, on really good ground i can reckon on 20plus per plant... I always select best bulbs from best bunches for planting next yr...
Thanks for the book Ben, I am sure I will benefit from it as I always enjoy and learn from your clear videos. Give Rosie a kiss from me, she is adorable. My Paterdale terrier holds her foot up in anticipation of action in the same way as Rosie.
I like potato onions, best of both worlds. They're like onions but they divide like shallots, and store like shallots. But they're not as easy to acquire, and not so many people know of them.
I like to cook onions, leeks and shallots together in any dish that calls for chopped onions. I'll try your suggestion and try some in a vinigrette. Dude, mine are way bigger than yours!
Thankshallot, Ben!!!
Brilliant 👌
Haha
Nice! :-)
😂👌
Oh YOU….! I see what you did there. And I appreciate it. 😄
I grew shallots for the first time this year and I was not disappointed.
I started them from seed. Thanks for the tip about planting 4-5 per bunch; I will try that.
Cheers from Nova Scotia where all my beds are frozen solid and the temp is a balmy -7c.
Love your puppy being a lovely little lamb... 😍 Star of the video, I must say! Woof woof! Ab-shallot-ly cute!
Shallot, bacon and gruyere cheese tart.. Savoury heaven! 😋
Yum!
Lots of information and no waffle
An extremely engaging video that is spoken very well and the book is also brilliantly written
👍
Thanks so much. :-)
Here in France I tried unsuccessfully to grow shallots for years and I finally gave up - every year they developed mildew and mould -it is so discouraging and an expensive failure each time not to mention the time and effort. A great pity because we love shallots and they are wonderful pickled for the winter. So I have been buying them from the local organic shop and truth to say they have been very good. But your video has encouraged me to have another go so this year I will grow from seed - at least any failures will not be so expensive. And these days with the cost of everything even gardening costs good money .
Maybe some sharp sand in the soil to help with drainage😊
@bandit2048 get a tiny bit of dolomite lime and sprinkle it in the hole with your shallots. It acidifies the soil and makes it much more hard for bacteria and mold to form because they hate that environment.
So pleased you're inspired to give them another try. I hope they thrive this time round. :-)
Same here for me in uk, i tried planting them in a wide container and as per the video raised bed, both worked well, helping the humidity and water go away. Also the soil helped for me, very fluffy and loose soil, again as per video not saturated. It worked wonders also with my garlic. Hope it helps and good luck, dont give up. A bientot
Haven't tried pickled shallots though usually keep pickled red onion on hand, I'll give it a try, thanks for the idea.
My wife cooks them with blanched and pan seared green beans. Incredible.
Oh wow, I have to try that. Once I discovered just how amazing sauteed green beans with olive oil, butter and garlic is, it honestly might have become my favourite food.
Hmm. Good idea!
Sounds yum!
I grow them from seed, planting inside in January, outside in late April. So easy, and less expensive than purchasing bulbs for planting
I've had awful luck with starting seeds but I might give these a try this year as he said they are fine at anything above 50 degrees. I'm probably a bit north of you though as my last frost date is late May so I probably can't put them outside until June.
@@jnorth3341I grew them from seed this past year in the Northwest Territories where our frost date is listed as June 11! Started indoors in January and planted out early June, harvested in September. I'm looking forward to trying again this year!
Such a well timed video. I'm growing shallots for the first time in Australia & didn't have a clue when they might be ready - summer solstice is in a couple of weeks time for me! Thankshallot!!!
Greetings from Egypt, the weather here is a bit different, but I love your master classes🌹
Thanks so much. Lovely to have you watching in Egypt. Happy gardening! :-)
I will grow some from seed this year thanks for the tips ben, aww rosie sitting patiently bless her ❤xx
Saving and replanting shallot bulbs saves more than pennies. My local garden supply stores sell 1 lb. bags for $25-30. Even the seeds are getting more expensive, with a 1/2 g bag (about 150 seeds) for nearly $6. I've been really into saving seeds the last few years, especially with things that grow from bulbs, like garlic, onions, and now shallots.
“Drop it like it’s hot” 😂🔥🌱
Went gardener to a100 real quick!!
Omg! Laughed soooo hard!
LOL! 🔥🌱🔥🌱🔥
Huh I haven’t watched this guy’s videos in a few years. The production quality went way up!
Cheers so much! :-)
Agree!
Absolutely love that I've found your channel, and enjoy every bit of it Ben!
Just got my free copy of your book. Looks fantastic... thank you
Amazing, thanks so much! :-)
HI Ben, I grow shallots every seasonnad save so.e for next season too. I also grow my red& white onions from seed in December too. Great video. Thanks for sharing and take care 😊
I always thought that shallots had more benefits than onions but now I know for sure! Great video, thanks 💞💕
I love shallots for all the reasons you mentioned. ❤
You know you're a straight up G, right?
Love your channel. Thanks for all the good info
😂
Cheers so much! :-)
Thanks I have wanted to grow them but I live in the deep south of the USA, I will give seeds a try. Thanks.
Upper South here and I can't wait to try!
Thanks, Ben! I am so glad you mentioned banana shallots. This is the first I have heard of them, but not the first time I have encountered them, 😅
I planted both onions and round shallots last year, and a few of them did indeed bolt late with still no real size on the bulb at all. But, instead of pulling them, since I didn't need the bed space immediately, I let them go to seed. In the fall, there were seedlings coming up. By spring, I had quite a few doing very well....and when they were harvested they were "banana" shallots, but I had never seen those. I thought I screwed them up, somehow, but we ate them anyway. I tend to "chaos garden" a bit, and I get hybrids, and lots of volunteers. "Free" food, and less work sometimes...plus a little adventure.
I love your videos. I think they are the best! Thank you for all the free infomation you're giving us. It is a therapy to watch you, Ben!
Terrific presentation. Concise, informative, energetic and light hearted. Considerate of you to quote both metric and non measurements.
I love your channel Ben❤ And I also love growing shallots rather than onions. They thrive on neglect ❤
Thanks Ben. Love your kale tree in the background.
I grew Louisiana Evergreen Shallots last year. I got over 72 bulbs from the 10 I started with. Plus I dehydrated the scapes .I used most of the shallots in my jars of pickles. Planting more this year.
I had a great season last year with my shallots and with the glut I had left were pickled, sampled one after 6 months of pickling and I must say they are delightful
I love shallots and scallions. Thank you.
The torpedo shallots are my favorite. Easy to cut and they keep for a very long time. Use in all cooking.
I grow all long day onions from seed and plant out in April. Sets don’t do well for my area in northern Midwest.
Thanks for the free download, Ben. I'll enjoy reading it throughout the cold winter when temps are low and I have a nice warm fire going indoors. Keep up the good work and amazing videos.
I love how your pup follows you and listens to the lesson.
Next year he wants to take over the planting.
I think you may be right there! :-)
I'm curious about that dressing. Great vid. Just ordered my seeds last week so I'll watch this again.
I just finely mince shallots and add them to olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic and maybe a pinch of cumin and chilli powder to give a lovely zingy dressing.
@GrowVeg Maybe I could try a champagne vinegar?? I have asthma & can't have sulfates in the red wine. Thank you for recipe idea. Can't wait to try! 😁
I am incredibly grateful to learn that is how the British pronounce shallot. Hah, agreed that they are fantastic though.
I was waiting for a shallot joke and I wasn’t disappointed 😅❤
I’ve been growing the same strain of shallots for a few years now, from an expensive pack of shallots from a garden centre. The first year I saved most of them for planting out the following year, and they are now my favourite veg to grow down the allotment. The bulbs are easy to plant, I rake a dressing of wood ash into the soil, prior to planting and during the growing season feed with a cup of comfrey tea to a watering can of water, once a week. After lifting and drying I like to string them onto a line to hang up in the kitchen, as they look quite decorative, or give away to friends. This also gives me the opportunity to inspect each bulb and ones that aren’t perfect for storing can either be used straight away or pickled. I found some just before Christmas that I had pickled in malt vinegar, sweetened with sugar and some black pepper back in 2021, so they were three years old and still crunchy and tasty.
Sounds like you're growing a fine crop of shallots there! :-)
I plant Red Sun Shallots and Potato Onions every spring for a late summer harvest. And yes, they multiply nicely and no fussy little seeds. However I do want to try Leeks next year(Mussleburgh Giants) which are supposed to be very cold tolerant(sadly one must fuss with little seeds), but the upside is, they become a bit like a perennial and divide at the bottom(as well as produce more seeds).
I’m still eating my banana shallots, delicious, I’ve just chucked them whole in a stew 🍁
Found out the hard way, that while gophers don't care for onions, they absolutely LOVE shallots! I planted them in my strawberry beds and while gophers dont like strawberry plants, they dug under and stole every single shallot bulb. Zero made it to my table.
Is a 'gopher' a real thing? Here it's the same as a dogsbody or teaboy - basically someone who has to do the tasks no one else wants to do!
@@rogink
Hehe, "gopher" became a nickname for that because - "Go for snacks and go for drinks." Basically, the command to tell someone to go get something. 😊
Now gophers, the animals, are cute but naughty little creatures that live underground and eat your crops.
@electraspy, gophers are indeed a nuisance. You could try growing your shallots in large wide pots - something shaped like a real or plastic half-wine barrel, and make sure each pot is on a saucer.
Or, if you have room for another shallow raised bed, you could build it of wood and line it with quarter-inch hardware cloth before filling it with soil. (For those who don't know, hardware cloth is a sturdy wire mesh that comes in rolls of varying widths; in the US, it's usually sold with fence supplies.) Gophers are very good at squeezing through small spaces, so you'll need to staple the hardware cloth up the sides of the raised bed and down into the corners without leaving any gopher-sized gaps. And if you need to use more than one piece of hardware cloth, make sure the pieces overlap by several inches, and use a length of wire to stitch the overlapping pieces together. It's annoying to have to do, I know - but it works.
@@gothic_oma I'd completely forgotten but of course we had Gordon the Gopher back in the day. I think he had a mate called Kevin :)
You can use shallots to protect your corn seeds from being pulled up by crows. A few weeks before you plant your corn plant a few shallot sets here and there in the plot. The crows will mistakenly think the young shoots are corn, and pull up a few only to be disappointed. They will soon come to think any young shoots in the field aren't corn, and avoid your corn seedlings. Crows are very communicative, and will pass the word on to their friends.
What an imaginative way to fool the crows - love it! :-)
Frying shallots also tasty for stew , soup , or fried rice
I love watching your videos! I always learn something 🌱 I love shallots, and I planted them too👌🏼
Good morning Ben, we love shallots in all salads and cooking. Me and husband love normal brown skin onions but the shallots are great. There is usually no pieces left, which should be stored in a container in the fridge like with normal onions, so, the flavour is more mild and they do not make your eyes water!! They are perfect in casseroles, just the right size. Thank you for sharing, a most enjoyable video as always. Do take care, keep snug. Kind regards.
Really appreciate all of your kind support over the past year - thanks for watching and commenting. :-)
Thumbs up for dropping it like it's hot. 👍
I love your videos so much, thank you for sharing your skill and enthusiasm
Deep fried sliced shallots make clear soups super tasty. Greetings from Singapore!😊
I'll have to give shallots a shot, as I've had great success with green onions from the store, and they're basically perennial in my garden now (zone 7b). I concur about salad dressing, and I love to add them to pan sauces as well, after roasting chicken or sausage or something. Bless the alliums.
I love them and garlic cooked beside a pot roast in the oven.
Plenty of puns in this video🤣. I love shallots if only l had a garden.
trays and a windowsill.
Thanks for this Ben…..my onions were a disaster last season 🙈😂
Thanks Ben and Rosie, I tried them after you mentioned them before, now they’re my favourite no fuss success crop. I’m still eating them, roasted whole or gently fried, or chunky in a ‘stoup’ ( stew/soup) Delicious!
I use them & leeks in everything from quiches, tarts, casseroles & stews
Perfect timing!!!! Thank You!!!!
I grew Zebrune variety last year. I'm down to my last few now. They were very tasty and will certainly have some this year. Thanks Ben timely reminder
I have the same raised beds. Theu came in as frames on pallets to stack parts up in. I took them from work as we got them in all the time and they were heading to the trash. They were pressure treated and have lasted me 4 years so far.
I put many in my beds last month cant wait to see how they are in afew month
Thanks for the book Ben.
Thank you very much, I'm going to give them a try this spring, as you said they are cold tolerant, they are even listed as growable in habitability zone 2 which is up where I am.
lol.. you made me laugh out loud with your "drop it like it's hooott" hahha you're the best
Great reference channel for new gardeners thank you! Funny too! Am taking your advice on pretty much everything. Helping the recycling and repurposing too! Makes learning about gardening so much easier when vlogs so entertaining.
So pleased you're enjoying the videos Lynne. Happy gardening! :-)
I buy them at an Asian market. My favorite is sautéed into a frittata with garlic and jalapeños
Great video iam going to try sowing some this year from seed
Nice Video, I Like the visual effects and ofcourse the information
nice vid brother we pickel shallots very good with cheese 🧀🧀🧅🧅🧅🧅🧅🧅
The dog escorting you around the garden! 🥰🐾
I love listening to European English speakers. It reminds me of when the children were at the age when they fumbled their words, because they were too excited telling us about their adventures.
You should be on tiktok more. You have lots of brilliant ideas to share with the gardening community.
I absolutely love your videos , like iv said before, I'm disabled, and I do my growing in bucket's on rasied boards. I'd love if you did some tips on how foke like myself could grow vegetables and enjoy our growing experience more .... only a thought 😀👍🏴
Thanks for the suggestion - I appreciate it. Will certainly consider this for a future video. :-)
I bought some shallot sets last season, planted and eagerly waited as they grew into… onions. The package definitely said shallots, but they were onions.
i've done both from sets and by seeds. sets are definitely easier, but in my opinion, if you're starting onion seeds inside anyway, then seeds are the way to go! I treat them exactly like i do my onions, starting in the house any time after boxing day, transplanting outside around St. Patrick's day (or later, depending on the weather). My favourite variety is the old french heirloom Zebrune Eschalion. i love the shape for exactly the reasons you described, specifically i love them raw in salads. i just slice them into thin rings and toss them in the salad like that.
That's a great system you have there Jake - and I love that variety too. :-)
I always grow winter shallots and onions which i plant out in October (UK) when it's still just warm enough to give them a head start delivering an earlier harvesting time thus making room for any bed prep and the planting of summer veg on the allotment.This year i've done a mix of seed grown and bought sets to see what the difference is if any.Shenshyu and Longor are my prefered choice but i 've also added Snowball and Globo this year to see if they do as well as my regulars.I've stored Shenshyu for several months with no problems,i think they store just as well as Longor.
Howdy, Ben and cute Rosie!👋
I haven't tried growing shallots; however, your video has encouraged me to give it a try! I think I'll try growing them from seed.👩🏾🌾
One of my favorite recipes with shallots is Boulette..Haitian meatballs.😋
Thank you, Ben! Loved the jokes!😄
Ooh - I've not heard of Boulette Valorie, will give that a look up and a go. Thank you. :-)
Yep! Shallots have been much more successful than onions for two years running now - a bit of a lifesaver really!
I will try shallots this spring!
Now there's 11 minutes I'll never get back. I came here thinking this was going to teach me all about growing SHALL-ots, not sha-LOTTS. Ugh.
Cute dog, btw. And a lovely greenhouse. Cheers.
Haha - thanks so much! Happy gardening! :-)
Thanks Ben, that sounds do-able for a novice like me!
Thank you Ben so helpful
That’s shallot for today folks, happy planting 🌱
Ok. I've got all my growing info now, I'll be trying banana shallots from seed after Summer (I'm in Australia, so it's too hot right now😁)
Thanks for all the great growing tips. Cheers!
I find that my garlics, onions, & shallots prefer bat guano over the other high nitrogen feeders.😊
Yo've got shallot of skills Ben! About recipes, you can use shallots in any recipe instead of regular yellow onions. But they are more fragile so don't cook them as long. I prefer to use both, so I start to caramelise the regular onions and when they are almost done I add the shallots. This deepens the flavour to use both. Sometimes I even add spring onion, then the white parts can go in at the same time as the shallots and the green parts last. Keep up the good work!
Great idea to use both in the same dish - will have to try that. :-)
I've always grown shallots and onions from sets, but this year I had some of both bolt on me and I just let them go and kept the seeds, so I'll be giving it a go from seed this year! My favorite way to eat them is as in the style of Jacques Pepin's onion sandwich - mayo, shallots, and a bit of salt and pepper! ...dang it, now I need to go make a sandwich.
Hope those seeds do great for you. I’m sure they will. :-)
Favorite ways to enjoy shallots?
Halved and roasted with rosemary!
Fresh, sliced rounds in salads!
Sauteed with mushrooms!
Sounds yum! :-)
Well, I've been struggling with growing onions for the last few years, so I think I might give shallots a try instead. My local seed store has one variety as seed, a banana type called Zebrune. I like the idea that I can replant the bulbs rather than growing from seed like with onions.
Very helpful and informative, thank you!
I’m doing shallots from seed 🤞🤞, great update Ben I hope everyone and everything is safe after the storm ⛈️, Ali 🌞🥶🇨🇦
Thanks Ali. Just a few scattered crop covers, otherwise all good! Hope you're having a god start to winter. :-)
Another great informative and inspiring video, Ben! I have a pan sauce for steak that calls for shallots, finely minced and they bring a wonderful flavor to my dish. I grow the huge tube-shaped shallots, they grow up to 4" long, and the sweet French variety too. We have artic cold here...I so wish I could get into my garden and work! Merry Christmas to everyone
Merry Christmas to you too. Thanks for all of your support for the channel over the past year. :-)
Australia Sydney, can't grow onions these failed every time, seeds or otherwise. Shallots have worked no problem. They are very expensive to buy, so was very happy to have a success.
I grow an un-named variety of shallot (round), that will store without growing out almost for ever, they dehydrate to death without shooting, so much so that i have sucessfully grown them 18months after havest, on really good ground i can reckon on 20plus per plant...
I always select best bulbs from best bunches for planting next yr...
Thanks for the book Ben, I am sure I will benefit from it as I always enjoy and learn from your clear videos. Give Rosie a kiss from me, she is adorable. My Paterdale terrier holds her foot up in anticipation of action in the same way as Rosie.
They're the best gardening companions aren't they! :-)
Thanks 👍
Hi ben going to buy some shallots from shop grocers ilove your fur baby shes gorg hugs
Here in Indonesia, we use fried mince shallots for toppings in various dishes.
4:58 Drop it like its hot XD,
love the dated pop culture reference ben
Only a few years behind! :-)
nah, fortnite remix
Just watched the video and it amazing but will you be doing more on shallots
I like potato onions, best of both worlds. They're like onions but they divide like shallots, and store like shallots. But they're not as easy to acquire, and not so many people know of them.
I've not heard of them - will have to look these up!
I love "Thanks Shallot" ❤ I'm going to try to grow from seed! I have a recipe for shallot and Boursin cheese tart (like a pizza)❤
Sounds yum! :-)
I like to cook onions, leeks and shallots together in any dish that calls for chopped onions. I'll try your suggestion and try some in a vinigrette. Dude, mine are way bigger than yours!
That's what they all say. 😁
Sounds sublime!
Very helpful! Thanks!
finely chopped and added to pretty much any savoury sandwich