Grow Your Own Magazine

Looked at my autumn planted shallots today and discovered that most of them are producing flower heads Never grown overwintered ones before, and my summer ones never do this. I snapped them all off and dug up one clump to see what they looked like - they need to swell more.

Anyone else's doing this? Are they likely to swell at all or is it worth digging them all up to use small?

My overwintered onions are doing this as well, but thats not quite such an issue, small shallots are fiddly to peel!

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There's vegetable growing in the family, but I must be adopted
Happy Gardening!

Just pick off the flower buds. They should still swell and form usable bulbs, but will not store well. I've always planted shallots in spring, never heard of overwintering them.

Thanks - i did snap them all off (like i had to do with the onions). They are a specific overwintering variety - can't remember the variety off-hand. they were planted at the same time as the onions. Its to see us through the period where our summer stored ones have finished (which is now!)

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There's vegetable growing in the family, but I must be adopted
Happy Gardening!

I'm sorry for you Protea, how annoying. I have always planted on the shortest day and harvested on the longest give or take a couple of weeks. I thought that was the tradition. I think the dry spell did for many people's onions (although bolting shallots more rare) consistancy is the key. i've learnt my lesson in the past and kept them damp only had 3 onions go this year.

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Paul

I think overwintered alliums are far more prone to bolting than spring ones. It happens with the japanese onions too. I'm sure it's because they have to put up with much more varied growing conditions than spring sown plants. It's better for a plant not to be stressed by big changes in its growing conditions and overwintering does give them ths stress. Doesn't seem to happen to brassicas which overwinter well. I prefer to put my onions and shallots in in the spring. Just have to wait a bit longer to eat them!

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Earth laughs in flowers. Ralph Waldo Emerson

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