Pigletwillies Banana Shallot Seed update

[pigletwillie]

Mrs D has posted a piccy as has Peter but around 40 packs of seeds went out so there may be more out there Snadger.

Here are mine.

Evington Hilltop Adventures: Banana shallots

[Peter]

Piglet, three questions.

1/. Would you recommend planting out some of last years harvest in a greenhouse bed?
2/.My allotment is based on heavy Hertfordshire clay in a frost pocket on a north facing slope, so I am reluctant to risk these there just yet, would they do ok in pots then transplent?
3/. A cheeky one, any chance of some more seed for this year?

[Alice]

Your �10 is safe from me Piglet but here's the pic. They struggled all the way for me, but I'm willing to give it another go.

[shirlthegirl43]

I got 3 to germinate but nothing survived to transplant. The biggest candidate made 2 inches tall before keeling over. Would love to have another go sometime though if more seed is available in the future.

[Snadger]

Here's mine Piglet!!!!!

Oop's sorry, I forgot, I didn't get any of your seed...........silly me!!!

Good luck and well done to whoever wins!

[shallotman]

I did'nt have a lot of succes with my banana shallots, though I will try again this year. shallot man

[nick the grief]

Piglet, three questions.

1/. Would you recommend planting out some of last years harvest in a greenhouse bed?
2/.My allotment is based on heavy Hertfordshire clay in a frost pocket on a north facing slope, so I am reluctant to risk these there just yet, would they do ok in pots then transplent?
3/. A cheeky one, any chance of some more seed for this year?

Hi Peter,

Although I don't grow the world famous piglet shallots I can tell you what I do with my Hative de nort's. I start my shallots off in multi cell packs every year in the cold ( or as it is this year feckin cold ) greenhouse. if you use the 15 cells they get about the same space as a 3" 1/2 pot and have a nice root ball when you plant them

[smallblueplanet]

You started 'em already Nick?

[Alan Free]

Just joined the grapevine. Been retired for too many years for my liking,and have cut down on my gardening, but like to grow a few things that are not so easy to get in the shops, shallots being one. My son was in France last year and brought some banana shallots back for me. The problem is that they were the previous years crop and I got them too late to grow on last year. Some survived, and I planted them 4 weeks ago in my garden. So far one has started to grow. The others ???? I have treated them like ordinary shallots but will they grow the same way? Everyone on the grapevine seems to br growing (or trying to grow) them from seed. Do they actually go to seed from seed in the first year? Are they normally grown fom seed? Heeeeeeeeelp.

[pigletwillie]

Alan, if you plant a banana shallot, it will not split like a traditional shallot but will run to seed, hence they can only be grown from seed.

[Alan Free]

David, thanks for that. Just what I needed to know. But is it possible to get hold of some seed this year?

[pigletwillie]

Unless you find somebody that has some no, its a case of growing your own for next year I am afraid. I gave away several thousand seeds last year but have none left.

[muckdiva]

Hiya Pigletwillie
My single banana shallot has started to sprout. Desperate not to lose it, do you think it will be ok in a pot in a cold greenhouse or should I wait until next month and put it in the garden?

[pigletwillie]

keep it in a pot in a cold greenhouse, all of mine are, and pot out when very well established, probably in March.

[muckdiva]

Excellent, thanks Piglet.