🥕 Shallot
Allium cepa var. aggregatum
vegetables bulb vegetable (allium)
☀️ Sun
Full sun (6–8 hours)
💧 Water
Medium; 1 inch per week; reduce near harvest
🗺️ Zones
3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
🪴 Soil Type
Well-drained, moderately fertile loam; lighter soils produce better bulbs
🧪 Soil pH
6.0–7.0
💧 Drainage
Good drainage required; shallots rot in wet soil
📏 Spacing
Bulbs 6–8 inches apart; rows 12–18 inches; each planted bulb multiplies into a cluster of 4–12 shallots
📅 Days to Maturity
90-120 days (from sets/bulbs); 100-150 days from seed
🍴 Edible Parts
🍽️ ["Bulbs (clustered🍽️ milder than onion)"🍽️ "Green tops"]
🤝 Companions (5)
Allium carrot rust fly repellent effect; mutual pest protection
🤝 Chamomile
Improves flavor; attracts beneficial insects
Repels slugs and many strawberry pests
Quick intercrop; shallots repel aphids
Different root depths; shallots repel beet pests
⚠️ Keep Apart (2)
⚠️ Bean
Allium — inhibits Rhizobium; stunts bean growth
⚠️ Pea
Legume nitrogen-fixation inhibition
💊 Medicinal Uses
["Contains allicin and quercetin \u2014 antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant", "Good source of vitamin A, B6, manganese, and folate", "Traditional use for digestive health and respiratory ailments"]
📝 Notes
Shallots are gourmet alliums — milder, sweeter, and more delicate than onions. They multiply like garlic — one bulb planted produces a cluster. Best planted in fall (like garlic) or early spring. Two types: French (reddish, more common) and Dutch (larger, yellow). Store like onions in cool, dark, dry place. Shallots are perennial — can leave some in ground to multiply year after year.