Shallot Growing Guide
Growing Shallot is easier than you think. This guide walks you through everything you need — from planting your first seed to harvesting.
At a Glance
Difficulty
Easy
Category
Vegetable
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Frost Tolerance
Frost Hardy
Cold Hardiness
Survives to -15°C
Plant Family
Amaryllidaceae
Growing Season
Cool Season
Plant Lifecycle
Biennial
Also grows well as
How to Start It
★ Recommended for beginners
Push individual bulbs pointy-end up so the tip just shows, 15 cm apart, in early spring (or autumn in mild zones). Each multiplies into a clump.
Most shallots are grown from sets: plant one bulb, harvest a whole clump. Save your best bulbs each year to replant. Seed shallots also exist and behave like onions.
When To Start
First Chance to Plant
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Last Chance to Plant
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When should you plant Shallot?
Your planting dates depend on your local climate. Sign up and add your location to unlock personalized dates.
Your Shallot Planting Window
Start planting
May 15, 2026
Last chance
Sep 10, 2026
The Journey Ahead
Shallot's Lifecycle
Seedling
Mature Plant
Seed Production
Step 1
Prepare Your Space
2 cm
Seeding Depth
15 cm
Plant Spacing
30 cm
Row Spacing
4
Plants / Sq Ft
Vertical Growing
No.
Succession Planting
No.
Good Companions
Bad Companions
Step 2
Planting & Sprouting
Expect sprouts in 10–20 days
Growing Tips
- 1Treat shallots like onions: full sun, weed-free, even moisture, and tops left at the surface.
- 2Stop watering as the tops start to fall so the bulbs cure firm.
Seedling Phase
Step 3
Growth & Maturity
~100
Days to Maturity
40 cm
Mature Height
15 cm
Mature Width
Pests to Watch For
Diseases to Watch For
Mature Plant
Step 4
Harvesting
Harvest Window
14 days
When to Pick
Lift when the tops yellow and fall, early–midsummer
How to Harvest
- 1When the foliage flops and browns, lift the whole clumps and separate the bulbs.
- 2Cure them in a dry, airy place for 2–3 weeks; well-cured shallots store for months.
Step 5
Saving Seeds
How to Save Seeds
Easiest: just save your best bulbs to replant — each one multiplies into a clump. Seed-grown types can be flowered and seeded like onions.
Seed Production
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