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Growing Shallots, also Eschalots

(Allium cepa)

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
  P P P P P P P P P    

(Best months for planting Shallots in Australia - cool/mountain regions)

P = Sow direct in garden where they are to grow.


  • Easy to grow.
  • Harvest in 12-15 weeks. Keep a few for your next planting.
  • Plant small bulblets, with stem just showing above ground.
  • Best planted at soil temperatures between 8°C and 30°C.
  • Space plants: 2-3cm

Shallots are grown from small bulbs kept from the main plant. Once they are established, you can keep your supply going indefinitely by saving a few bulblets each year.

A type of small mild multiplying onion, popular in French cooking.

Tree onions or 'walking onions' produce bulbs at the top of the stem.

Shallots are not spring onions.

They are more like garlic in their growth as they form a clump of bulbs at the base of the stem.

Culinary hints - cooking and eating Shallots

Use in any recipe instead of onions
Can be cooked whole, braised gently with other vegetables.
Sometimes pickled.

Your comments and tips

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12 Jul 10 rod mcmillan (Australia - tropical climate)
I purchased shallots from the supermarket to plant out, they are only 5-6mm across at the base and multiplying like mad .Could anyone tell me if the bulbs grow bigger for any reason.ie.tempreture
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18 Mar 10 Nancy (Australia - temperate climate)
If the shallots have been treated prior to selling at the supermarket so they wouldn't sprout, then that means they are dead food. Probably not very good for you; the same treatment that killed the bulb could have a bad effect on us. Or at the very least, destroy vitamins and enzymes. I am increasingly growing as much as possible of my own living food--shallots, garlic, onions, potatoes etc.-- without sprout-retardant chemicals.
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06 May 10 Dion (Australia - temperate climate)
I'm trying to 'grow my own' as well, but starting off with green leafy things to get the 'biggest bang' for the effort. Have you seen how much spray is on supermarket silverbeet - awful! Do onions take much room?
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02 May 10 Peter Cresp (Australia - temperate climate)
Where do you buy Shallot to grown can-not find them any where. I live in South Australia
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16 Jun 10 Wayne (Australia - temperate climate)
Organic food stall central markets
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01 Mar 10 Christine (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Grew shallots for the first time this year. Magnificent. I bought a bag cheap from the supermarket because they were sprouting, didn't really know what I was doing but treated as garlic and had 4-6 large bulbs per plant. They were pretty small bulbs originally so will be saving the large bulbs from this years crop and should have up to 12. Give each bulb plenty of room to spread and lots of feed.
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17 Jan 10 Wendy (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Mine grew like the clappers (planted autumn, in Tasmania, treated exactly like garlic which thrives here) but each one threw up a tough flower stalk and didn't form bulbs - now I know why - apparently they only form bulbs above 21 degrees C. May try spring planting next time so they will grow through the warmer weather.
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11 Dec 09 GB (Australia - temperate climate)
To Stuart: Depends where you live. In WA they are for whatever reason considered a pest and as such the seeds cannot be imported into the state (but you can grow from bulb???). Maybe try the diggers club (google it).
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09 Dec 09 STUART (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Has anyone any ideas of where i can purchase some seed for these french shallots, I have hunted everywhere locally to no avail any help will be most appreciated
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23 Oct 09 (Australia - temperate climate)
how long does it take before you can pick them
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See planting calendar for these countries and climate zones

Australia - cool/mountain,   Australia - sub-tropical,   Australia - temperate,   Australia - tropical,   New Zealand - cool/mountain,   New Zealand - sub-tropical,   New Zealand - temperate,   United Kingdom - cool/temperate,   United Kingdom - warm/temperate  

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This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. Gardenate is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.

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