Square foot garden spacing for shallots?

Jared77

Garden Addicted
Joined
Aug 1, 2010
Messages
2,616
Reaction score
974
Points
277
Location
Howell Zone 5
Anybody?

Going to do 1 raised bed for carrots since our soil tends to produce twisted knotty carrots & my daughter REALLY wants to grow nice straight carrots. I figured I'd do onions & shallots in there too. To help keep it simple/successful I figured I'd use the SFG planting recommendations but I haven't much info on spacing recommendations for shallots.

Figured I'd ask here see what everybody else thought. I tried them a few years ago but it was brutally hot & dry that year So I got a very small onion crop & zilch for shallots. I haven't tried them again because I used that space for other things. But with the raised bed this year I figured I'd give it a go.

Thanks
 

digitS'

Garden Master
Joined
Dec 13, 2007
Messages
25,719
Reaction score
28,728
Points
457
Location
border, ID/WA(!)
Are you thinking shallot seed or sets, Jared? And, do you pronounce it "shal'-lets" or "shal-lots'?"

Okay, it doesn't much matter. With the seeds, you can be harvesting the small green plants as scallions. That will allow the remaining plants to have more room to grow to maturity.

From seed, they may not form a "clump" the first year. Even the big hybrid shallots aren't very big plants. At maturity, they won't require more room than your hand, with digitS' extended.

Steve
 

Jared77

Garden Addicted
Joined
Aug 1, 2010
Messages
2,616
Reaction score
974
Points
277
Location
Howell Zone 5
Shal-lets

They will be sets sorry I didn't clarify that. Good to know that's honestly more info than I've found so far thank you.
 

digitS'

Garden Master
Joined
Dec 13, 2007
Messages
25,719
Reaction score
28,728
Points
457
Location
border, ID/WA(!)
The only sets I have bought have been the smaller, non-hybrids.

They seem to still be the only choices for sets. That may be because they won't bolt to seed. At least, they have never done that for me. I had never seen a shallot flower until the hybrids came out. I still don't know what I'm looking at when I see those things!

Anyway, small plants, Jared.

Steve
 

hoodat

Garden Addicted
Joined
Apr 28, 2010
Messages
3,758
Reaction score
501
Points
260
Location
Palm Desert CA
Shallots don't need a lot of room. You can space them quite closely. The advantage of that is they help hold each others leaves up. Shallot leaves are kind of sprawly compared to onions and if they lie on the ground it could encourage pests.
 

Wishin'

Deeply Rooted
Joined
Jan 13, 2014
Messages
741
Reaction score
314
Points
153
Location
NC zone 7b
The general rule for square foot gardening is to place all plants at the plant distance stated on the packet/planting instructions. For example if your planting peas, and the packet says place seeds 3 inches apart, and rows two feet, you would place your seeds 3 inches apart in rows 3 inches apart. A quick google search says shallot sets should be placed 6-8 inches apart, so in one square foot you could plant 4 shallot sets.
 
Last edited:

Jared77

Garden Addicted
Joined
Aug 1, 2010
Messages
2,616
Reaction score
974
Points
277
Location
Howell Zone 5
Huh....must not have put the right search criteria in for shallots I couldn't find that info. I appreciate the effort.

At the nursery where I get mine at they are in a whicker basket next to the bins of onion sets. They have a price on them & that's it. They figure at the price for sets you know what your doing with them.

I've never done SFG before I just thought with 1 raised bed it would be easier to follow their template as it's a proven method.
 

Wishin'

Deeply Rooted
Joined
Jan 13, 2014
Messages
741
Reaction score
314
Points
153
Location
NC zone 7b
Huh....must not have put the right search criteria in for shallots I couldn't find that info. I appreciate the effort.

At the nursery where I get mine at they are in a whicker basket next to the bins of onion sets. They have a price on them & that's it. They figure at the price for sets you know what your doing with them.

I've never done SFG before I just thought with 1 raised bed it would be easier to follow their template as it's a proven method.
Your welcome, :) I searched the distance between shallot sets, but the rest of the info was from http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/all...-mel-bartholomew/1100472249?ean=9781591862024 ;)my gardens have always been square foot gardens so I've got several books on the subject.
 

Smart Red

Garden Master
Joined
Jan 10, 2012
Messages
11,303
Reaction score
7,395
Points
417
Location
South-est, central-est Wisconsin
I planted my shallots about 4 inches apart. Unfortunately, I forgot the shallots were there and planted onions in the same area. I got a fine harvest of both.
 
Top