My first experience cooking with shallots was many years ago, but I still remember the delicate oniony flavor it added to a pot of French onion soup.

It’s that sensory memory of the herb, combined with images of steaming bowls of soup, that’s urging me to plant my own crop of shallots in the vegetable garden this fall.

Shallots are the smaller, tastier members of the onion family. Food historians say shallots originated in the ancient Palestinian city of Ascalon and written descriptions of the “onion” appear as early as 77 A.D. These bulbs share some similarities with onions, such as how they’re grown, and other similarities with garlic because each head has several cloves wrapped in a papery covering.

Shallots can be planted either in spring or fall. Fall plantings are limited to the areas of the country where winters are neither too hot nor too cold. Some experts say fall planting is fine for gardeners in my Zone 5–others say shallots should be a spring-time crop.

It’ll be an interesting experiment to see which experts are right.

I’m planting some of my French shallots in the vegetable bed and some in a more protected flower bed. Because the shallot bulbs grow best in loose soil, I’ll make sure to dig in some compost to give them the best start possible. It’s important to plant shallots in well-drained soil so the bulbs won’t rot.

Planting shallots is a bit different from planting garlic. Shallots are separated into individual bulbs and planted shallower, with the tip level with the soil’s surface. And instead of bulbs forming from a garlic-like clove, shallots will form a cluster of bulbs around each one so they’ll need more room to grow.

Fall-planted shallots should be ready to harvest in early summer. They can also be pulled in spring and enjoyed as green onions. If allowed to mature completely, they’ll need time to dry before storing. I’m hoping my fall-planting experiment is a success, so I can enjoy a bowl of homemade French onion soup early next fall.

(Peaceful Valley Farm and Garden Supply provided one-pound of shallots for my fall planting project.)

Fine Gardening Recommended Products

A.M. Leonard Deluxe Soil Knife & Leather Sheath Combo

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

MULTITASKING DUAL EDGES: a deep serrated edge and a tapered slicing edge ideal for tough or delicate cuts. DURABLE 6-inch stainless steel blade withstands 300 lbs of pressure. TWINE CUTTING NOTCH, DEPTH GAUGE MARKINGS & spear point - no need to switch tools when using this garden knife. LEATHER SHEATH: heavy duty, protective, clip on sheath to keep your knife convenient and secure. LIFETIME WARRANTY.

Buy at Amazon

Nothers RooTrimmer 50 Cell, 10pcs

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

50 cell plastic seedling deep trays, each size is 3.54" deep, big holes, side 1.89" x 1.89", hold larger volume of the soil which can be better for trees, longer rhizomas or similar tall growing plants. Fits for standard 10" 20" trays. 10pcs per pack trays, thicker and more durable, 1mm thick trays for long term use, sturdy to carry and transport. Indoor or greenhouse propagation or nursery is good.

Buy at Amazon

Berry & Bird Rabbiting Spade, Trenching Shovel

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Ideal Tool for All Gardeners Use: Our heavy duty trenching shovel is designed by a professional gardening tool designer. Lifetime Durability: This heavy duty drain spade is made of high-quality stainless steel, it is very strong and durable, even if it is used for high-strength work, it will not bend. Ergonomic Wood Handle: The handle of this planting spade is made of ash hardwood harvested from FSC-certified forests and has an ergonomically streamlined design, making it very suitable for everyone's hands. Multi-Use: This digging shovel is generally used for digging trenches, digging holes, transplanting, edging, moving compost, cutting thick turf and furrowing. The sharp blade allows you to cut, scoop, dig, lift and dice in hard soil.

Buy at Amazon