Autumn planting onions & shallots – more info
Planting onion and shallot sets in autumn is a great way to keep your plot ticking over during the winter months. There are lots of delicious varieties to choose from, ranging from red to white onions, and huge showstopping globes to delicate sweet banana shallots. Find answers below to some really common onion and shallot questions to help you pick.
Which shallot is the most hardy?
You’ll want to plant a frost hardy shallot if your garden typically goes below zero in winter. Most shallot varieties are pretty hardy and able to resist a frost. Shallot ‘Longor’ is a classic variety with good frost tolerance and an excellent sweet flavour. For in depth shallot growing guidance, check out our article ‘How To Grow Shallots’ at the blog.
Which autumn onions are best for flavour?
The best autumn onion for flavour may well be the red Onion 'Electric'. The purple tinged flesh has lovely flavour well suited for sprinkling raw into salads or pickling. Find top tips for growing delicious healthy onions at our blog.
Which companion plants are good for onions and shallots?
Plant your onions and shallots next to carrots. The strong oniony smell they give off helps put carrot fly off the scent. Place other members of the allium family like leeks away from your bulbs to reduce the spread of any allium pests. Companion flowers like calendula and nasturtium are good companions for onions and shallots as they act as decoys for predators and attract beneficial insects like ladybirds to the plot.
What’s the difference between shallots and onions?
Shallots are typically milder in taste and subsequently sweeter than onion. They’re the perfect ingredient when a lighter touch is required, for example in vinaigrettes or sliced raw into green salads. Onions hold their flavour better when they’re fried at high temperatures or slow cooked into stews. When they grow, shallots are sometimes distinctive for growing in bunches of a few smaller bulbs whereas onions are typically single bulbs.
