How to Grow Shallots USA
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In the US, when to plant shallots depends on your winter: in the warm Southeast, sets go in during autumn for a winter and spring harvest, while in the colder Midwest they aren't reliably hardy, so sets are planted in spring and dug up each fall for indoor storage. Either way, space sets 6–8 in apart and set them just 1–2 in deep, with the tip left showing — don't bury the bulb.
The short answer
- Ready in
- 90–120 days
- Site
- soil pH 6–7
- Biggest risk
- Allium white rot
Core growing advice on this page is checked against named horticultural sources — see References.
Shallot (Allium cepa Aggregatum Group)
16 sources cited · Verified
Quick Facts
| Factor | Value |
|---|---|
| Soil pH | 6 - 7 |
| Optimal growing temp | 68-77°F (20-25°C) |
| Minimum survivable temp | 23°F (-5°C) |
| Time to harvest | 90-120 days |
| Drainage | RHS: "fertile, well-drained soil" in a sunny site; avoid "damp soil" and "heavy soil prone to waterlogging". |
| Lifecycle | Hardy biennial grown as an annual. The cluster of bulbs is harvested in the first season; plants would flower and set seed only in a second year after cold exposure. |
| Edible parts | bulbs |
| Documented problems | 4 diseases, 3 pests |
At a Glance
Diseases
Pests
When to plant in the USA
United States. Shallots are planted at opposite ends of the year depending on whether your winter kills the bulb, and the two authorities differ for that reason rather than by disagreement. In the warm Southeast, Clemson plants bulbs in AUTUMN for winter and spring harvest. In the cold continental Midwest, Iowa State reports that bulbs "are not reliably hardy to many parts of Iowa" and plants SETS IN SPRING, lifting them when the foliage dies back and storing them indoors over winter for replanting. Decide by your own winter, not by a national date. Either way: space 6-8 in apart with sets 1-2 in deep, and note the quirk that shallot bulbs often develop sitting on top of the ground — do not cover them with soil. Green tops can be cut once 6-8 in tall or from about 60 days; dry bulbs are lifted after the tops have died down completely, cured about a week in a warm dry place, and stored in mesh bags. Use the smallest bulbs first, since they keep worst. Soil pH 6.2-6.5.
Soil & Growing Conditions
Growth Stages
| Stage | BBCH | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Planting & Establishment | 0 | Shallots are usually grown from heat-treated sets. PLANTING DEPTH & SPACING: push each set into soft, firmed soil so the tip is just showing at the surface, spacing them 15-20cm (6-8in) apart in rows 25-30cm (10-12in) apart (RHS). From seed, sow in drills 1.5cm (half inch) deep with rows about 25cm (10in) apart, thinning seedlings to 10cm (4in). TIMING: plant sets from early to mid-spring; some varieties can be planted in autumn or even winter to overwinter, but avoid autumn/winter planting on heavy, waterlogged soil where the bulbs may rot. Choose an open, sunny site on fertile, free-draining ground. Birds often tug newly planted sets out by the withered tops, so check and re-firm any that lift. |
| Leaf Growth & Clump Formation | 3 | Each set multiplies, sending up a clump of slender leaves as it begins to divide into a cluster of bulbs. Keep the bed regularly weeded - shallot foliage casts little shade and competes poorly with weeds - taking care not to disturb the shallow roots. Water only in prolonged dry spells in early summer (and container plants more often); established plants in the ground rarely need it. If any flower stems appear, pull or cut them out at once so the plant puts its energy into forming bulbs rather than seed. |
| Bulb Development (Bulbing) | 7 | Through early to mid-summer the clump swells into a cluster of new bulbs. Ease off watering as the bulbs enlarge and STOP watering once the bulbs have swollen in mid-summer, so the skins firm and the shallots store well. Keep weeding lightly and remove any late flower stems. No feeding is usually needed if the soil was enriched before planting. |
| Ripening, Harvest & Curing | 8 | The crop is ready in mid- to late summer, once the leaves flop over and start to die back. On a dry day, ease each cluster up with a hand fork and gently separate the bulbs, taking care not to bruise them. Dry (cure) the bulbs for about two weeks on wire racks in the sun or in a warm, well-ventilated shed until the skins are papery and the necks fully dry. Store only perfect, undamaged bulbs in net bags or trays in a single layer somewhere light, cool, dry and airy; well-cured shallots keep for at least six to eight months. Save a few of the best bulbs to replant next season. |
Harvest & Storage
Companion Planting
Shallots, Set to Store
Plan your Shallots planting
When to sow and plant Shallots depends on your own frost dates. Check the USA vegetable planting calendar, or the month-by-month guides that cover Shallots: January. To work out where it fits in your beds, sketch your plot in the free Garden Layout Planner.
Growing Shallot in another region
Sowing dates, frost timing and local advice differ by country. Use the guide for where you garden.
Sources
-
US extension source for the warm Southeast: shallot bulbs are planted in fall for winter and spring harvest, spaced 6-8 in apart in the row with sets 1-2 in deep; harvest as green onions 60 days after planting, or as dry bulbs in late spring once tops have died down completely; cure a week in a warm dry place and store in mesh bags. Shallot bulbs often develop on top of the ground and should not be covered with soil. Allium soil pH 6.2-6.5.
-
US extension source for the cold continental Midwest, and the counterweight to Clemson: shallot sets are planted in SPRING and green tops harvested once 6-8 in tall; bulbs "are not reliably hardy to many parts of Iowa", so they are dug when the foliage dies back and stored indoors over winter until replanting in spring. Shallots and potato onions are both Allium cepa var. aggregatum, differing in bulb size.
These 3 sources are specific to this region. The full list of 16 sources behind this guide (Clemson Cooperative Extension, FAO EcoCrop, Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) and others) is in the references of our UK guide to shallots; they describe the plant itself, which is the same wherever it grows.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do shallots take to grow?
Typically 90–120 days, depending on cultivar and growing conditions.
What soil pH do shallots need?
A pH of about 6–7. That span reflects genuine variation between the authorities we cite rather than a single agreed figure — the References section lists each source's exact range.
What problems affect shallots?
Our data links 4 diseases and 3 pests to this crop. See the sections above for each one and how to manage it.
Plan next season before the problems start
Almost everything on this page resolves to your own frost dates rather than the calendar — the last spring frost moves by roughly two months between zone 3 and zone 10. The USA Garden Planner works from your zone so the timing is already decided before the season starts.
Get the USA Garden Planner →Instant PDF download · Written for US growing conditions
How this guide is put together
The growing data on this page — sowing windows, pests, diseases, soil and site requirements — comes from named horticultural sources, listed in References below, checked against USDA hardiness-zone and frost-date data, with Cooperative Extension sources cited directly where one exists for a crop. An automated pipeline assembles that verified data into the page you're reading: it selects which facts to lead with and builds the surrounding prose and layout. It does not invent a date, a source or a number — where a verified value for a field isn't available, the page leaves it out rather than guessing. A person reviews and publishes each page; nothing goes live unverified.
Last verified 2026-08-06
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