When to plant Shallots in Cool Australia

Cool zone — applies to Hobart, Canberra, Ballarat, Orange, Armidale and similar areas. Growing elsewhere? Temperate · Subtropical · Tropical · Arid.

Shallots are flexible in cool districts and can be sown direct across the whole calendar, from January through to December, though autumn and late-winter plantings are the most reliable in cold-winter areas. Set the offsets or seed 30-50 mm deep, spacing them 15-20 cm apart with 25-30 cm between rows so each clump can multiply. Germination takes 10-14 days and bulbs are ready to lift in around 84-105 days. In cool cities like Hobart, Canberra and Orange, an autumn or late-winter planting lets the clumps establish through the cold and bulk up as the days lengthen, giving the best-sized bulbs.

Sowing calendar — cool zone

Green months are your sowing window: January to December.

Growing notes

Shallots grow as clumps of small bulbs rather than one large onion, and they are among the easiest alliums for cool gardens because they are fully hardy. The most common failure mode is rot in the clump, which almost always traces back to planting too deep or into heavy, wet soil over winter. The fix is to plant into free-draining, sunny ground with the tip of each offset only just below the surface at that 30-50 mm depth, and to raise the bed if your soil holds water in a cold Ballarat or Armidale winter.

Shallots are shallow-rooted and dislike competition, so keep the bed scrupulously weed-free by hand rather than hoeing deeply, which damages the roots. They need steady moisture while bulking up but should be eased off water as the tops begin to yellow and fall over, the sign that harvest is near.

Use companion planting to your advantage: shallots grow well alongside carrots, where the onion scent helps deter carrot fly, but keep them away from bush beans, since alliums inhibit bean growth and interfere with the nitrogen-fixing bacteria on their roots. Lift the clumps when the tops have died down, separate the bulbs, and dry them in an airy, rain-free spot before storing.

Shallots at a glance

Companion planting

Grows well with

Carrot: Allium scent deters carrot fly

Keep away from

Bean (Bush): Alliums inhibit bean growth

Bean (Bush): Alliums inhibit nitrogen-fixing bacteria

Common questions

When should you plant shallots in cool climates?

Although shallots can go in almost year-round in cool zones, autumn and late-winter plantings give the best results in cold-winter cities like Canberra and Orange. The clumps establish through the cold and bulk up strongly as the days lengthen into spring.

How deep do you plant shallots?

Plant offsets 30-50 mm deep with just the tip near the surface, spacing them 15-20 cm apart. Planting too deep in cold, wet winter soil is the main cause of rot, so keep them shallow and ensure good drainage.

What should you not plant near shallots?

Keep shallots away from bush beans, as alliums inhibit bean growth and interfere with the nitrogen-fixing bacteria on their roots. They do pair well with carrots, though, where the onion scent helps deter carrot fly.

How do you know when shallots are ready to harvest?

Shallots are ready in around 84-105 days, when the tops naturally yellow and fall over. Ease off watering at that point, then lift the clumps, separate the bulbs, and dry them in an airy, rain-free spot before storing.

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