I potted up my shallots at the weekend. Each one is planted in a 3" pot of 1/3 sterilised topsoil and 2/3 multipurpose compost with added seaweed and superphosphate. They were given a quick watering and put into a cold greenhouse where they won't now be watered again for several weeks as I want them to make good roots that fill the pot. At that point I will pot on into larger pots (probably 5 or 6").
Last year I actually buried these pots into the borders rather than planting them out into the soil. The roots grow through the bottom of the pot and into the soil below. I found this made the job of thinning out and subsequent harvesting easier. As soon as the shallots start to divide you need to thin them out (very carefully) to leave only 2 thinnings to grow on. It's quite a fiddly job, but the two that are left have room to develop into nice, large rounded shallots that look good on the show bench. This usually takes place in early May, and I'll discuss that further nearer the time.
The thinnings you take off can be planted elsewhere and will grow on to give small pickling shallots also.
No comments:
Post a Comment