In answer to a question from Chris on the previous posting about how I dry off my shallots here is how I do it.
I currently have these 10 pickling shallots that I have harvested when they reached 27 mm at their widest point. They will have flat sides and often be quite ovoid in shape so I store them on a wire rack, complete with roots and foliage still, with the bulbs below the foliage. A brick in the centre of the chicken mesh means the mesh sags quite a bit allowing me to place the foliage on the wooden frame surrounding the mesh and thus the bulb is below the leaves. This means the sap from the leaves will go back into the bulb, increasing the size (in the case of these picklers to just under 30mm hopefully!), and rounding them up so that any flat sides will fully disappear. As I took these off the clumps at the same measurement they should all end up the same size giving me plenty of uniform bulbs to choose from.
I cover the shallots with some foam sheet to keep rain and sun off them.
I tend to lose a few in store before the shows come along and I reckon I can solve that this season by cutting the tops off once they have all dried out and storing the bulbs upside down to let any surplus moisture drip out. I will drill some holes in a piece of ply mounted on some support legs and poke the bulbs through so they are supported upside down and moisture can be released. A photo will follow in the next few weeks.
I use the same method as the above for my large shallots once they are ready in June.
And in answer to another question, I don't know what causes the purple tingeing on the shallots, but if you leave all the loose skins on for now, when you come to strip them down to the first unbroken skin before the show you will find that the purple tinges have virtually disappeared leaving you with shallots of the classic nut brown colour.
11 comments:
Just one question do you know what causes the Purple tingeing on the shallots cheers Paul
One more question....why are you such a northern arse?
do you dry them in house greenhouse tunnel shed and do you do it flat or at an angle ,thanks.us up north only learning so give us a break plus well done on 19 i thought you might have commented on it.
Another couple of photos posted Chris. I do mine outside. I find it can get far too warm in the greenhouse and they can dry out to the point of shrivelling if you're not careful. I cover mine to keep the rain off ......see last photo.
What size do you harvest your main show shallots at?
As big as you can get them! I harvested mine at 45mm last year and they ended up about 50mm.
Thanks for that.
With Hative de Niort, is there a particular size/time where the bulbs start to become mis-shapen or is it just a matter of experience that tells you when to harvest them?
I settle on a size i'm going to harvest at then break them off the clump when they reach that size....leaving the others to grow on. For me in the Midlands that is early June onwards. If there are still new green shoots coming from the growing point then they are still on this year's cycle and should be ok.
The minute that stops they are preparing for the next cycle and you may as well get them up whatever size they are or else they will go out of shape.
What effect might the dry, warmer May weather have on the Autumn shows--my Sweet Candle carrots are well ahead of previous years in spite of being outside without overhead cover---Tumbler F 1 tomatoes(not for exhibition) outside in hanging pouches are just coming into flower, again well ahead of previous years---I know the weather can soon even things up.
How do the showmen cope in such circumstances?.
Well it's just another challenge. You cannot afford to let your guard drop and you need to be on top of the watering to make sure your plants don't get stressed.
Having said that the weather seems much more in season the last few days so things even out.
Still dry as a desert down here in the South East corner. It's now been 6 weeks since we've seen anything more than a light, ten minute shower. Watering is a daily affair with brisk winds adding to the effect of the sun. However, the temperatures are pretty much average for the time of year.
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