When to plant shallots?
For the RHS, sow shallots in February, April and May, and plant the sets in January, February, March, April, October, November and December. Campania and Umbria have no sheet, and in Sicily the name appears only in a nutrient table, with no month.
When, by region
| North | Centre | South | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sowing | The sowing calendar marks February, April and May. Indoors, in late winter, five or six seeds to a cell, then leave three or four. Outdoors, in mid-spring, once the soil dries and starts to warm, 1.5 cm (½ in) deep, in rows about 25 cm (10 in) apart. Sets are planted from early to mid-spring, and some varieties in autumn or winter. The planting calendar marks January, February, March, April, October, November and December. Harvest marks July and August. | Umbria's 2025 sheets do not include shallots, and no month is written. | Campania has no shallot chapter. In Sicily the name appears in a nutrient table, not as a date. A month, and a temperature, are not written. |
| Spacing | Sets sit 15-20 cm (6-8 in) apart, in rows 25-30 cm (10-12 in) apart, with the tip just showing. Outdoor seed is thinned first to 5 cm (2 in) and then to 10 cm (4 in). Seed-raised plants go out as a clump, not split, 15-20 cm (6-8 in) apart, in rows 25-30 cm (10-12 in) apart. In a pot, one at least 30 cm (1 ft) wide and deep. | Umbria does not write a spacing. | As in the north, until a southern guide writes its own spacing. A density in plants per hectare is not written. |
It wants sun and soil that drains. In heavy, sodden ground, autumn and winter sets rot.
February, April and May, January, February, March, April, October, November and December, July and August, 1.5 cm (½ in), 25 cm (10 in), 5 cm (2 in), 10 cm (4 in), 15-20 cm (6-8 in), 25-30 cm (10-12 in), a pot of 30 cm (1 ft), the two weeks of drying and the six to eight months of storage are from the RHS. Campania has no shallot chapter. Umbria 2025 does not name it. Sicily prints it in a nutrient table, with no month. Onion, same family, is in when to plant onions. The months are in the January calendar, February, March, April, May, July, August, October, November and December.
February, April, May
The sowing calendar marks February, April and May, and skips March. Indoors, in late winter, sow five or six seeds to a cell and leave three or four plants: each seed makes one bulb, and the clump is planted whole. Outdoors, in mid-spring, seed goes 1.5 cm (½ in) deep, in rows about 25 cm (10 in) apart, thinned to 5 cm (2 in) and then to 10 cm (4 in). By late spring the plants have to be growing strongly, because the lengthening days start the bulb.
Sets are the simpler route. Plant them from early to mid-spring, with the tip just showing, 15-20 cm (6-8 in) apart, in rows 25-30 cm (10-12 in) apart. Some varieties, less sensitive to cold, go in during autumn or winter. The calendar marks January, February, March, April, October, November and December. In heavy soil that stays sodden, skip autumn and winter: the sets rot. Birds pull them out until they have roots. Onion is in when to plant onions.
No month in the centre or the south
Campania, in the 2026 guide, has no shallot chapter. Umbria, in the 2025 sheets, does not name it. Sicily, in the 2025 guide, prints the name in a nutrient table, next to celery and spinach, and not as a sowing date. A month and a temperature are not written. The RHS months, and the packet, still apply.
It wants sun and fertile soil that drains. A bucketful of garden compost per square metre, before planting, is what the RHS forks in. In a pot, one at least 30 cm (1 ft) wide and deep, and you water more often than in the ground. The pot is in the container garden.
Harvest in July and August
The harvest calendar marks July and August. Lift them once the leaves yellow and flop. Separate the bulbs in a cluster without bruising them. Dry them for about two weeks, in the sun or, if it rains, in an airy greenhouse, and store them for six to eight months, somewhere cool, light and dry. The dark makes them sprout. Any that flowered are eaten first. In mid-summer, once the bulbs have swollen, the RHS stops watering: late water makes them store less well.
In crop rotation shallots sit with onion, garlic and leek. White rot stays in the soil with that family.
In the app
Every plant in the catalogue has its own sowing calendar, and weather alerts for your area help you judge whether to sow now or hold off.
Frequently asked questions
When do I sow in the north?
The calendar marks February, April and May. March is not marked. Indoors, in late winter, five or six seeds to a cell. Outdoors, in mid-spring, 1.5 cm deep, rows about 25 cm apart, thinned to 5 cm and then to 10 cm.
When do I plant the sets?
The calendar marks January, February, March, April, October, November and December. In spring, from early to mid-season, tip just showing, 15-20 cm apart, rows 25-30 cm apart. Autumn and winter only with suitable varieties, and not in heavy soil that stays sodden.
What dates do Campania, Sicily and Umbria write?
None. Campania 2026 has no chapter. Umbria 2025 does not name it. Sicily prints it in a nutrient table, with no month. The RHS months, and the packet, still apply.
How far apart, and in a pot?
Sets 15-20 cm apart, rows 25-30 cm apart. Seed thinned to 5 cm and then to 10 cm. Seed-raised plants as a clump, 15-20 cm apart. A pot at least 30 cm wide and deep. A southern density, in plants per hectare, is not written.
How long do they store?
The RHS gives at least six to eight months, after about two weeks of drying. Keep them in the light, cool and dry. Flowered bulbs are eaten first. In mid-summer, once the bulbs have swollen, stop watering.