Shallots are rarely grown in our gardens. In the West, he is the most common and favorite variety of this family. The whole point here is its sweet-bitter taste, delicate leaves and the ability to be very well preserved all winter.
In another way, such a bow is also called "family, shrubbery" or "multi-nest". Caring for it is almost no different from caring for ordinary onions.
Shallots, the cultivation of which begins with the preparation of planting material, are planted in beds around the end of April, but it is possible in the middle, depending on the weather. Preliminarily, it is best to introduce humus into the ground, then you will not have to feed plants in the future. Bulbs are cut into 3 to 8 parts, depending on size. When planting, make sure that the distance between the rows is about thirty centimeters, and between the bushes - 15 cm, but this is only if you grow the plant on the bulbs. With a rare arrangement in the garden, they will grow larger. Shallots, which are grown on herbs, can be planted more often.
The distance between the rows should be 18 cm, and between the plants themselves - 8 cm. The leaves of this variety are hollow and not as voluminous as that of the onion.
Landing shallots has one feature. In order to obtain multi-nesting plants, it is necessary immediately before transferring to the bed to heat the planting material to a temperature of about 50 degrees. The location of the bulbs can be not only in the form of rows, but also in a checkerboard pattern. It all depends on your preferences and convenience.
Family shallots are very fond of plentiful watering, so it is necessary to ensure that the garden does not dry out. Its difference from onion is that in one bush not one bulb grows, but several. You can use the leaves for food a month and a half after planting. And you need to do this correctly. Do not just tear off the sheet. It is better to pull it out of the ground with one of the bulbs. Otherwise, you can get a much smaller crop. If you tear off individual leaves from the plant, the bulbs will grow small.
When pulling out, it turns out to be of double benefit - both an addition to the table, and thinning out the beds.
Somewhere in the middle of summer, the leaves begin to dry out and lie on the ground. This is a signal to stop watering shallots. Growing it on this is almost over. It is necessary to wait until all the leaves turn yellow and, slightly raking the ground from above, pull the bulbs out of the ground. They are stored very well. To do this, you can tie them into braids, like bulbs. Such a "pigtail" can even become a good decoration for the kitchen.
Shallots, the cultivation of which like garlic can be carried out in the winter way, is excellent as a garden crop for the northern regions. Its vegetation period is somewhat shorter than that of onions. In addition, the ripening period can be significantly reduced by applying the winter growing method.
This variety in a private garden will be a great addition to onions. Because of its delicate leaves, it may sometimes be preferable to the latter. Moreover, his bulbs are healthier, as they contain more vitamins. And there are practically no losses during storage.