Stored shallots
I’m keeping a keen eye out for any that are rotting or early sprouting
Ialways seem to have a problem storing shallots, so I’m regularly checking my ‘Aristocrat’ bulbs for signs of rotting or early sprouting. I discard any showing premature green leaves because they never seem to do well. I don’t have problems with the variety ‘Jermor’ that I buy in to sell on, so it’s probably because my bulbs spend six months out of the ground before being replanted.
This year I grew my shallots in raised steel beds in a mixture of good quality top soil and well-rotted manure with 4oz of Medwyn’s Base top dressing worked into each yard run. The previous year many had rotted away without me realising due to insufficient drainage holes in the beds, so I rectified this by drilling much bigger holes and made slots in the ground with a hand grinder. I then covered the holes with pieces of roofing tile before filling them with the above mixture.
Growth was good and I watered them regularly during the dry spell in June. I started lifting them on June 21 (the traditional shallotlifting date), over a couple of days. They were laid in the polytunnel on a bench covered with fine Enviromesh and I couldn’t have asked for better drying weather. In fact, I had to cover them with fleece during the hottest period.
I turned them regularly over summer and removed any loose skins. During September I selected the best bulbs for my display at Malvern, including those under 30mm (1in) for pickling.
The remainder were stacked in large carry trays and stored in my steel container. They need a dry storage area with no chance of dampness and it’s important you don’t pile them too deep because this could cause them to sweat and eventually rot. l Follow me on Twitter @medwynsofangles.