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Growing Onions and Shallots

Organic gardening tips

Due to ideal conditions this year, our onions produced an excellent crop. Onions tend to do well in poor soil and dry conditions. That is why most of our supermarket onions here are imported from countries like Spain where the soil is very fine, dry and almost sandy.


Red onion crop in dry earth with green stems bending over, starting to dry out and be ready for harvesting
Red onion crop in dry earth with green stems bending over, starting to dry out and be ready for harvesting

Apart from natural rain, onions do not need additional water. If you water the onions they may grow well, but their quality may suffer. When they are left to fend for themselves to reach out with their roots in search of natural moisture, they keep their quality and store well.

Even if they turn out to be small they will be more potent, tasty and fleshy in quality, without additional water. If they get too much water, they do not store well and wrinkle up. Onions that are grown for display in shows are sometimes fed sugar water through pipes. They are lifted on the morning of the show. They look good on display, but within 48 hours they are shrivelled up and not suitable for eating.

Regular maintenance such as hoeing the ground for weeds helps maintain the quality of soil and keeps them form competing with the onions. When you chop the heads off small weeds with a hoe they rot down and provide nutrients for the soil. When photosynthesis can no longer take place, the roots of weeds such as Mare's tail eventually give up and rot down. Getting rid of weeds by hand is also sometimes necessary. It is good to remove all the roots of weeds when you fist dig over the soil bed before planting.

It is also important not to tread on the soil to compact it, but use a board or a plank when it becomes necessary to walk over the soil. Sometimes the onions may need re-adjusting if foxes and cats decided to dig them up and play around on the plot during the night time.


A previously used cultivated plot with poor soil and slab paving- plenty of shallot, yellow onions and red onions
A previously used cultivated plot with poor soil and slab paving- plenty of shallots, yellow onions and red onions

The beds of soil we chose for our onions were the only part of the allotment garden that had been previously cultivated. Due to continuous use, the soil was very fine, and a lot of the richness had been taken out of the soil. It was therefore the ideal place to plant the onion sets. We grew yellow and red onions, and also red shallots with a few torpedo shallots.


Red shallots, which have multiplied several times- very similar to cloves of garlic
Red shallots, which have multiplied several times- very similar to clothes of garlic

Shallots are a very interesting and an amazing type of onion. You put them in the ground and they literally multiply. For each shallot you put in the ground you get up to 9 in return. Shallots make great picked onions and are perfect for casseroles. They divide into cloves like garlic.


Another bed of shallots planted next to the broadbeans and potatos
Another bed of shallots planted next to the broadbeans and potatos


Crop of yellow onions to dry out on a wire rack held up by two pieces of wood above the earth bed
Crop of yellow onions to dry out on a wire rack held up by two pieces of wood above the earth bed


Crop of red onions left to die off and dry out on a wire rack held up by pieces of wood. The paths, slabs, downward slope to the north and east with a raised earth bed provide good drainage for the ideal type of soil
Crop of red onions left to die off and dry out on a wire rack held up by pieces of wood. The paths, slabs, downward slope to the north and east with a raised earth bed provide good drainage for the ideal type of soil

Onions are a 3 year process. The first year they grow from seed into little onions ideal for salads, like spring onions. Spring onions are just the white variety of baby onion. Small red and yellow onions are also suitable for such use. When they are ready to store, you can pull them up and then replant them again next spring. In the second year they grow into nice quality big onions. In the third year they go to seed.

After harvesting the onion crop, all the nutrients needed by onions are now used up from the soil. So next year it is good to rotate and plant something different in their place. Next year we will plant carrots and parsnip in this area as they do not prefer rich soil.

How to get the seed from onions?

There are many reasons to get the seed of onions. Why buy small onions and grow them into big onions? Saving and using the seed of onions allows you to grow your own onions instead of buying them. The onions may also be better quality.

Look for onions that send up a stem with a flower. Some people have the idea that if some of their onions start going to seed it is bad thing, as the plants will put more energy into forming the flower than the bulb, which may result in a poor quality onion.

However we want the seed. So when onions start doing this, use a stick to prop up the stem in order to encourage it to grow. Alternatively if you have the problem of too many onions going to seed, you can control what goes to seed by cutting off the flowers, and then the quality of the onion should not be affected.


If you see that an onion might start going to seed, use a stick to prop up the stem. Also notice that the shallots have completely dried out
If you see that an onion might start going to seed, use a stick to prop up the stem. Also notice that the shallots have completely dried out


After harvesting the crop, the propped up onions are left to go to seed
After harvesting the crop, the propped up onions are left to go to seed


This floret (flower ball head) of the onion stem contains lots of tiny black seeds after open polination. As this starts to dry out, it opens up and the seeds will be ready to fall out
This floret (flower ball head) of the onion stem contains lots of tiny black seeds after open pollination. As this starts to dry out, it opens up and the seeds will be ready to fall out


Tie a plastic bag over the dried out onion floret
Tie a plastic bag over the dried out onion floret


Cut the flower
Cut the flower


Now give the bag a shake. You can then see the onion seeds at the bottom of the bag
Now give the bag a shake. You can then see the onion seeds at the bottom of the bag


You now have the onion seed to store for early next spring. They store well in paper bags. You may even keep the whole dried out floret in the bag until all the seeds have come out
You now have the onion seed to store for early next spring. They store well in paper bags. You may even keep the whole dried out floret in the bag until all the seeds have come out

Red Shallots

Red shallots- you just store and use them when you need them, and replant some them next spring
Red shallots- you just store and use them when you need them, and replant some next spring

With shallots you have plenty to use and store all year round. You then select some nice ones to plant again next spring. This above set have been used continuously for over 25 years.


Red onions and shallots being stored and cured further in a green house
Red onions and shallots being stored and cured further in a green house

Storing the crop is also an important part of home organic gardening. The idea is that you supply your own vegetables all year round and have enough to share in abundance with others.


Red shallots being stored in an orange net bag
Red shallots being stored in an orange net bag