Growing guide

Best time to plant shallot in Australia

Allium cepa var. aggregatum

Also called French shallot, French red shallot

A shallot is a type of onion, grown for small clustered bulbs with a mild, sweet flavour, and treated as its own species until it was merged into Allium cepa in 2010. Australian usage can confuse: in New South Wales the word may mean a scallion, while 'French shallot' points to this plant.

On a shared plot: suits a plot

Finishes in a season and stays within its space, so it suits most plots.

When to sow

ZoneJFMAMJJASOND
CoolBroadly matches local guides, with some differencesNoNoNoNoNoNoSowSowSowNoNoNo
TemperateNot yet checked against a local guideNoNoNoSowSowNoSowSowNoNoNoNo
SubtropicalBroadly matches local guides, with some differencesNoNoNoSowSowSowSowNoNoNoNoNo
TropicalMatches local guidesNoNoSowSowSowSowSowNoNoNoNoNo
AridBroadly matches local guides, with some differencesNoNoSowSowSowNoNoNoNoNoNoNo

Good months to sow

Your local conditions can shift any months shown here, so treat them as a guide.

Growing details

How to start
Sow directly in the bed
Sowing depth
5cm
Plant spacing
15cm
Row spacing
20cm
Height
30cm
Frost
Hardy, takes a light frost
Sun
Full sun
Life cycle
perennial, usually grown as an annual

These are typical figures, and varieties differ. Your seed packet takes priority.

Further reading on this plant