Sunday, May 31, 2009

2009 Garlic and Shallots

I thought I’d show off my garlic and shallots since it looks like my best year thus far for growing them! I know that’s counting my chicks before the eggs hatch, because the real test will be when I harvest later in summer. However at this stage, they look the best I’ve grown yet.

Last fall I planted 5 varieties of garlic, and 2 varieties of shallots in newly dug and well-tilled beds amended with biochar, organic compost, worm castings, greensand, Azomite and CalPhos. The soil test indicated the NPK was fine if I planned a side dressing of fertilizer in spring. (I did.)


I planted Purple Striped Siberian, a mild hardneck, and Keeper, a hotter Creole hardneck that stores well. The Artichoke softnecks I planted are Red Toch from the Republic of Georgia, with mellow medium heat; Susanville, true garlic flavor but not hot, and a Turban Artichoke, Shantung Purple, which packs some serious heat if eaten raw.


The shallots I planted are French Red and Dutch Yellow. The French Red is quite popular with gourmet cooks; it has a rich flavor and pinkish bulbs. The Dutch Yellow shallots are a creamy-yellow and a bit more pungent flavor that mellows when cooked. The Dutch Yellow store much better than the French Red, and both produce bulbs 1-1/2” to 2” in diameter.


I normally grow leeks every year as well; I use a LOT of leeks in cooking and they are expensive to buy. Sadly, I neglected to order leek seedlings this year. I do have red and yellow onions just beyond and left of the shallots in the photo, so there will still be lots of alliums for my larder and for my recipes!

4 comments:

  1. i have garlic and leek envy! i have been so excited about my new raised beds and over the last week the trees have leafed out and i think i have too much shade. i am morning my garden before it has had much time to fail. i have a couple garlics that turned brown and shriveled and my onion tops are all falling over. but i am new to this so it could be something else?? i will just follow yours and compare! maybe i still have a chance.

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  2. Don't give up! Your garlic and onions probably got a good start in the sun before the trees leafed out. What's your zone and when did you plant the onions?

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  3. I'm trying shallots for the first time, wish I had ordered a lot more than I did. I split one off and re-planted them, not sure if I should have but they are growing.

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  4. Khalil, I'm interested in knowing how the split-off ones grow. Please let me know? Thanks.

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