Collection: Shallots and Onion Plants

Onion sets or plants can be planted in the UK from March to April for a summer/autumn harvest or from September to October for a spring harvest.

Your onion and shallot plants should be spaced about 10-15cm apart. If you’re growing them in rows, leave around 30cm between these.

Onions need to be watered regularly, especially during hot or dry weather. Once or twice a week should be enough, and you shouldn’t need to water at all throughout autumn and winter.

You’ll get the best from your onions by using a general purpose plant food when you first plant them, then again once you see the bulbs start to swell.

When your onions are ready to harvest, you’ll see the leaves turn yellow and flop over. The tops of the onions themselves may also be visible as they peep through the soil. To harvest, ease them out of the ground gently with a trowel or fork and pull them up by hand. They’ll need to dry out in a warm, well ventilated place for a few weeks if you want to store them.

Onions can be grown in containers, but they need to be at least 30cm deep and have good drainage for the bulbs to develop fully.

Once your onions have dried out, store them in a cool, dry place with good ventilation. You can hang them in a mesh bag (or pair of tights) or braid the stems to give them plenty of airflow and reduce the risk of mould. Find more useful tips and tricks in our growers’ complete guide to onions.