Kitchen Garden Forum

About 6 weeks ago I planted some shallots (Jermor). They are not growing - no shoots, no roots, nothing. I bought them from a reputable company (Marshalls) and they seemed sound when I planted them. I lifted a couple yesterday and they are not rotting - just sitting there. The bed is covered with netting, so the pigeons are not disturbing them. In the same bed I have another variety of shallot (Golden Gourmet), some garlic and onion sets. All of these are coming along well.

Any thoughts would be welcome.

Am, not a shallot expert but have you tried digging up a couple of them to see whether there are any bugs which might be nibbling away at the roots ?

Evening Binky, the only time i've known this to happen is, when the basal plate has gone very dry and there has been a lack of rain when planted.


But i'm sure they must have had a good soaking, since planting, so not sure that this is the case this time.

I suppose you could lift one and place it in a saucer of water, the roots will appear within a couple of days, if this is the cause....just a thought.

Thank you for your suggestion, OH. I have soaked the base of two of them for a week - still no sign of life.

Morning Binky, your problem has me stumped.......i just can not think of any other reason, especially as the sets seemed sound when planted. I think it would pay to contact Marshalls, tell them what you have done so far and see what they say. I know this won't help with this years crop, as it's rather late for replacements, but at least you should get a refund.

Why don't you go back to Marshalls? We had a dodgy delivery of Strawberries this year and they agreed to replace them. The second delivery is much better quality.

I wrote to Marshalls. They never replied - despite their website claiming they reply within 4 working days and that their products are 100% guaranteed!

....and the shallots still haven't grown.

Morning Binky, i would write to them again, complaing about the sets and their service.......you could also mention you are a member of a gardening forum and you are talking about what is going on, with the other members.

sorry Binky but I cannot offer any positive reason why
a) your Jermor shallots seem to have failed
and
b) you appear to be receiving bad service from Marshalls


Jermor is a variety I have grown for a few years but which I don't buy from Marshalls, have always used Taylors or Unwins purchased from garden centres.

When it comes to Onion, Shallots and Potatoes I much prefer to see exactly what I am getting at time of purchase.
You don't mention whether you purchased via mail order or from a local retail outlet.
If a local outlet you may get a better, and quicker, resolution by complaining to them.

Sorry to rub salt into wound but have to say my Jermor shallots, which I always use as an overwintering variety, are doing really well this year, far better than my Senshyu onions are doing.

Following the fiasco with my shallots this year, I have been looking at different suppliers. Some are offering autumn planting shallots. I have never planted shallots in the autumn. Has anyone done this successfully?

I wonder if you just have a bad lot. My Jermore shallots came originally from Marshalls and have been excellent every year. I just save some to replant in spring. They do better if you don't plant them too early. I put mine in in late February or March if the ground isn't frozen. If we get a bad winter I start them I pots in the cold frame.

Hi Binky

I had EXACTLY the same problem with my Jermor shallots from Marshalls. I phoned them, spoke to Catherine and received a full refund with their apologies.

At the time, it appeared it was just me, I'm glad to hear it wasn't something I'd done!

Phone them, they really are very helpful.

Binky, I have planted shallots in autumn for years. Now, looking back at my records, I see that I planted my Jermor shallots (from D T Brown) on 23 September last year and harvested a huge crop about three weeks ago. They have been drying off in the greenhouse and this morning I pickled two large jars, still leaving plenty for use until next spring.

I also grew shallots Ambition from seed (also from D T Brown, planted out on 10 April this year). They are still in the ground and ripening, again it looks a big crop this year.

The autumn planted shallots usually keep until about March with me, the seed sown ones last well into the following summer, in fact, I recently found a stray shallot Ambition from last year and it was still perfectly usable.

Marshall's didn't send out their Jermor shallots until around late January, but as Binky says, they didn't throw out a root, a shoot they just sat there.

I did ask Marshalls if they could have been heat treated (like the sets are) and it had been overdone, but they said that shallots are not heat treated at all. Mine were planted in early February and chucked out in early July, looking much the same as when I planted them, It was unbelievable!

I usually plant shallots in December, and as DT Brown are selling them for autumn planting, I'm ordering this month! Thanks Monika

I didn't get the patch dug in time to plant out my autumn shallot sets last year so I put them in individual pots and placed in a cold frame ( and watered every now and again) until April when I put them in the final position. I've had the most amazing crop ever! Will definitely do this again. Also grew some from seed and put seedlings into a raised bed with pretty good results.