Spring Planting Onion, Shallot & Garlic Trio

Where to Plant

Choose an open, sunny position with fertile, well-drained soil. Before planting, remove weeds and work in well-rotted garden compost if needed. Avoid freshly manured ground and areas that remain waterlogged, as onions, shallots and garlic all perform best where excess water can drain away freely.

Planting Your Onion & Shallot Sets

Plant ‘Crusado’ onion sets and ‘Golden Gourmet’ shallot sets with the pointed end facing upwards and the tip just showing above the soil surface. Space ‘Golden Gourmet’ around 15cm apart, with 30cm between rows. Plant ‘Crusado’ around 10–15cm apart, with approximately 30cm between rows, giving the bulbs enough room to develop.

Planting Your Garlic

Separate ‘Picardy Wight’ bulbs into individual cloves immediately before planting, leaving the papery skin intact. Plant each clove with the pointed end facing upwards, around 15cm apart, with the tip about 2.5cm below the soil surface and approximately 30cm between rows.

Growing in Containers

All three crops can also be grown in large, well-drained containers. Choose containers at least 30cm deep and give each crop enough room to develop without overcrowding. Container-grown plants will need more regular watering than those growing in open ground.

Watering & Feeding

Water during prolonged dry spells, particularly while the bulbs are actively developing and swelling. Once the crops are approaching maturity and the foliage begins to yellow and die back, stop watering to allow the bulbs to ripen ready for lifting.

Well-prepared soil should provide a good start. On poorer soils, a balanced vegetable feed can be applied while the plants are actively growing. Avoid excessive high-nitrogen feeding, which can encourage leafy growth at the expense of good bulb development.

Keep Them Weed Free

Onions, shallots and garlic have relatively shallow roots and don't compete well with weeds. Weed regularly, taking care not to damage the roots or developing bulbs.

Protecting Newly Planted Sets

Birds can sometimes pull newly planted onion and shallot sets from the soil before they've rooted properly. Check them regularly and gently push any disturbed sets back into place. Fleece or suitable netting can be used temporarily until the sets are securely rooted.

Good Companions

Onions, shallots and garlic fit easily into a productive vegetable plot alongside crops such as carrots, beetroot and leafy salads. Their upright growth takes up relatively little room above ground, helping you make good use of your growing space.

Making the Most of Your Bed

Quick-growing crops such as radishes and salad leaves can be grown nearby and harvested while your spring-planted crops are still developing. Avoid overcrowding them so the onions, shallots and garlic continue to receive plenty of light and good airflow.

Crop Rotation

All three crops belong to the onion family, so avoid planting them where onions, shallots, garlic or leeks have recently been grown. They can be affected by some of the same soil-borne pests and diseases.

Planning Ahead

Where practical, leave three to four years before growing onion-family crops in the same ground again. Once your summer harvest has been lifted, the cleared space can be put back to work with later-sown salads and other quick-growing vegetables.

When to Harvest

The three crops won't necessarily be ready at exactly the same time, so harvest each as it reaches maturity. As a general guide, onions, shallots and garlic are approaching harvest when their foliage begins to yellow and die back naturally.

How to Harvest

Choose a dry day and carefully loosen the soil beneath the bulbs with a garden fork before lifting them. Handle the bulbs gently, particularly those you intend to keep after harvest, as bruising can affect their keeping quality.

Drying Your Harvest

Allow the harvested bulbs to dry thoroughly somewhere warm, dry and airy. In fine weather they can begin drying outdoors; if conditions are damp, move them under cover somewhere with plenty of ventilation.

Sorting Your Crop

Once dry, check the bulbs and set aside any that are damaged, bruised or showing signs of deterioration. Use these first and keep only sound, thoroughly dried bulbs for later use.

Top Tip

Keep your onions, shallots and garlic labelled as you lift and dry them. As well as making them easy to identify, you'll be able to see how each crop performed in your garden.

Three Kitchen Essentials

Onions, shallots and garlic form the starting point for countless home-cooked dishes, and this collection gives you all three straight from your own plot.

Onion ‘Crusado’

Its smooth, rounded bulbs are easy to prepare with little wastage and have an excellent flavour for everyday cooking. Slice or chop them into soups, stews, curries and sauces, or roast them to bring out their natural sweetness.

Shallot ‘Golden Gourmet’

The fleshy bulbs have a delicious flavour and are particularly good roasted whole, caramelised for tarts and gravies or finely sliced into sauces and dressings.

Garlic ‘Picardy Wight’

Use the cloves to add plenty of garlic flavour to everyday cooking. Roast them until soft, crush them into sauces and marinades or add them to soups, casseroles and traybakes.

Top Tip

Try roasting onions, shallots and garlic together with seasonal vegetables and herbs for an easy way to enjoy all three crops in one dish.

What to Expect When They Arrive

Your collection contains approximately 65–75 ‘Crusado’ onion sets, 15 ‘Golden Gourmet’ shallot sets and 2 ‘Picardy Wight’ garlic bulbs with approximately 20–25 cloves, ready for spring planting.

Ready to Plant

Onion and shallot sets are small, dormant bulbs that can be planted individually as they arrive. Separate each ‘Picardy Wight’ garlic bulb into individual cloves immediately before planting, leaving the papery skin intact, then plant each clove separately with its pointed end facing upwards.

If You Can't Plant Straight Away

Keep your sets and garlic bulbs somewhere cool, dry and well ventilated until you're ready to plant. Check them occasionally and plant as soon as conditions allow.