When do I harvest my shallots?

[Jodie Trainor]

This is the first time I have planted shallots (or any bulb vege for that matter) & I am not sure when to harvest them, other websites I've looked at say when the leaves turn brown but they seem quite big already (planted seedlings labour weekend) and the leaves are anything but brown. Should I leave them longer or harvest them?

[Merren]

Hope I'm not repeating myself - Windows update horned in and seems to have wiped my first attempt to answer !
Lifting any of the onion family before all leaves completely dry can cause rotting, even when hung up in an airy garage. I leave my shallots until they have released their grip on mother earth and can be picked up without tugging.

[Jodie Trainor]

thanks for that, I ended up pulling them up last weekend as they were falling all over the place, they weren't brown but came up easily when I pulled them. They looked good and I hang them in the shed, better check on them. do I keep them hanging in there and just go get them when I need them or after a while should I bring them in and store in my pantry?

[Richard Watson]

Just have them some where with good air movement and they should be fine

[Kali]

yikes I may have pulled mine too soon then!, better use them fast

[Megan]

me too. No problem about using them quickly, have already gone through most of my homegrown harvest and had to buy in extra supplies - pickled a jar of shallots with garlic in basalmic vinegar, can hardly wait for them to be ready to sample, another two months to go. Will have keep a vigilant eye on the ones that I set aside for replanting.

[Lynn]

I've just pulled mine out and the leaves were falling over, and had gone a wee bit brown. I think you can lift them and leave them in a warm airy place to dry out further. I've tied some up and hung them on the deck and some I've just cut the tops off and am now waiting to see what they do!! Hope this helps.

[Jodie Trainor]

thanks, they're still in the ground, falling over so I think I'll pull them out this weekend and hang them somewhere warm and airy

[Richard Watson]

If they are still green,they are still growing,i think leave them in a bit longer