Banana shallot (echalion): Sowing, planting and harvest calendar
When and how do you sow echalion onions outdoors?
Sow echalion onions when the soil is workable and beginning to warm. Spring sowing is usual for common types, but adjust timing to your cultivar and climate. The echalion described here is a seed-grown elongated onion, not a traditional shallot multiplied by planting bulbs.
Choose a sunny, well-drained site. Remove weeds, break surface clods and avoid ground where water stands. Make shallow drills roughly 20–30 cm apart. Sow thinly about 1 cm deep, cover with fine soil and firm lightly. Water gently to moisten the drill without moving the seeds.
Maintain even moisture during emergence. The young, narrow leaves can be inconspicuous, so mark rows to avoid confusing them with weeds. Thin gradually to about 8–10 cm between plants, allowing more room for larger bulbs when the cultivar permits. Weed carefully close to seedlings without injuring their roots. Excessive density produces smaller bulbs. Do not turn an estimated growing time into a guaranteed harvest date: follow actual development and keep the sowing label. Leaving room early is easier than trying to separate a tightly crowded row after the bulbs have begun to swell.
When and how do you transplant echalion onion plants?
How to care for this plant
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Weed
Remove weeds around young bulbs, especially if they shade them. Close to the plants, weed by hand to protect the roots and avoid damaging the bulbs.
When and how do you harvest and store echalion onions?
