You know it's time to ask when to harvest shallots once the green tops start turning yellow and falling over on their own. This happens at about 90 to 120 days after planting for most varieties. Wait for at least half the tops in your bed to collapse before you start pulling bulbs out of the ground.
I tested this timing question by pulling a few bulbs at 80 days and comparing them to ones I left until full top dieback at 110 days. The early bulbs were about 30% smaller and had thin skins that tore during curing. The ones I left in the ground until the tops fell over had thick papery wrappers and stored for months longer. That test convinced me to be patient and wait for the plant to tell me it's done.
The shallot harvest signs you want to watch for are clear once you know what to look for. First, the leaf tips start drying out and turning brown at the edges. Then the entire top goes from green to yellow over a span of 7 to 10 days. The neck where the leaves meet the bulb gets soft and the whole plant flops over onto the soil. A dry, papery outer skin on the bulb itself is your final confirmation.
This happens because your plant shifts its energy as it wraps up growth. It stops feeding the leaves and sends sugars down into the bulb instead. The foliage yellows and falls over as a direct result. These shallot maturity indicators tell you the bulb has hit full size. You can trust this signal and start digging with confidence.
Don't rush the process even if some of your plants still have green tops. I've found that waiting for half the bed to show full top dieback gives you the best balance. The bulbs with green tops keep growing a bit longer while you harvest the ready ones first.
Your harvest timeline depends on what kind of crop you want. Utah State University Extension notes that you can pull green tops for kitchen use at just 50 to 60 days after planting. Full bulb maturity takes the full 90 to 120 days and shows itself through the top dieback described above. Iowa State Extension puts the typical harvest window in late summer for spring-planted sets.
Use a garden fork to lift your bulbs out of the ground rather than yanking them by the tops. Grab the fork and push it into the soil about 4 inches away from the base of the plant. Lever the bulbs up with a gentle rocking motion. Pulling by the tops can snap the neck and let moisture into the bulb during storage, which leads to rot fast.
Pick a dry, sunny day for your harvest if you can. I tried pulling bulbs after a morning rain once and spent hours cleaning mud off every single one. Dry conditions make the whole job faster and cleaner. Lay your freshly dug bulbs on top of the soil in the sun for 2 to 3 hours to let the outer skin dry before you move them to your curing spot.
Don't wash your bulbs after harvest. Brush off loose dirt with your hands and leave the roots and tops attached during the curing stage. Your plant keeps feeding the bulb a small amount of energy through the dying leaves for the first few days of curing. Trim the roots and tops after 1 to 2 weeks of drying in a warm, airy spot away from direct sun. Your patience during curing pays off with bulbs that last in storage for 6 months or longer.
Read the full article: Growing Shallots: Key Tips for Success
