Nero Shallots Hybrid Onion Sets

Days to Maturity: 90 to 120

Nero Shallots Hybrid Onion Sets, a hybrid shallot variety, is a bulb vegetable. The plant produces traditional globe-shaped bulbs. The bulbs are 1½ to 2 inches in diameter with red to copper skin, white flesh, and a mild, sweet onion flavor and a fine texture. Use fresh, cooked, or pickle in vinegar and brine. Cured shallots will store for several months. Shallot greens are also used as garnish for soups and sauces. They are rich in minerals, including phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and nitrogen.

Nero Shallot is a member of the onion family (Alliaceae). It produces a fleshy, leafy shoot above ground.

Shallots prefer full sun and weed-free, well-drained, sandy limey soil. Heavy feeders, they require plenty of fertilizer and water, at least 1 inch of water per week. A 20-20-20 fertilizer promotes root development. Plant bulblets 4 to 6 inches apart with root end down and tapered end up, facing the sun, and cover with soil except the very tip. Shallots spaced farther apart will tend to multiply; spaced closer, they will produce single bulbs. Plant on single rows as close as 1 to 2 feet apart or on double rows with drip irrigation in the middle.

Onion sets are small onion bulbs grown in the previous season. The partially formed bulbets are around ¾ inch in diameter, making them easier to plant than seed. They develop into full-size bulbs quickly after planting, in approximately 3½ months. Sets tend to produce stronger, more vigorous plants compared to seed, ensuring larger yields.