Zone 11 · Alliums Growing Guide

When to Plant Shallot
in Zone 11

The cook's allium — complex, sweet flavour superior to onions for most dishes. Plant sets in fall or early spring. Each bulb multiplies into a cluster of 6–8 shallots. Easier than onions, stores brilliantly.

Plant outdoors
Nov – Jan
Start indoors
Direct sow
Last Frost
~none
Days to harvest
90–120 days
Difficulty
Easy
Wrong season — Zone 11
Harvest window: Feb – Mar

Planting Calendar

In Zone 11, Shallot should be planted outdoors Nov – Jan, after the average last frost date of approximately none.

Very challenging — little cold available. Small bulbs likely. Pre-chill sets 6–8 weeks.

Care Guide

Sunlight
Full sun · 6–8 hrs/day
Watering
Moderate
Spacing
6–8 inches
Soil
Loose, well-draining, fertile
Days to maturity
90–120 days
Soil pH
6.0–7.0
plant tip · Zone 11

Very challenging — little cold available. Small bulbs likely. Pre-chill sets 6–8 weeks.

Feeding Schedule

How often
twice a season
Feed type
balanced
Key timing
at planting and mid-season

Light feeder similar to onions. Feed at planting and once more mid-season. Stop feeding as bulbs swell.

Companion Planting for Shallot

What you plant next to shallot makes a real difference — some plants actively help, others compete or attract pests.

Grows well with
  • Carrots
  • Brassicas
  • Tomatoes
  • Beets
Keep away from
  • Beans
  • Peas
  • Asparagus

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Common questions

In Zone 11, shallot is a fall-planted crop. Plant outdoors Nov – Jan once temperatures cool in autumn. It overwinters and is ready to harvest around Feb – Mar. No last frost consideration — plant before the ground freezes.
Zone 11 has an average last spring frost of approximately none and a first fall frost around none. These dates vary by specific location — use your ZIP code in the plant app for precision based on the nearest NOAA weather station.
Good companion crops for shallot include Carrots, Brassicas, Tomatoes, Beets. Avoid planting near Beans, Peas, Asparagus, which can compete for nutrients or attract pests.
Shallot typically takes 90–120 days from transplant or direct sow to harvest in Zone 11. Expected harvest window: Feb – Mar.

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