how to grow shallots (+ some late-season succession tips), with k greene

The harvest video was on Hudson Valley Seed’s Instagram account, and one of that New York-based organic seed company’s co-founders, K Greene, talked with me about growing shallots and their more commonly grown cousin, garlic. He also shared some other ideas for succession sowing of edibles whose planting time still lies ahead—whether for fall harvest or to over-winter and enjoying in the year ahead.

Read along as you listen to the Aug. 7, 2023 edition of my public-radio show and podcast using the player below. You can subscribe to all future editions on Apple Podcasts (iTunes) or Spotify or Stitcher (and browse my archive of podcasts here).

Margaret Roach: Hi, K. How is this wild weather here treating all of you at the seed farm?

K Greene: I can’t believe you wanted to open talking about the weather.

Margaret: Oh, he’s laughing.

K: Thought we were going to keep this positive today. No, we’re good. It’s just been wet, wet, wet, wet, wet. And so, that’s been a challenge, but… Something every year.

Margaret: Exactly. The new normal. I saw that reel on Instagram, that video, and it was you had this special device, this machine, that was harvesting the shallots. And by the way, I don’t even know if we say SHALL-lots or sha-LOTS [laughter].

K: Yeah. Depends on how fancy I’m feeling. Sometimes we say shallot, but then when we have everything harvested and laying out on tables, drying in the high tunnel, I like to say it’s the shallot chalet[below].

Margaret: Oh, cute.