Of course you can grow shallots in the desert!

Whether the Sonoran, Chihuahuan or the Mojave, the desert southwest isn’t always scorching hot. In fact, in spring and fall it can be quite pleasant, with temperatures in the 70- to 80-degree Fahrenheit range.

The extremes occur in summer and winter: extremely hot in summer and extremely cold in winter.

The key to success with growing shallots in the desert lies in planting at the right time, which, in Arizona, is generally in July, from the first to the fifteenth.

Mojave Desert gardeners (hello Las Vegas and Pahrump gardeners!) should get their shallot cloves into the ground between August 10 through October 10.

Generally, the further south you live, the later you should plant. Plan on 80 to 110 days after planting to harvest.

Supplies you’ll need to grow shallots

• Mattock or digging bar
• Shredded bark
• Compost
• 4-4-4 fertilizer
• Shovel or hoe
• Mulch

Prepare the shallot bed

Dig up the shallot bed to a depth of 10 to 12 inches. If you have caliche you may need to use a mattock, digging bar or other equipment to dig through it.

Caliche presents challenges in that it is slow to drain, so you may either have to use raised beds for the shallots or create drainage tunnels through the caliche.

Your county cooperative extension agent can advise you on your best course of action. You’ll find contact information for all Cooperative Extension offices here.

Add 3 inches of shredded bark, 3 inches of compost and 3 pounds of 4-4-4 fertilizer for each 100 square feet of shallot bed. The bark aids drainage, the compost helps the soil retain moisture and the fertilizer adds nutrients that are lacking in desert soil. Blend the amendments into the top 10 inches of soil.

Let’s plant shallots in the desert!

Separate the shallot into individual cloves. Be careful not to damage them when you do this.

Plant the cloves 4 inches apart and 1-inch deep, in rows spaced 4 inches apart.

Water the shallot bed until the top 6 inches of soil is wet and keep it moist during the growing season. If watering restrictions are in place in your county, water deeper on the days you are allowed to water.

Top-dress the soil around the shallots when they reach 6 inches in height. Mulch significantly reduces moisture evaporation from the soil – a battle all desert gardeners fight.

Pour 3 inches of mulch on the soil and spread it around all the shallots, keeping it at least 2 inches away from the base of the plants.

About 6 weeks after planting, side-dress the shallots with a 10-10-10 fertilizer

Side-dressing is an ideal method of delivering fertilizer to desert plants as it reduces the incidence of root burn.

Dig a 2-inch deep trench along the side of each shallot row. Place the trench 2 inches away from the row. Scatter the fertilizer along the length of the trench, fill it with soil and water to a depth of 8 inches. Use 2 pounds of fertilizer for each 100 square feet of bed.

Harvest the shallot when the foliage yellows and wilts. Dry the bulbs for one week before using.

Hey! You just grew shallots in the desert southwest!