root · direct sow
Shallot: how much to plant.
A family of 4 eating shallot a few times a week needs about 5 plants in ~3 sq ft, worth about $4 a year at the store. Here are the exact numbers for your household, and when to plant in every zone.
How much to plant
Plants, space, seeds, and value.
Counts assume about 3 servings per person per week with a germination buffer built in. Store value uses ~$2.00/lb retail — an estimate that varies by region and season.
| Household | Plants | Bed space | Seeds to buy | Store value / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | 2 | ~1 sq ft | ~4 | ~$2 |
| 2 people | 3 | ~2 sq ft | ~6 | ~$2 |
| 4 people | 5 | ~3 sq ft | ~9 | ~$4 |
| 6 people | 7 | ~4 sq ft | ~13 | ~$6 |
Spacing
6" in row · 12" between rows
Sow depth
1"
Days to harvest
100 from seed
When to plant
Sow windows by USDA zone, 2026.
Zone dates are typical, not exact. The free planner uses your ZIP code's frost dates, not just the zone, and shifts every window to match.
| Zone | Spring sow window | Fall sow window |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | Mar 20 – Apr 24 | Aug 25 – Sep 29 |
| Zone 4 | Mar 15 – Apr 19 | Sep 4 – Oct 9 |
| Zone 5 | Mar 5 – Apr 9 | Sep 14 – Oct 19 |
| Zone 6 | Feb 23 – Mar 30 | Sep 24 – Oct 29 |
| Zone 7 | Feb 8 – Mar 15 | Oct 4 – Nov 8 |
| Zone 8 | Jan 28 – Mar 4 | Oct 25 – Nov 29 |
| Zone 9 | Jan 1 – Jan 30 | Nov 14 – Dec 19 |
| Zone 10 | Jan 1 – Jan 10 | Nov 24 – Dec 29 |
Know before you grow
The practical stuff.
Yield
About 0.4 lbs per plant over ~1 productive weeks (~0.4 lb).
Watch for
Onion thrips · Onion maggot · Downy mildew — the pest guide covers organic fixes for each, and Pest Radar shows what gardeners near you are reporting right now.
Neighbors
Plays well with carrot, beet, tomato-slicing, lettuce-leaf. Keep away from pole-bean, bush-bean, snap-pea.
On the plate (per 100 g, USDA)
72 kcal · 3.2 g fiber · 8 mg vitamin C · 334 mg potassium
Stop guessing. Get your exact numbers.
Tell the free planner what you want to eat and who you're feeding. It returns plant counts, spacing, and frost-safe sow dates for your ZIP code — not just your zone — in about 60 seconds.