By Hank
Cheshire,
United Kingdom 
Shallots ( and carrots )
A month ago I set 30 shallot sets and they are already at least 5 inches (125mm) high. Wonderful, but does this perhaps mean that like my carrots, there'll be lots above ground but nowt underneath when the time comes to harvest them ?
Perhaps I'd better not get my hopes up yet !
20 May, 2012
Answers
Hello again M.G.,
I set the carrots ( Early Nantes 5) on Sept 9th just for something to do although you(or someone else) told me I need sandy soil which I don't have ! They're now 1 ft high and flourishing above ground. I have'nt checked them lately.
The shallots, I think, were called Sturon and I set them on April 7th this year. My book tells me they should be ready in about 18 weeks.
20 May, 2012
If your carrots are a foot in height they will certainly have some sort of root, whether it will be a long enough one to be edible you will only discover when you pull them. Carrots are usually sown in spring not autumn.
So far as I am aware 'sturon' is an onion set not a shallot.
20 May, 2012
Your shallot sets should grow but the only real way to find out is when you harvest them. When did you sow and when did you harvest your carrots last year and which variety were they?
20 May, 2012