Zebrune
What's special about Zebrune
Elongated banana shallot from France. Mild, sweet, easy to peel.
Growing this variety
Zebrune follows the same growing basics as Shallot. Variety-specific maturity above; everything else below applies to the whole Shallot family.
Germination
Spacing & depth
How to plant
From seed: sow in cells like onions, transplant when pencil-thick. From sets: push bulbs pointed end up, tip just at soil level, 4–6 in apart. Keep weeded — shallow roots hate competition. Cure like onions once tops fall.
Grower's tip
Shallots multiply — one bulb becomes a cluster of 4–8. Save the biggest for replanting.
Soil preferences
Loose, well-drained soil — bulbs rot in wet feet.
6.0–7.0
Compost + bone meal or rock phosphate worked into the planting hole.
Watering
Water in at planting, then only during active growth. Let bulbs go dry during dormancy.
Deep watering at the base. Avoid overhead watering after leaves die back.
Overwatered: soft, mushy bulbs at harvest; basal plate rot. Underwatered: small bulbs, thin necks.
Prefers top-watering — Top-water at the soil surface — keep the necks and crowns as dry as possible to prevent basal rot.
Temperature tolerance
60–75°F (15–24°C) during growth
40–60°F (4–15°C)
Hardneck garlic, shallots, and daffodils need a cold winter to bulb properly. Tender bulbs (dahlia, gladiolus) must be lifted in cold zones.
Container growing
Yes — great in containers
8+ in deep, wide enough to space bulbs 2–3× their diameter
Deep pot for tulips and daffodils; shallow bowls for crocus.
Detailed harvesting
For garlic and onion: dig when the bottom 3 leaves brown and top leaves still stand. Loosen with a fork, don't yank. Cure whole plants 2–3 weeks in a warm, airy, shaded spot.
Post-harvest storage & preservation
After curing, trim tops and roots. Store hardneck garlic 4–6 months, softneck 8+ months in a cool (50–60°F), dry, dark spot with airflow. Never in the fridge.
Culinary, medicinal & other uses
Culinary staple (allium bulbs), cut flowers (tulip, daffodil, lily), forced blooms indoors, or perennial garden color.
Medicinal or traditional uses are shared for interest only — this is not medical advice. Consult a qualified professional before using any plant medicinally.
Seed saving
Propagate by offset bulblets, not seed — bulbs mature much faster from a clove/bulb than from seed.
Not applicable when replanting clones. Cross-pollinated seed rarely comes true.
Save the biggest, firmest bulbs each year and replant. Over generations you build a locally-adapted strain.
Your zone's planting calendar
Pick your USDA hardiness zone and we'll estimate the key dates for shallot in your area. These are regional averages — always check your own last-frost forecast before sowing.
My Zebrune Shallot notes
Zebrune Shallot seeds on hand
Track packets and loose seeds you already have. Private to your account.
Par level — leave at 0 for no alert. Anything below par shows on Seed Starting and your shopping list.
From your kitchen — grow shallot from what you already have
Like garlic, shallots come from bulbs (sets), not seed — one bulb becomes a cluster of 4–8.
- 1Pick firm bulbs from your kitchen or the market — heirloom French Red, Grey, or Santé types will regrow (irradiated grocery bulbs may not).
- 2Break the cluster into individual bulbs.
- 3Plant point-up, tip just at soil level, 4–6 in apart. Fall in zones 7+, spring elsewhere.
- 4Harvest when tops fall over in mid-summer; cure like onions.
Storage: Save the largest bulbs from each harvest to replant.
Order more seeds
Running low? Reorder from one of these seed stores.
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Other Shallot varieties
French Grey / Griselle
110 daysThe true 'gourmet' shallot — grey skin, pink flesh, intense flavor. Sets only.
Ambition F1
100 daysReliable seed-grown shallot — uniform round bronze bulbs, stores 8+ months.
Conservor F1
105 daysLong-storing golden-brown shallot bred for CSA and market growers.
French Red (True French)
100 daysThe classic red-skinned French shallot — pink-purple flesh, mild sweet flavor, sets only.
Santé
100 daysDutch red-brown shallot — high-yielding, uniform teardrop bulbs, stores 8–10 months. Sets.
Gray (Griselle)
110 daysThe prized 'true' gourmet shallot — grey-brown papery skin, elongated cloves, intense complex flavor. Sets only, vegetative.