The growth of the shallots, planted six weeks, ago is uneven. These 3 photos were all taken today, and each bulb was planted on 28 February.

The uneven growth of the shallots indicates:

• uneven moisture in the seedbed
• insufficient watering after planting
• moisture requirement is often under-estimated.

The shallots were planted in a poly-tunnel. This is not necessary - but the shelter of the poly tunnel should help them get off to a good start. In this case it did not, and the shallots did not grow well because they were not watered sufficiently. We underestimate how quickly the soil dries out.

The temperature inside a poly-tunnel can get quite hot. In March, the temperature rose to 40C on some days. This dries out the surface of the soil, where the bulbs are trying to grow.

To counteract the drying of the soil surface, a gentle mist has been applied to:

• keep the moisture content of the surface even & optimal
• prevent over-watering

The uneven growth in the shallots has been caused by the uneven moisture content of the soil, & gentle watering should help the shallots to grow more uniformly.

shallot