An heirloom eschalion (banana) type shallot from France, Zebrune is a bulb vegetable. The French name Cuisse de Poulet du Poitou translates as "leg of the chicken" (why does everything sound more elegant in French?), and these mid-sized shallots really are a bit drumstick-shaped, bulging in the middle and narrower on one end. The thick, meaty pinkish brown bulbs have a sweet, mild flavor, between onion and garlic. They can be eaten raw or cooked, but they are excellent for gourmet dishes. The bulbs keep beautifully after harvest.
Zebrune is an annual that prefers full sun and loose, fertile, moist but well-drained, sandy, limey loams with a pH of 6.0 to 7.0. Keep shallots well weeded. Deer, rabbit, and black walnut resistant.
Direct sow shallot seed in early spring as soon as the soil can be worked and temperatures are consistently 55°F. Start indoors in short-season climates or for the earliest possible crop of shallots. Sow the seeds 8 weeks before the last scheduled frost in your area and transplant the seedlings after all threat of frost has passed. Succession planting is recommended for continual harvest. Shallots are more likely to form a single bulb when plants are spaced close together.
If you plan to start your seeds indoors, be sure to check out our Bio Dome Seed Starter Kit. With the Bio Dome, you can control the temperature, light, and soil mix to ensure your seeds become strong for transplant.
