Shallots are in season in the United States from September to April. Allium family plant starts put in the ground in late fall, over-winter in the ground, and start to grow in the cool of earliest spring. Their bulbs take several months of warm weather growth to reach maturity, and then harvest, at the end of summer.

Shallots keep well in a cool, dry place, with good air circulation—up to nine months if the temperature is 40 – 45 degrees Fahrenheit. Opinions differ as to whether this should be in the light or the dark. The British Horticultural Society recommends light, “since dark encourages premature sprouting.”

For cooks who can't imagine cooking certain dishes without shallots, the organic produce industry now makes available bags of peeled shallots with a refrigerated, 7-week shelf life. As with onions, prepared shallots can be sliced and frozen too.

A final option to extend the shallot season is to use fresh dug, spring shallots. These shallots can be enjoyed for their own distinct qualities the same way spring garlic and fresh green onions are.  So, stock up a bit on shallots as the season ends, put them in a cool, dry place where you can keep an eye on them, use them freely, try some spring shallots, and switch to peeled, packaged shallots if necessary as your cooking heads into the early fall and a new crop of shallots.