Mid to late summer seems to be the key harvesting time for shallots in Pittsburgh PA.
Harvesting Tips: 1) Harvest shallots when the shallot greens start to turn brown on the tips and the green flip over. 2) Loosen the soil all around the shallot bulbs but be careful not to damage them and scoop them out with a gardening tool such as the CobraHead tool. If you want to store shallots as long as possible, try not to damage the bulbs.
Curing Tips: 3) Cure the shallots in a warm, dry and shady spot outside or in a garage.  4) Since shallots grow in bundles, separate each shallot bulb and lay the shallots on racks so there is some air circulation. 5) Put newspapers or paper towels underneath the racks to catch the dirt. 6) After a few weeks, the shallots should be cured which means that the bulbs will feel firm and have papery skin on the outside and the stem and greens will be brown. 7) Cut the stem to about an inch above the shallots and the roots close to the bottom. 8) If the inside of the stem is still green, give the bulbs a few more days of curing.
Storing Tips: 9) I would suggest storing the shallots on a movable rack so you can move the shallot as needed due to temperature changes in your home. For instance, I move the shallots to my basement in the summer and back to the garage in the fall when the temperature cools down and the heater comes on inside. The ideal location is dark and cool. 10) There are other ways to store cured shallots. . .you can chop the shallots and individually freeze the chopped pieces and make shallot butter and freeze it.
If you need help with how to Sow and Grow Shallots, I got you covered.
