shallots forming flowers

[henrysunset]

My shallots are forming the familiar pointy pod at the top which I expect will form a round ball of a flower if I let them. Is this damaging to the flavor of the shallot bulbs? The shallots were planted in the fall, and I was planning to wait till the plant started to weep and turn yellow to harvest.

[galina]

I know that you specifically asked whether flowering affects flavour (it does not in my experience), but it does affect how readily the bulbs will try to flower rather than multiplying vegetatively in the future.

I cut any flower scapes off to prevent the shallots using energy on unnecessary flowering rather than multiply and bulb. And I do not use shallots that have tried to flower for seed shallots next year.

[ottawagardener]

Funny this is a year of allium flowers for me. I also have flowers forming on my shallots. I don't remember this happening last year. Again, I blaim our unusual weather.

[steev]

I am so muddled on shallots. In another forum, I started a thread on mulching shallots, which has grown in several directions, including discussions of flowering (whether possible or not for true shallots) and F1 hybrisd (whether certain to flower and not clump). It's making MY head clump!