Hi Scarleta,

I would say if the tops are thoroughly brown and the soil is dry then go ahead and dig them out, shake or brush off the remaining soil and let them dry someplace airy but protected from full sun, dew and critters.

These are general rules for most any bulb/root storage - I'm afraid it's my wife who is the shallot grower. I know she doesn't go to any great pains with them and they keep fine. She usually has some until at least Dec/Jan (prob. longer) from a late summer harvest. It would be interesting to fall plant some to see how they do vs. spring planted. Assuming they were planted early enough (say late Sept. or early Oct.) so they make root growth before heavy winter rains come they should outgrow and molds and such.

Thanks pepperdude :tops are dry, but because of irrigation we have set they still get some water as they are in vegie garden and the rest needs water.I suppose I can turn it down a bit in that area (difficult as they get water from more than one direction). in any case they look great and quite large too.It is my intention to plant some of them this year same time as garlick (October usually)
Thanks for your help.

If you haven't grown leeks before this is one reason why they are so great for our area. You don't have to worry about drying them down as you do with bulbing onions, shallots and garlic. Just leave em in the ground all winter and dig as needed.

If you can segregate those crops that want drying down that's great, but as I'm sure you know that's not always as easily done as a gardener would like.

Yes pepperdude: you are correct about leeks I grow them too.Garlick is easy too.
In any case I turned the sprinkler low and hope it will help my shallots.