Shallots, a type of small, mild edible allium, are treated like gourmet divas, but they are one of the easiest vegetables to grow. Even if you've failed with garlic and onions, you'll probably have success with shallots.

I'm not sure what makes shallots so expensive to buy. Maybe it's because there isn't that large a market for them. That's kind of self-fulfilling, because if they lowered the price, more people would buy them. But lucky us, we're gardeners and we aren't at the whim of grocery managers and marketing gurus. We can plant shallots in the fall and have enough to store and use for months on end.

I made the mistake of grouping shallots with multiplier or potato onions, the other day. The terms are sometimes used interchangeably and that just makes things more confusing, especially when you are ordering sets. As our onion aficionado, Scottyblue, pointed out, regular multipliers have a stronger flavor, more like regular onions and can be a struggle to peel. If you want the sweet, subtle shallot that melts away in butter, look for true French Gray shallots. A shallot by any other name, is not a shallot. Here are some more tips for growing shallots, as we get ready for the fall planting season.

By the way, do you already grow shallots? If so, let us know your favorite varieties.

Photo: © Marie Iannotti

Marlingardener is experiencing a mixed blessing: "My good neighbor gave us a handful of multiplying onions, which I planted and ended up with about a peck basket full. I consider myself a good cook, innovative and creative, but I have no idea what to do with these things.

Please, can someone give me an idea of how to use them, a recipe or two or more, preferably more? The alternative is to set up a target and see who can throw the onions and hit the bull's eye. The prize will be a handful of multiplying onions to plant."

I have to confess, I picked this for Question of the Week because I too have a heapin' helping of shallots in my garden. So help us out here, ">what's you favorite way to use shallots?

And if you don't know what multiplier onions are or how to grow shallots, stay tuned; they are going to be the Featured Plant, on Friday.

Photo: © Marie Iannotti

It's easy to forget about your garlic plants. Most of us put them in the ground in late fall, just before the ground disappears for the winter. Since garlic requires so little care, you may not notice it again until the leaves start to turn brown. Hopefully that doesn't happen until mid-summer, when your garlic is getting mature and should be just about ready to be harvested. (If your garlic started browning early in the season, it probably just needed water.)

So your garlic bulbs are signaling that they are done growing. Now what? Fortunately garlic is as easy to harvest as it is to grow. Probably the hardest part of digging up your garlic is making sure you don't slice through it. Even if you do, you can still clean it up and eat it. It won't store well sliced, but you have to sample your hard work anyway, right?

I've always considered this a good time to remember to order my garlic for next fall, too. Of course, you can save some cloves from your harvest to re-plant. But if you want to try something new, get your order in soon, so that it's delivered in time to plant. My favorite place to order garlic is Seed Savers Exchange. They have a great selection.

• Harvesting, Drying & Storing Garlic
• Growing Garlic

  Photo: wmstadler / stock.xchng

A lot of us have been having damp or humid summers and while a little water is great, too much dampness for too long can cause all kinds of problems. Even the seemingly carefree plants, like clematis, can start acting up. Problems that take hold in June really start showing symptoms in July, so keep a close eye on your plants. If your clematis was blooming fine and now the stems & leaves are starting to look brown, it's probably not because they need more water. It could very easily be a case of clematis wilt, a fungus disease that loves damp foliage and humid weather. The good news is that it doesn't attack the clematis roots. The bad news is that all affected portions will need to be cut back. Here are some tips for avoiding and controlling clematis wilt.

Photo: © Marie Iannotti